Smoking Peppers

[whoose]

Anyone use a smoker (I have a Bradley) to dry their peppers? I think smoked peppers would taste good but wonder how long to let them smoke. I intend to make chili powder out of them.

[kayrobbins]

I love the flavor smoking gives peppers. I have made smoked Datil, Rocoto and Serano peppers. I only smoke them a few hours and then finish them in a dehydrator.

[Worth1]

Smoke them like you would meat low smoke and very low heat.
Smoke to your desired taste and use the right wood.
Fruit wood or a sweeter type wood it best.
Here in Texas I have discovered the cedar elm makes a good wood to smoke with.
Not to be confused with a cedar tree.
I also do a mild smoking with juniper and rosemary but you have to be careful a little goes a long way.

I have bought smoked paprika from Hungary before.

Worth

[ScottinAtlanta]

You can't dry peppers in a smoker, as others have also said. Smoking is a flavoring process. I smoke for 2 hours at 250, with heavy smoke. Then you can dehydrate, or put into olive oil, or turn into sauce.

Here is a pic of my superhots after smoking, and before further processing.

[Patihum]

I beg to defer Scott. You can dry peppers in a smoker. Takes around 48 hours ( for jalapenos) and you must have a smoker capable of doing it at a very low temperature to avoid cooking the peppers. Also helps to split the peppers beforehand so there's more surface open to the smoke/air.

[ScottinAtlanta]

Thanks, Pat!

[kayrobbins]

I still think they are better if you only smoke them for a few hours and then dehydrate them. I checked with a lot of the smoking and chile pepper groups before I did my first ones and that is what was most often recommended. I have been so happy with the results. It is the perfect balance of smoke and heat.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by kayrobbins

I still think they are better if you only smoke them for a few hours and then dehydrate them. I checked with a lot of the smoking and chile pepper groups before I did my first ones and that is what was most often recommended. I have been so happy with the results. It is the perfect balance of smoke and heat.

When it comes to any smoking there are two kinds of smoke, dirty sooty smoke and clean smoke.

You have to balance heat, time and type of smoke.
It is a trick that many have not learned.
Sometimes I will change wood types 3 different times during the process.
A wee bit of juniper then a dab of mesquite and finish with peach wood or elm.

Yes you can blind smokes just like you can anything else.
The trick is to do it so people have no idea what it is.
You do not want smoke billowing out of the stack for any long period of time.
I have even smoked tomatoes.

Worth

[kayrobbins]

So Worth, smoking tomatoes is on my to do list but have yet to figure out how to do it. Please tell us how it should be done so I can try it when my fall tomatoes are ripe.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by kayrobbins

So Worth, smoking tomatoes is on my to do list but have yet to figure out how to do it. Please tell us how it should be done so I can try it when my fall tomatoes are ripe.

Get firm not mushy ones and cut to about 1/2 to 3/4 thick.
Salt and pepper and set on foil or rack and have a clean moderate smoke going but very little heat, (you do not want to cook them or even get them hot).
Smoke for about 15 minutes on both sides and eat.
They are to die for.
You can also dehydrate them like you would anything else but during the process at the very beginning smoke them a little first.
Remember the tomato or anything else will shrink and concentrate the smoke.
I smoke a lot of vegetables this way.

Remove the husk from corn and slather it in butter a little salt and then smoke for a wee bit.

It is best to show someone else how to do it so your nose wont be messed up.

Worth

[kayrobbins]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Get firm not mushy ones and cut to about 1/2 to 3/4 thick.
Salt and pepper and set on foil or rack and have a clean moderate smoke going but very little heat, (you do not want to cook them or even get them hot).
Smoke for about 15 minutes on both sides and eat.
They are to die for.
You can also dehydrate them like you would anything else but during the process at the very beginning smoke them a little first.
Remember the tomato or anything else will shrink and concentrate the smoke.
I smoke a lot of vegetables this way.

Remove the husk from corn and slather it in butter a little salt and then smoke for a wee bit.

It is best to show someone else how to do it so your nose wont be messed up.

Worth

I can't wait to try them. Smoked Corn!!! Never heard of it or even thought about it. I love grilled corn but only do it when the adult kids and grandkids are here. It is hard to do when both the charcoal and gas grill are full but I sure could get a lot in the smoker.

Have you ever smoked pumpkins? All of those butternut squash soup recipes are better using pumpkin and when it is smoked it is even better.

[Worth1]

For a light smokey flavored salsa you can put some in a pan and set it in the smoker.
When the top colors a little take it out, stir and serve.

[AlittleSalt]

I have noticed with wood that is past seasoned and has gotten real dry and lightweight - that it smokes too much. It can turn whatever you are smoking into something that just tastes like smoke and nothing else. ...Or as Worth wrote above, "Sooty Smoke".

[kayrobbins]

Whoose, I know you started this asking about smoked peppers and it has expanded. I hope that is ok with you because some of the threads I have learned the most from here are ones that start on a single topic and then expand. This site has some very enthusiastic members that love to share ideas.

[Patihum]

Like Worth said - you want a light smoke. In other words you want to add SMALL amounts of wood to your fire at a time not huge chunks or handfuls! If we're using the smallest smoker, we have 3 of various sizes, we'll add branches of wood no bigger around than a pencil and just 6-8 inches long.

While we do use some fruit wood our go to is pecan. With pecan we can avoid the bitter taste that hickory sometimes imparts.