Fire Roasting Fresh ChilesFire Roasting Fresh Chiles

The purpose of fire roasting fresh chiles, such as poblanos, is to facilitate removal of the skin and to enhance the chile’s flavor. Do not cook the chile; only blacken the skin. There are several methods used to accomplish this.

Method 1:

Place whole chiles directly on a barbeque grill over hot coals or a gas flame. Turn the chiles to blacken them evenly. This is a particularly effective method for quickly blackening without overcooking. When chiles are evenly blistered and blackened, remove and place them in a paper bag. Place the paper bag inside a plastic bag, close, and allow the chiles to steam for several minutes or until they are cool enough to handle. (An alternate method of steaming chiles is to place them on a plate and cover with a large bowl.) When cool, the skins should easily slip off the chiles. Remove the stems, veins, and seeds. To maintain maximum flavor, chiles should not be rinsed with water.

Method 2:

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil to facilitate cleanup. Rub the whole chiles with a little oil and spread them out in a single layer on the cookie sheet. Place under a broiler a few inches away from the heat source.

Turn the chiles every few minutes to evenly blacken and blister the skins. Proceed with steaming and cleaning chiles as described in Method 1. This is an easy way to process a large number of chiles that will be used in a sauce. It is not the best way to fire roast chiles to use as strips (rajas) or to stuff (rellenos), because the heat of an oven tends to cook chiles and make them soft.

Method 3:

Place a chile directly over a high flame on a gas stove, turning with tongs until it is blackened (a barbeque grate placed over the burner is a big help). The chile can also be held over a flame using tongs or by piercing the stem end with a meat fork. Proceed with steaming and cleaning the chiles as described in Method 1.

Method 4:

Chef Iliana de la Vega says deep frying or pan frying chiles in oil just long enough to blister their skins is another option, but the oil will turn dark and cannot be used to cook anything else.

Note: Remember, it is important to avoid cooking the chile—only blacken the skin.