How To Char A Poblano Pepper Slideshow

Turn the stove on high.

Using tongs, place the pepper directly on the grating.

Now, here comes the hard part: waiting. This is a lot like grilling; you don't want a whole lot of movement or the pepper won't char properly. You can perform other prep for your recipe in the meantime, but keep checking once in a while to make sure things are progressing smoothly.

If the first side has completely charred, rotate the pepper 90 degrees and char the second side. It should be completely black. If it has only charred partially, reposition the pepper as needed to char the first side completely. You may hear popping or hissing sounds coming from the pepper. This is completely normal. Repeat until all sides are charred.

Remove the pepper from the stove and place on a work surface to cool. If you're doing more peppers, start with the next one. (Once you get really comfortable with this, only the number of burners on your stove will limit how fast you can char peppers.) 

Once the pepper has cooled, using your hands, slip off the skins. They should come right off.

Slice off the stem and cut the peppers into quarters. Lay each piece flat on your work surface and use your chef's knife to scrape away any remaining seeds. Chop, slice, or dice to your heart's desire.

This technique also works on bell peppers. For cooking ideas, check out the recipes below:

Click here to see the Ibérico Pork Tenderloin with Charred Red Pepper Sauce Recipe.

Click here to see the Spicy Tomato Soup with Harissa and Farro Recipe, which made finalist in the 2013 Melbourne Wine Food & Wine Festival recipe contest. And be sure to check out the Pinterest board for additional recipes from the contest.