Hatch Green Chile roasting season arrives in Salt Lake Valley

SALT LAKE CITY — Green chile roasting season is underway in the Salt Lake Valley, but a shortage and the brief harvest window mean shoppers may want to stock up soon.

The smell of roasting green chile is filling the Salt Lake Valley as the late-summer chile season gets underway.

For many Utahns with ties to New Mexico, roasting green chile is more than a seasonal tradition. It's a taste of home and a way to connect with family and culture.

"They've been growing and harvesting chilies in New Mexico for generations," said Chris Lang, co-founder of Fresh Chile NM. "As people have kind of transplanted to Arizona, California, Texas, Utah, people love green chili, so there's nothing like it, and it just brings people together because it reminds them of their old family meals."

The tradition has followed people far beyond New Mexico.

Grocery stores including Smith's and Harmons are roasting fresh green chile in the Salt Lake Valley, blistering the skins and bringing out its smoky flavor.

"It adds lots of flavor, and when you roast them, I think the most addicting thing is the smell," said William Olson, a local grocery store roaster. "It adds flavor. If you get it a little spicy, then it adds a little heat."

Once the chile is roasted, shoppers can take it home and use it in a variety of dishes.

"It's hard to tell people what to do with them because it really comes down to, like you said, what you grew up with," Olson said. "You just go with what you know."

Green chile can be used in everything from salsa and enchiladas to soups and stews. It also can be frozen and enjoyed after the season ends.

While New Mexico is known for its chile, Utah shoppers can experience the roasting tradition without making the trip south.

The chile is available in different heat levels, ranging from mild to extra hot.

"The flavor, especially when it's roasted, you have this roasted kind of smoked flavor," Lang said. "People ask if it's hot. We actually grow mild, medium, hot, extra hot, so we can actually control the heat levels."

But shoppers may want to act quickly.

"Roasting season is a very limited window," Lang said. "Especially when people live in Utah, it's probably going to be August to beginning of September, then it's done. So if you want to taste chile, you need to do it now."

For those hoping to stock up, the next few weeks could be the best opportunity to get fresh-roasted green chile and preserve it for later.

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