Chiles Rellenos - Meh?

Question

In my desire to really master Tex-Mex cooking (it IS one of the basic food groups, yeah?) I decided to pit myself against Chiles Rellenos tonight. Poblanos, check. Batter, lovely, cheese was Co-Jack, should work. Pan with oil for frying, check. I had some problems with one of them tearing, but patched it together. 

My problem is that there just wasn't much flavor there. They didn't suck, but I wouldn't order them in a restaurant. Now these are the first chiles rellenos I've ever eaten (weird, i know, but just never got around to them), but the dude eats them whenever he can get them properly made. He said that they were a tiny little bit mild, but pretty close to what he's been eating since he was a baby sailor in NoCal and I took him to his first real Tex-Mex restaurant. 

So, is it just me? Maybe I should try a hotter or more flavorful chile?

Answer

I stand in awe: chiles rellenos are not easy - especially the Tex-Mex battered, and even many restaurants produce mediocre ones. 

If you're doing cheese-filled ones what flavor there is comes mostly from the peppers. IMHO, the ones called Anaheims in my neck of the woods - long, narrow, palish green - have the most flavor but can be hot. I get my peppers at the local Mexican grocery, and I've found they can vary considerably in flavor depending on growing conditions (the last batch of jalapenos were almost mild!) so maybe you just got a weird batch.

Answer

It could be yes, that the chile was a little bland, but perhaps you should try a different recipe. There is a CHOW recipe that (annoyingly) pops up on my right on these boards all the time, and it's a solid one. But I would recommend that you get take-out chiles rellenos from a few different places near where you live and get an idea of what they're supposed to be like. They are a big favorite of mine too and I use them as a test of Mexican restaurants in general myself - I can make them but I don't enjoy deep frying at home and prefer to let the restaurant do it.

Answer

Poblanos are the most common stuffed chile in Mexico - they are large, fleshy, relatively easy to peel. While some are hotter than others, mostly they are mild enough to use a main ingredient, not just a spice. And in their dried form, anchos, they are widely used as the 'base' note of sauces, including moles. But I've seen New Mexico natives insist on using their local varieties.

The parts of a rellenos are the filling, the pepper, the coating, and some sort of sauce or garnish.

A plain melting cheese is common, though I've also seen mention of picadillo (sweet spiced pork). The batter can be thin (or even none), or a thick one with whipped egg whites). The topping may be just some more cheese, or the same sauce that the restaurant puts on their enchiladas.

A special version is Chiles en nogada - walnut chiles. " It consists of poblano chiles filled with picadillo... topped with a walnut-based cream sauce, called nogada, and pomegranate seeds" [Wiki]

http://www.edibleaustin.com/index.php/food/recipes/recipe/320-chiles-rellenos-oaxaquec3b1os-oaxacan-chiles-rellenos
is a recipe for an Oaxaca style, using either a hotter chile de agua, or pasilla (yes, a dried chile).

Answer

I usually use poblanos; if they seem mild, I use pepper Jack cheese. Or even if they don't... 

After making these fried once or twice, I started baking them and haven't looked back. (Same batter, poured over the filled peppers in an oiled gratin pan.) Sauce is a tomato puree cooked with a bit of cumin and cinnamon.

Answer

It seems to me (from those I've eaten; last one a week ago) that there are three to four main components: chile; filling (cheese or cheese+); batter; sauce. The batter usually has little flavor compared to the other three. To me the chile and the sauce are the two major ones. As has been said here, chiles vary in degree of heat. If the chile isn't too hot for my taste, I'd have to say that BOTH the chile and the sauce are equally responsible for the flavor profile. Just my 2¢.

Answer

Regarding the torn pablano, what method did you use to remove the skin? As mentioned pablanos can vary widely in heat level. I always take a little taste to determine how spicy they are and adjust the filling or sauce if more is needed.

Answer

I live in New Mexico so I don't know about the Tex-Mex version. In Mexico I've seen poblanos and here in NM I've had poblanos and Sandia chiles. I like a thin batter (one NM restaurant wraps them in crepes instead of a batter). But to the point I think cojack is boring cheese and that may be a big part of your taste issue. I've seen Mexican Manchego and other Mexican cheeses used -- I like Oaxaca cheese. Taste some at the deli. I also think a good sauce is important.

Answer

As others have said, Poblanos vary in heat but are generally fairly mild.
I never have been a big fan of Chiles Rellenos just stuffed with cheese. I prefer a meat and cheese filling and the sauce can make or break the dish as well.

Answer

Glad to see this post because I just picked up a bag of about 6 Anaheim chiles with one random poblano and want to stuff them. I kind of want to do something besides the batter cause that's so difficult. Done it once but like the OP I didn't think it was delicious enough to warrant another try. 
I was thinking of making them like enchiladas with no tortillas. Maybe roast/peel first then stuff and make a casserole....

Answer

Here's a post I did last year on another site with info regarding making Rellenos - the tip I read here about removing the seeds first really helped

I read a recipe on Chowhound that called for removing the seeds BEFORE roasting by making a long cut at an appropriate place. This turns out to be a great suggestion. I could get most of the seeds out and the pepper maintained much more structural integrity after roasting.

Another tip was to use toothpicks after stuffing the peppers (claiming many restaurants do) - that also worked although it added a bit of a challenge handling the peppers (I removed them before serving)

The final tip was to freeze the stuffed peppers for 20-30 minutes which I did - can't say if that helped but the outcome was terrific.

I did two types of batter - one the traditional egg white/egg yolk and the other flour/egg/panko (not technically a chile relleno but awfully good!)

The egg batter recipe (the Chowhound one) had an interesting technique for coating the pepper - putting a dollop of batter in the hot oil then placing the pepper on it and spreading more batter (pic in the link below) - it worked well and the batter looked beautiful upon serving (no gaps)

http://www.chow.com/recipes/29565-chiles-rellenos#8638370

I also made tomato sauce from our fresh tomatoes, peppers, onions and dried hot chilies from last year - it was OK but a little too sweet (the onions I guess). Rounded off the meal with roasted corn removed from the cob and pan fried in butter and smoked paprika. Topped everything with some sour cream and cilantro.

It was time consuming but I love doing fiddly stuff. While the traditional rellenos were very good we both really liked the Panko ones as well - nice for a change (also the panko ones would clearly hold well meaning you could prepare a bunch slightly in advance).

I know you might laugh at all the work for something many of you can get down the street but not in Toronto!

Answer

I think one has to be a fan of poblanos to begin with--they are mild chiles--or one won't truly be a fan of chiles rellenos. I like poblanos. I'll toss some on the grill, brushed with oil and salt, to eat as a side dish when grilling meat. If one isn't a fan of the poblano by itself, the poblano is just going to seem like a container for what is perceived as "the good stuff" waiting inside it. A chile relleno will never meet high expectations.

Answer

Has anyone ever tried chilaqules? Another great dish you can use pablanos in.

Answer

I am a huge fan of chiles rellenos , but lately have been making them unbattered and baked. Just slit the pepper and stuff with cheese (I like local goat cheese or Cotija), fruit like dried cranberries or apricots, pumpkin seeds or pecans, whatever. Drizzle with an ancho cream.

Answer

The few times i have tried chili rellenos i thought the amount of cheese really "muffled" the flavor potential. 
Perhaps in addition to sourcing a new chili consider a filling with less cheese and some sauteed veggies with rice- you could certainly add in more spice here too with chipotles/jalapenos/etc

Answer

I am in the minority and use Anaheim chiles instead of Poblanos. Further, I serve sauce on the side - it has never made sense to go to the trouble of making them crisp only to sit in sauce. 
Full disclosure: I make two sauces - a wimpy one for gringos and another with some "body". I use cotija cheese or Monterey Jack. My Mexican friend tells me that these are not meant to be searing hot.

We don't eat these often but love them when the spirit moves me. Thumbs way up for chiles rellenos!

Have you tried making a C.R. burrito? I usually fill the burrito with more cheese, corn, cilantro and a great green chile salsa before adding the C R. Great Sunday lunch.

Answer

All you probably need is better cheese. I prefer to use grated Oaxaca with some strips of panela to give it more flavor and body. I also prefer my chiles roasted over flame and preferably a wood fire. In a pinch I'll roast them over my smoker box (with manzanita) on my gas grill.

A month ago I made some stuffed with lobster tails (no batter) and covered with an ancho crema sauce that turned out brilliant.

I do have a very special and unique Relleno trick/technique for the battered ones that I learned from a Mexican chef at a Colorado Restaurant (The Saloon in Minturn) 40 years ago. It makes my rellenos extra flavorful and even easier to make. People who try my rellenos definitely notice the difference, but never know exactly what it is. I am reluctant to share such a coveted technique on such a public board, but would be willing to share directly by email if you are so inclined. Can you direct message people on Chowhound, i really don't know?

Answer

I have long loved chiles rellenos. My suggestions: stuff w/ grated pure extrasharp cheddar or a mix of it and grated pepper jack. The dish's flavor profile is poblanos, cheese, sauce.
I use a marinara w/ no herbs- just garlic, onion, Pastene canned plum tomatos.

I have a popular '60's recipe of John Wayne's Chiles Rellenos Casserole in which there is no deep frying. ExSh cheddar is grated and mixed with chopped(charred,steamed,peeled; or canned ElPaso whole green chiles) poblanos in a pam'd 9x13 casserole. Egg yolks plus little flour and evap milk and folded-in whipped egg whites- make a batter that is poured on top of the cheese mixture and squished in w/ a fork. Bakes up like a flat puffy cheese and chiles souffle.Bake. Pour on marinara for last 15 min. Cut and serve.Great cold leftover too!

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Chiles Rellenos - Meh?

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