The Best Way To Cook Stuffed Poblano Peppers Is On The Grill

Poblanos are not just another green pepper, thank you very much. They're earthy, with a touch of (flair) smokiness and a little bitterness that mellows as they cook. When you stuff them they are a perfect candidate for the grill, where they can receive a proper char treatment that brings out the pepper's natural flavors. Their tender but strong texture holds up to the heartiest of fillings, even as they absorb all that yummy smokiness from the fire.

Traditionally, stuffed poblanos are chile rellenos without the frying but still packed with gooey cheeses that melt well like asadero, queso Oaxaca, queso Chihuahua, or Monterey Jack. This makes them so adaptable. Use them as added inspiration for an extra-hearty meal, like in this picadillo stuffed poblano peppers recipe. It's loaded with ground beef, chorizo, corn, tomatoes, potatoes, and cheese (of course), all cozied up inside the roasted poblano. While they'll hold any filling you can dream up, they must be prepped just the right way. The grill takes care of this beautifully, too. Between its ability to enhance the pepper's natural smokiness and streamline the preparation method, grilling stuffed poblanos is a win-win combination. It just takes a little bit of planning and understanding of how to use direct and indirect heat.

First things first. The non-negotiable step to remember when making stuffed poblanos is to char and remove the skin to avoid bitter bites. This goes for any chili, and with poblano, this step makes them less tough and easier to digest. Once the flames start reducing to glowing embers, place the poblanos onto oiled grates where they can cook via direct heat, right over the fire and embers.

Let the skins bubble and loosen, about three to five minutes per side. Carefully remove them with tongs and place them in a sealed plastic bag to loosen the skins while they cool. Skin them by holding onto the stem with one hand and using a serrated knife to scrape the skin off. Cut out the attached seeds but leave the stem and then make a slit down the side of the poblano. Use a spoon to scrape out any remaining seeds and stuff them with your prepared filling, like the one in this recipe for oven roasted chile rellenos and tomatillo salsa.

Place them in a cast-iron skillet or grill pan and return the poblanos to the grill. Cook them indirectly, using the heat from the coals and not the direct flames, for 20-30 minutes. If using lump charcoal, you'll have anywhere from 45 minutes to three hours from start to finish, so you may need to keep those embers glowing by adding unlit briquettes to your grill.