Question for the people in the Hatch Chili growing area.

[forktender]

How much are you paying per pound for fresh raw chilies?
I found a guy that will sell me flats which are 5 to 6lbs each for $1.75 per pound.
I really have no idea if that is a deal or not, it sounds like a deal to me, but like I said, I don't know.
I'm thinking I want to try my hand at canning up a few flats for winter meals.

Thanks.
Dan.

 

[SmokinEdge]

That’s right in there. I haven’t bought any this year but 35-45 dollars a bushel is normal fresh. Those are 20-25 pounds, so around $2.00 a pound is in the ball park.

 

[JLinza]

Yep, id say thats about right for fresh. However, ive seen them run anywhere from $5 up to $10 for a 1lb bag roasted for Pueblo chilis. Here in CO anyway. Just depends on the vender

 

[forktender]

Thank you, once this heatwave passes it's time to break out the All American pressure canner, it's been mothballed in the garage for a while now.
Thanks again.
Dan.

 

[Smoke-Chem BBQ]

Way up in North Idaho, the local Super1 has them on sale for $1.28/lb, so I've been stocking up. They are also selling them by the case, but I don't know that they offer further price breaks. They were roasting last weekend, but wanted $3.99/lb roasted. I've been roasting on the grill, then cleaning and vacuum packing to freeze.

This weekend the local Safeway is holding a roasting event, $2.49/lb either raw or freshly roasted.

 

[02ebz06]

I just picked up a sack yesterday and will be processing them in a bit.
I paid $40 for the sack and $5 for roasting.
Just weighed them and it is ~30lb. after roasting.
Not sure how much is lost during the roasting process.
I doubt more that 5lb..

If you don't count the roasting fee, it's about $1.15/lb. for 35#.

Also, I buy from the grower. If you are buying from a market you have a middleman.

 

[SmokinEdge]

How much are you paying per pound for fresh raw chilies?
I found a guy that will sell me flats which are 5 to 6lbs each for $1.75 per pound.
I really have no idea if that is a deal or not, it sounds like a deal to me, but like I said, I don't know.
I'm thinking I want to try my hand at canning up a few flats for winter meals.

Thanks.
Dan.

Nothing wrong with canning if that’s what you need to do. But my whole life we have roasted, peeled or not, then bagged and simply frozen. This keeps the texture better for adding to dishes. In my experience there is a huge flavor increase of freezing vs. canning.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Keep in mind that buying at the farm is always cheaper, and a full sack of Chile is a very long bushel somewhere between 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 bushel. Sacks are cheapest at the farm. I think the last time I bought from the farm in Pueblo they were $35 per sack, where here locally they were $45 per bushel. But I had to drive 4 hours to get to the farm one way.

 

[forktender]

Nothing wrong with canning if that’s what you need to do. But my whole life we have roasted, peeled or not, then bagged and simply frozen. This keeps the texture better for adding to dishes. In my experience there is a huge flavor increase of freezing vs. canning.

I never tried freezing them, interesting.
I'm canning this batch, as part of my Christmas gifts for friends and family, and of course, ME, for chili verde, tamales, enchilada, eggs, and green chili.
If I can find a deal on some more, I'll try the freezing deal.
This last batch is frick'in HOT, I've never had Hatch chilies this HOT before, almost too hot for me. I've had a few hot ones in the past, but never the whole batch, I'm gonna tone them down by adding some Anaheim and a few red long peppers to the batch later today.
Thank you.
Dan.

P.S.
Oh, the weed burner sure makes fast work out'a roasting them, I love it!!!

 

[SmokinEdge]

This last batch is frick'in HOT, I've never had Hatch chilies this HOT before, almost too hot for me. I've had a few hot ones in the past, but never the whole batch, I'm gonna tone them down by adding some Anaheim and a few red long peppers to the batch later today.

Hatch Chile is a broad general name for any Chile grown in the Hatch valley. But there are many actual varieties and which varieties you buy dictate the heat level, so it’s always good to ask the vender or store which varieties they are selling.

Here is a small example of the different varieties and heat level measured in Scoville Heat Units (SHU)

New Mexico 6-4 (SHU) 1000-1500 (Mild)
Big Jim (SHU) 1500-4000 (Medium)
Sandia (SHU) 6000-8000 (Hot)
Barker (SHU) 8000-12000) (Extra Hot)

So you can see that the variety you buy makes a huge difference. There are many more varieties that fit in between those four. The most common you will find in stores are,

6-4
Big Jim
Sandia
Barker

 

[02ebz06]

I've been getting the Sandia.

 

[forktender]

Hatch Chile is a broad general name for any Chile grown in the Hatch valley. But there are many actual varieties and which varieties you buy dictate the heat level, so it’s always good to ask the vender or store which varieties they are selling.

Here is a small example of the different varieties and heat level measured in Scoville Heat Units (SHU)

New Mexico 6-4 (SHU) 1000-1500 (Mild)
Big Jim (SHU) 1500-4000 (Medium)
Sandia (SHU) 6000-8000 (Hot)
Barker (SHU) 8000-12000) (Extra Hot)

So you can see that the variety you buy makes a huge difference. There are many more varieties that fit in between those four. The most common you will find in stores are,

6-4
Big Jim
Sandia
Barker

The box said either mild or medium, I don't remember the exact wording .
I think therewas a mix up, LOL.

This morning I added a bunch of Anaheim peppers and a few sweet red long peppers to the mix, to try too mellow it out a little.

 

[Hijack73]

They run 2.49/lb here at the Kroger affiliate.
I got another produce bag full this evening but I had to pick through them hard. I think our Hatch time is over in SC.

I have cooked and eaten 3-4 lbs roasted and peeled weight in the last 2 weeks and used about another lb in the rice and gravy I made last night.

I've got maybe 5 lbs already roasted I need to peel and the bag tonight was about 8 bucks so another 3 to roast and peel. Then it's back to poblano for me lol.

I haven't gotten many hot ones. I tasted one last night that lit me up a bit but the ones next to it were very mild.

When I ever have time and weather again to smoke sausage I'll have plenty for those delicious cheddar and hatch.

God it was a hot summer. We had a funky little cool spell for about 8 or 9 days but outside of that it's been miserable. We have had insane amounts of rain to go with the cool. Absolutely no drought here. Yard is knee high to the Jolly Green Giant. I set the mower on its highest setting and knocked down the front yard Friday afternoon, the first afternoon I'd been home and it was somewhat dryish in about 3 weeks. I am going to have to punch the back yard down with the weed eater I think. It's sopping wet back there, like squish when I walk sopping.

 

[forktender]

I canned 12 qts this evening, in fact the last six are finishing up in the All American pressure canner right now. The Anaheim peppers, and sweet long red peppers worked out great, took the heat level down to just a bead of sweat on my forehead, instead of my whole head soaking wet from sweating, I don't know how some of you guys eat those super hot peppers, they'd kill me.