This step-by-step guide on making chipotle peppers allows you to preserve your jalapeno harvest and gives you a great way to add new flavor to your dishes.
Pecan Wood Chunks or ChipsApple, hickory, and oak work well also
charcoalto help keep wood smoke going
Instructions
Carefully wash the jalapenos, and double-check them for blemishes and soft spots.
You can smoke the jalapenos just as they are with the stems, seeds, and membranes intact but you can reduce the overall drying time, by cutting off the tops, which allows the smoke to get inside and out of the jalapenos, absorbing more smoke flavor.
Prepare for a long smoke and start the fire, using a mixture of charcoal and wet and dry wood chunks or chips.
Place the jalapenos on the rack in a single layer leaving some space between each jalapeño. If you are using smaller chipotles, you may want to use a grilling tray, larger jalapenos should be just fine. After you place the jalapenos on the rack close the lid. Keep a close eye on the fire and try to keep the temperature consistent at about 180 degrees F.
Unless you have hot spots, you don't have to move jalapenos around or rotate them. In fact, it is best if you move the jalapenos as little as possible. The jalapnos will start to dry and turn black and become leathery when smoked. The chipotles are done when they are completely dried when they are brittle, very lightweight and a rich dark color.
Notes
CAUTION: PEPPERS CONTAIN CAPSAICIN, WHICH MAY CAUSE A CHEMICAL INTERACTION AND IRRITATE YOUR SKIN AND EYES!!Based on my painful experience, I highly recommend purchasing some disposable food-handling gloves before starting this smoking adventure.Reduce the overall drying time by cutting off the tops, which allows the smoke to get inside and out of the jalapenosRun Out of Time? Don’t worry!Don’t be discouraged if your chipotles don’t turn out the first time. Smoke-drying peppers is an art form. There are many variables when smoking chipotles, and sometimes it can take up to 48 hours to completely dry out a batch of jalapenos. Very few people have that amount of time to smoke chipotles for that amount of time. Chipotles will lose their flavor and could possibly spoil if they are not completely dry. At this point, they can be refrigerated or frozen to help preserve them.If you run out of time before the chipotles are completely dried, you can finish them off in the oven at the lowest temperature setting. A baking rack is best, but if the chipotles are too small, you may have to use a grilling basket. If you don’t have one, then use a sheet pan as a last resort. The pan will hinder the drying process.Storing Chipotle PeppersIt’s important to know that smoked chipotles still have some moisture content even though they have been dried, but they have an indefinite shelf life if stored properly. It’s hard to say how long they will remain fresh. Usually, dried chilies can remain fresh for up to 100 to almost 200 days before they start to lose their flavor, but there is no guarantee.You can store the dried chipotles inside a mason jar with a lid in a cool, dry place. You can also try plastic bags, but smoked chipotles are very potent and are very smoky. The smoke smell may seep through plastic bags into your cabinet.Freezing the chipotles is probably the best method for storing your chipotles. Freezing will slow down decomposition and almost guarantee they keep their freshness, but due to the moisture content, the chipotles must be used immediately after they are defrosted because they are vulnerable to mold. It’s also worth mentioning that if you defrost them to make powders, they may clump. The clumps do not affect the flavor and can be broken up. It may be best to make powders before freezing to preserve integrity.Using Chipotle PeppersUse chipotles in anything you want to have a smoky flavor without lighting the grill. Chipotles are handy when the weather outside is too bad to light the grill, especially in winter.One of the easiest ways to use smoked chipotles is to grind them up into a fine powder. To make chili powder, all you need is a coffee grinder. I use an expensive Mr. Coffee Electric Coffee Grinder that sells on Amazon for around $15.00. It also grinds black peppercorns beautifully!My favorite way to use chipotles is to rehydrate them by placing them in warm water for thirty minutes to one hour. This makes cutting up and adding them to your favorite recipes easier. Imagine how good some chipotles would be diced up and added to this Classic Barbecue Sauce. YUM!
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