How to Roast & Peel Chiles (a.k.a. Chili Peppers)

Roasting softens the intense flavor of chiles, bringing out their earthy, smoky goodness. Roasting chiles until the skins are blistered and black also makes pulling off their skins as easy as peeling off a piece of tin foil. Use fresh, firm chiles for roasting. Chose chiles with smooth and unblemished skins.

The method here uses an open flame - either from a gas stove or a grill. You can also roast chiles and peppers under a broiler (see How to Roast Peppers Under a Broiler).