Having recently moved to North Carolina from Colorado, One thing I didn’t expect; happened. One would think that the simple classification of Mexican food to be somewhat universal. As I’ve found out, it isn’t. I might have miscalculated on this move. I’m slightly surprised by what is Mexican food depending on where you are in the world. Colorado Green Chile, to many it’s a riddle, but to people in Colorado, it is simply heaven, at least to this Colorado Kid, aka Burrito Bags.
What is Green Chile? It’s funny to see someone’s expression when they first encounter green chile. When they taste it, it’s usually a puzzled look, and then the heat kicks in. Depending on what strength you give some unsuspecting friend in my case, it’s always extra hot. Enjoy, and “let me order you a chocolate milk box there tiger.”
Many people assume its like beef chile until they see it. It necessarily doesn’t have to be green in color but can be, and what are those chunks of mystery meat floating in it? The answer is delicious chunks of pork. To tell you the truth, the first time someone unfamiliar with it has some, they hate it, but that could be because of someone like me, giving them rocket fuel.
Colorado Green Chile is different from other places. The closest to Colorado’s is New Mexico. This Green Chile is less thick, and to me, very watery. Don’t get me wrong, still delicious, but just thinner. Colorado’s is thicker and about the consistency of soup or chowder (Wicked cool). Then you have Texas, and let me say, totally different and just off. I know, that is Tex-Mex, so its not even real Mexican food. OK, settle down Pistol Pete, Tex-Mex is excellent and the only thing close to Mexican which I’m accustomed to in North Carolina. Thank you, Chuy’s, you’re saving me from withdrawals but what is the deal with charro beans?
Green chile in Colorado can be found on just about any menu in any restaurant or diner worth its weight in peppers. This is a classic dish, and depending on who you talk to, high standards are expected in this niche of Colorado foodie culture. Oh, ya; I forgot to tell you, great green chile recipes are a guarded secret that is passed down from one generation to the next. Even family members don’t have the entire formula, and because of this, the taste is just off. Yes, you can go out to the internet and find a simple green chile recipe, and they can be good, but great is hard to find and once you do, you don’t want to go back. From burgers to burritos and just about anything, green chile is fantastic for any meal.
Now, if you’re curious and you’re in the mood for some green chile, here is a good recipe so you can give it a try.
Where did the green chiles come from?
Native cultures from the southwest region have cultivated chiles for centuries. Then came Dr. Fabián Garciá. Some consider him the head cheese (Pardon the pun) in this pepper talk. Many people consider this man the pioneering horticulturist who developed the modern New Mexican chiles that we eat today.
All of the modern New Mexican type peppers we have today have their genetic base accreted to Garcia’s New Mexico No. 9 cultivar. This pepper changed the industry of New Mexico’s agriculture in the late 1800s and early 1900s. This strain and recipes used in New Mexico slowly moved their way north and found a welcoming home in Colorado kitchens.
The most famous pepper is the Hatch green chile grown in the Hatch Valley in New Mexico. This valley lies along the Rio Grande from Arrey, New Mexico, in the north to Tonuco Mountain to the south of Hatch, New Mexico. Only peppers grown in this area can be called Hatch green chiles. It’s the Champagne of the pepper world and comes in varieties such as Big Jim, NuMex Barker, and Lumbre. Thank you very much, New Mexico, for the introduction of this great pepper.
Then you have the farmers around Pueblo, Colorado, who would like to let you know about their unique pepper called the Pueblo Chile. According to the Pueblo Chile Growers Association, this pepper is similar but it does have a different taste profile. As stated on their website, Pueblo chile is the most famous chile of our region, attracting chile aficionados’ attention from around the world. Its pungency ranges between 5,000 and 20,000 Scoville Heat Units, the measurement method used to rank chile heat. Pueblo chilies are comparable to moderate jalapeno peppers and are usually a little warmer than cayenne peppers. The growing conditions in Southeastern Colorado render some of the best chile available. Hot, dry, sunny summer days, combined with our rich soils and pure Colorado water yield some of the hottest and most flavorful chilies. Watch out for the little ones – they’ve been tortured the most and are the hottest.
Pueblo thinks so highly about their pepper that you can attend the annual Chile & Frijoles Festival held each year the third weekend after Labor Day. This is Pueblo’s harvest celebration.
Bagwell’s Personal Favorite Places for Green Chile When In Denver.
Santiago’s
El Tejado
La Casa Del Rey
El Jardin
And the number 1 for Bag’s……is:
The Original Chubbys Inc
Pueblo, Colorado Home of the Slopper. (A hamburger sunk into a bowl of green chile…Yum.)
Gray’s Coors Tavern (Classic)
Sunset Inn (The Upstart)
North Carolina might not have the famous green chile but the one thing they do have,
Now it’s your turn again. What one food can’t you live without or simply miss from your home region? Don’t be shy, just throw it out there and besides, I might find the next “Juicy Lucy.” Yum.