How to Make Chipotle Peppers
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Additional Time
6 hrs
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Total Time
6 hrs 15 mins
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Course
Condiments
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Cuisine
Mexican
How to Make Chipotle Peppers
Description
How to Make Chipotle Peppers explains the process starting with selecting firm, ripe red jalapeños. After slicing each pepper lengthwise to allow smoke penetration, they are placed in a smoker set between 160-180 F. The peppers smoke for approximately 6-8 hours until they become leathery but retain some flexibility, avoiding a dry snap.
The smoking temperature is kept low to preserve the pepper's shape and avoid burning. The sliced jalapeños allow smoke to infuse evenly throughout the flesh, essential for the distinctive chipotle flavor. This preparation is intended for further use, including incorporation into adobo sauce or dry seasoning blends.
If ripe red jalapeños are unavailable, green jalapeños can ripen indoors placed by a sunny window, turning occasionally over days to achieve red coloration.
Ingredients
- jalapeños see Note), washed; select firm peppers without blemishes, as uniform in size as possible, fresh, ripe, red
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 160-180 F / 71-82 C. You can go a little lower but don't go higher. Wearing gloves is strongly recommended when handling hot peppers. Take a sharp knife and slice down one side of each pepper lengthwise. This is to enable the smoke to fully penetrate the chili and, if you're using them to make your own chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, the slit will help the sauce get inside. Removing the stems is optional. They're typically left intact. Place the jalapeno peppers on the racks in your smoker and add the wood chips (they do not need to be pre-soaked). Smoke them for roughly 6-8 hours, depending on the ambient temperature. If you like them extra smoky you can add another handful of chips an hour or two into smoking.The chipotles are done when they are leathery but not moist and mushy. There should be some resistance when you try and bend them but they shouldn't be so dry that they snap in two.
- In order to store your smoked chipotle peppers without them developing mold they will need to be sufficiently dried. If they need to dry longer you can do this by reducing the heat of your smoker to between 125-140 degrees F and continuing to dry them, transferring them to a food dehydrator set to the same temperature, or placing them on a wire rack on a baking sheet in your oven turned to the lowest temperature (if it doesn't go lower than 170, prop the door open a crack). Allow your homemade chipotles to fully cool before transferring them to an airtight container or ziplock bag for storage. You can also grind them to a powder and then store the powder in an airtight jar.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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