An attempt at smoking chile peppers... [Archive]

chuk hell

07-23-2006, 04:25 PM

I gave up on the trashcan smoker idea and instead bought one of these little mini-weber knock-offs. It was only $2.50.

http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/2637/img0001ue5.jpg

Here it is loaded up with my first test batch.

http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/4566/img0002oh8.jpg

I think it might work better if I could retro-fit a hotplate in it but for now I just built a fire in there.

I hope this works. I want to make some smoked habanero sauce. :onfire:

imaguitargod

07-23-2006, 08:00 PM

$2.50!?! $2.50!!!!!!!!!!!!?!? Where did you find that?!?!?!?! I want one!!!

So, did it work?

POTAWIE

07-24-2006, 09:30 AM

I tried smoking too the other day. I got the cheap vertical smoker with offset firebox. It worked good but need to experiment further. Some jalapenos, Crimson Hot(Ancho like), Whippet's tails, and a couple vulture habs. Most are going in the chili pot tomorrow so not too dry. Next try will be mostly habs for sauce.
http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/1862/july24012pd5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

chuk hell

07-24-2006, 01:28 PM

Well here they are about 3 hours into it...

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/4319/img0008kx3.jpg

...and here is the finished result today...smoked and ready to make sauce with.

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/4521/img0009ga1.jpg

The little grill I found at Garden Ridge. They had a bunch of BBQ stuff 75% off. It's not worth much more than $2.50; it's a flimsy piece of junk I'd hate to try to do any real grilling on.

Tina Brooks

07-26-2006, 02:07 PM

For $2.50, I wouldn't try grilling on it either... It looks like it's a useful toy for domestic smoking though.

T.

chuk hell

07-28-2006, 07:22 PM

I'm happy to report that the smoking experriment was a complete success. I just finished making a smoked habanero sauce and I think it turned out rather well....it's one of the better sauces I've made in a while.

http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/2271/smokesuacezu0.jpg

As you can see it came out a nice reddish-brown color. At first the smoke flavor was way up front and it was hellavu hot so I added a splash of tequila and a dash of honey and that mellowed it out quite well. It's still one of the hotter sauces I've made in a while though. There are 42 habs in a batch that made less than a quart.

I only canned 3 half pints and ended up with a woozie and a half that I will enjoy myself...but tease my friends with. :hell:

chuk hell

07-30-2006, 04:23 PM

Smoking another batch today! wOOt!

DevilDuck

08-06-2006, 06:47 PM

Damn Chuk you're goin' to town!

Hank

08-06-2006, 10:58 PM

Looks yummy.

Guy Holman

08-10-2006, 01:46 PM

Looks great there. Looks a fine way to smoke/cook chiles fopr sauce making. Personally I smoke mine for drying and subsequent powder making. This requires a different approach, temps must be kept relatively low, you do not want them charring and getting cooked for that.

I am very lucky here to have a great smoker...well its an old bread oven actually...about ten foot dep and wide, the fir goes at the back and the chiles on a grill at the front..works a dream, if a little long..;but heck cold beer and a night of smoking under the stars is just fine by me.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b56/Guy_Holman/Oven-Number-TwoW.jpg

This year I have access to the oven even though I moved house (well only about 100 yds), a friend took over my last place and he too loves drinking and getting dirty in the oven. Great for bbq and pizza too.

I am planning on digging a double chambered smoker this fall in the new garden....a fire pit with a tunnel going to the smoke chamber...should be another fun expt..I read somewhere that the mexicans use this method for chipotles.

All the best

Guy

Guy Holman

08-10-2006, 01:53 PM

Heres the entrance with smoke billowing out. I cover the entrance more when smoking to get a better depth of smoke over the chiles....low n slow is the tempo.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b56/Guy_Holman/Smoking/Ca-fum.jpg

Here you can see the pods on the grill up in the smoke layer

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b56/Guy_Holman/Smoking/Grill-in-smoke.jpg

You can just make out the fire bow at the back of the oven....filled with soaked oak, maple and vine...makes a great smoke and adds a great flavor to the chiles...vastly superior to charcoal..

All the best

Guy

POTAWIE

08-10-2006, 02:05 PM

I'm thinking of building a brick(or cider block) smoker this year. I was inspired by the oven/smoker on Fatalii's website www.fatalii.net but would like to investigate the "Fire pit and tunnel" sort of approach since I have plenty of large maple and fruit trees to burn and little woodchips. Maybe even a hybrid of the two where smoke can be let in directly when wanted. Its gunna be a big project so I want to do it right so any advice would be appreciated.:?:

imaguitargod

08-10-2006, 02:05 PM

Ok Guy, I am officially jealous.

Sickmont

08-10-2006, 02:16 PM

Ok Guy, I am officially jealous.

Ok, i officially agree and second G.G.'s motion....BIGTIME.
I might just have to go to France someday....:drooling:

POTAWIE

08-10-2006, 02:35 PM

I want one too.

chuk hell

08-10-2006, 10:13 PM

That's really cool Guy. I'd love to have an old outdoor oven like that. Maybe I'll build one one day but it wouldn't be as cool as the "vintage" one you have there.

I agree with the "slow and low" tempo. The second batch I tried in this little thing didn't come out so well. The fire was too hot and I had to throw about half of them away. This is just an expedient way to smoke habaneros. It's no way to make real chipotles.

POTAWIE

08-12-2006, 09:02 AM

I tried smoking some Chocolate Habs, and a few Anchos yesterday. Not chipotles, but extra smokey for sauce. About 8+ hours of smoking in total. Heres a pic at about 4 hours.

http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/2203/aug12002lc8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

and the next morning.

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/7374/aug12004dt9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

chuk hell

08-12-2006, 11:12 AM

Those look good! I bet they'll make some killer sauce.

P_Schneider

08-20-2006, 09:49 AM

Well I just fired up the smoker on a beautiful Sunday morning. Contents of said smoker contain an assortment of chiles for this years chipotle. I have some Sante Fe Grande, Jalora, Cherry Red, Hawaiian Sweet Hot, and a couple Thai's for good measure. I also have a 8.5lb pork tenderloin smoking in there as well. I'm using apple as the wood and the tenderloin has been marinading over night in teriyaki sauce so it should make for an excellent meal later tonight. I will be basting the loin with a mixture of teriyaki, pineapple, and jack daniels.

On the other front I have a dehydrator going with Thai Dragon, Hanoi Red, Riff 9441, and Bolivian Rainbow.

Oh yes, it's the start of harvest season people! WOOT! :onfire:

I will post some pics later today.
Have a good weekend everyone!

POTAWIE

08-20-2006, 11:53 AM

I smoked some scotch bonnets and yellow habs yesterday. They are still sitting in the smoker in the pooring rain so I don't know how they turned out. My smoked chocolate habs made an awesome tomato-based sauce, which tastes similar but far hotter than Adobo sauce and super smokey. I'm really starting to love smoked peppers.

PSchneider, have a great smoke and a great weekend, waiting for pics.

P_Schneider

08-20-2006, 05:25 PM

Ok here is what I started off with. 10am

http://www.grandmaschneiders.com//public_misc/pics/chipotle1.jpg

Here is a couple hours into the smoke.

http://www.grandmaschneiders.com//public_misc/pics/chipotle2.jpg

And here is about the 5 hour mark.

http://www.grandmaschneiders.com//public_misc/pics/chipotle3.jpg

The tenderloin sure was gooood eatin! I took one half and wrapped it in foil then froze it. It came out an hour ahead of the other one which we ate. I will post pics of the final chipotles when they come out in a couple hours.

POTAWIE

08-21-2006, 06:48 AM

Looks awesome.

Now thats the way to do a tenderloin.

Arizona Jack

08-23-2006, 12:51 AM

Wow, beautiful peppers and the meat looks awesome too. I have never dried peppers but would like to try. I know jerky, thats it. THANKS!! Aj

POTAWIE

08-23-2006, 08:26 AM

Wow, beautiful peppers and the meat looks awesome too. I have never dried peppers but would like to try. I know jerky, thats it. THANKS!! Aj

How do your Jerky ovens work. Is it warm air or could you smoke in it? I want to try making jerky, but am waiting for deer season to start and pepper season to end.

Here's my last batch of Scotch Bonnets after about nine hours of smoking(not me, the peppers). A couple got a little crispy, but overall they turned out excellent. Smokey Scotch Bonnet sauce is next on my list.

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/5896/aug23005wi6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

cheezydemon

07-06-2007, 09:53 AM

All the clues are here for the perfect tenderloin!!

If you smoke the peppers(preferably jalapenos for my taste) Dry them in a dehydrator (like jerky) Grind that into a chipotle powder, and use that instead of cayenne in your tenderloin rub, you will be in heaven.

I give smoked jalapeno powder away for christmas every year and people can't get enough of it!

To do a quicker smoke (roughly 1/2 the time needed) I cut the peppers in half long ways.

PcolaHot

12-15-2007, 10:15 PM

Great info and pics guys. Hope I willbe doing the same some time next summer.:)and after eating some of it I should be doing something like this:onfire:

cyotefishing

01-13-2008, 02:20 PM

AlabamaJack

01-13-2008, 04:11 PM

Samre here! After seeing the pics, I'm deffinetly trying the smoked pepper deal! We generally use the mesquite we have stacked up here. Wonder if it may be too strong? I may have to use just Oak. This summer when the ol' man fires up the pit for a brisket, it's on with the peppers!:mouthonfire:

IMHO mesquite would be too strong....

Look around at all the pecan trees growing out there in eastland....I had rather have pecan than any other wood for smoke....again, my opinion.

chuk hell

01-14-2008, 02:50 PM

IMHO mesquite would be too strong....

Look around at all the pecan trees growing out there in eastland....I had rather have pecan than any other wood for smoke....again, my opinion.

I agree. Pecan is my smoking fuel of choice.

POTAWIE

01-14-2008, 03:12 PM

I like hickory and cherry but also use a lot of maple since I have lots. I don't mind a bit of mesquite mixed in too. I don't think I've tried Pecan, I'll have to see if I can find some now.

cheezydemon

01-16-2008, 09:52 PM

I'll bet that tenderloin absorbed some flavor from the smoking peppers.

I am limited to what krogers carries. My trick is to go at the beginning of the winter season and they have tons of Cherry, Hickory, and Mesquite in a cart that says "clearance".

Caustic Casey

09-09-2008, 12:59 PM

okie joe

09-12-2008, 09:54 PM

They look really good I wonder how long with them smoke will they keep?

pablo

09-14-2008, 09:17 PM

Here's a smoke session:

Into the smoker:
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m43/cherubini_2006/20071013_0002.jpg

After the smoke!!

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m43/cherubini_2006/20071013_0004.jpg
hey casey, stellar job and that smoker is great.

They look really good I wonder how long with them smoke will they keep?
hey joe,
i like to place a cookie sheet full in the freezer,so they freeze seperate and dont stick together,then i baggie all frozen pods together,this makes it easy to take out one or two,and freezeing a smoked pepper stays fresh long time.
fresh smoked is best,but this will do thru long winters.

pablo

skealo

09-15-2008, 07:17 AM

Pablo - What kind of ways to you use smoked peppers?

POTAWIE

09-15-2008, 07:31 AM

skealo

09-15-2008, 12:43 PM

I love smoked peppers in many dishes and sauces. Smoked choc. habanero mayonaise is one of my newest yummy creations.
One thing I've learned is to use my pepper smoker for peppers and not for bbqing meat or you'll have a lot of greasy peppers.

Do you mix that up each application or do you make a whole batch??

Sounds good. I'm always looking for ideas.

POTAWIE

09-15-2008, 01:56 PM

I just made a small batch to try it out but more to come.

olesmokey

09-21-2008, 03:59 PM

ok Potawie ? do you use a pan of water in your smoker or not. I going to make my first attempt to smoke some this year. I have a Smoke Master but cant get it any lower then 200 degrees so am useing the same type as you are. Is the reason I am asking you.

POTAWIE

09-22-2008, 09:41 AM

I've tried to do peppers with an upright propane smoker, and its too difficult to keep the temps down, even with a water pan so I use the offset firebox smoker for now until my new smoker is built;)