Everywhere you look today it's chipotle this and chipotle that. It's not too difficult to duplicate with an OBS. A lot of people are always real interested in my homemade salsa and dressings wondering what that unique flavor is.
Well it's November and the garden is tilled under and the super market had only green ones but they'll do. If you can get your hands on the red ones, use them instead.
I cut the peppers in half lengthwise. Like I said, nothing too difficult here. I'm a hot pepper person and eat/cook them year round. If you are sensitive to them, be sure to wear some rubber gloves while cutting these things up. And whatever you do, don't touch your eyes or go to the bathroom shortly after working with these things :o
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/chipotle.jpg)
-Brian
I like to cold smoke mine for 2-3 hours. I've tried a variety of bisquettes with good results. Some recommend a mesquite or oak, which works great, but don't be afraid to try these if you have only other types of bisquettes available.
I use a separate cold smoke set up with the smoke generator mounted to a plywood box below the cabinet. I like to finish my peppers on the grill or in the broiler to give them yet another dimension of roasted flavor. You could easily do this in a normal set up OBS, just keep the temps low.
I place them skin side down and cold smoke for 2-3 hours.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/chipotle2.jpg)
-Brian
I have the plum tomatoes, garlic, onion and cilantro ready and waiting for the jalapenos to turn into chipotles. I'll be back with some more pictures and a quick and easy home made salsa recipe once the peppers are done.
-Brian
Thanks Brian, wish I would have known this in the summer. I had jalapenos running out my ears. Couldn't eat them all, couldn't give them away...a lot ended up just rotting on the vines. Looking forward to the recipe.
Looks good. When I make chipotle I use pecan, and they come out real good.
OK, here's the newly formed chipotles out of the smoker. The aroma is just heavenly.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/chipotle3.jpg)
-Brian
Next you want to char the skin. You can do so on your grill, in the broiler or by any other means you prefer. I used the broil feature of my toaster oven on these. Charred the skins real quick. You'll want to place them skin side up obviously...
Before:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/chipotle4.jpg)
After:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/chipotle5.jpg)
-Brian
The skin peels off real easy. Here's some peeled ones on the right side of the plate.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/chipotle6.jpg)
-Brian
Now, some folks just let them air dry after the smoking process, skin and seeds and all sometimes. You'll have dried chipotles on hand at all times for recipes. You can also air dry them after my method with the skins and seeds removed. Or you can add them directly to fresh salsa.
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 small red onion, peeled and quartered
1 jalapeno, seeded and quartered
1 chipotle
8 plum tomatoes, quartered
1 cup cilantro leaves, washed and dried
Juice of one lime
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
Combine garlic, onion, jalapeno and chipotle in a blender or food processor and process until finely chopped. Add tomatoes and blend. Add cilantro, lime juice and oil and continue blending. Transfer salsa to a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
Roasted salsa variation: Place the garlic, onion, jalapeno and tomatoes on a sheet pan and roast for 30 minutes at 400 degrees, then proceed as directed.
I like a little more heat so I'll occasionally add 5 green or red cayenne peppers, or any other hotter pepper available. I also like to add some salt and pepper before blending then salt and pepper to taste afterwards. And you'll notice that I'm a fan of smoother salsa, if you like yours chunkier, take it easy on the food processor.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/halbleib/chipotle7.jpg)
-Brian
Looks great Brian. I wasn't even going to plant any jalapenos next year after wasting so many this year. But I think you changed my mind. Thanks for the recipe and I'm sure I'll be buying some peppers from the store soon to give it a try.
Man that looks great Brian.
Ontrack, plant some extras for me next season. Please, please, please. ;D ;)
You got it Iceman! I had so many this year I couldn't eat, give away, freeze, pickle, or throw away, so many ended of rotting on the vines. I'm glad to find something new to do with them.
Looks great Brian. Quick couple of questions: How long will they last stored and how do you usually store them?
Thanks!
Marc
You can keep the fresh ones up to a week in the fridge if you plan to use them. Or freeze them if you want to keep them in that state for recipes that call for them that way. I let most of them air dry on mesh racks and store them in a jar once completely dried out and grind as needed. They last pretty much indefinitely in that state. Some folks use a dehydrator to speed up the process.
-Brian
Thanks for the info Stickbow. I'd love to have a stash year round up here.
Stickbow,
I've seen your cold smoke set up in other posts. Would you mind to tell me the dimensions of your cold smoke box? It obviously works very well and I have an 83 year old father-in-law who will be all over building me one. OK, I hear the snickering....I'm a banker, not a carpenter. Besides, it will give him something to do. As long as I'm cooking, he's happy! Thanks for your assist.
KyNola ???
Hello Ky. I basically wanted to get a complete box out of a half sheet of plywood for economical reasons and have enough room on top for the Bradley and enough space for a pipe elbow. My box finished out around 31-1/2 inches long by 16-1/2 inches wide by 16-1/2 inches deep. I cut 3 pieces around 30-1/2 X 16 inches and 3 pieces around 16 X 16 inches and glued and nailed them together.
Here's a link to the original post about how I built it with pictures:
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=5264.0 (http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=5264.0)
-Brian
Thanks Stick!
After looking at the link I think even I could build it. Simplicity often works the best. My father-in-law will whip that thing right out. Thanks again.
KyNola
My jalapenos are coming along and it got me thinking of this post. I wanted to bump this thread for those people who didn't get a chance to read it.
Stickbowcrafter's method using the Bradley looks perfect!
I only use red penos if at all possible when making chipoltes. Some I put into adobo sauce but the bulk I put into the dehydrator to dry. Then store in a jar for when I want some powder or into chili or sauces. I cut mine in half and smoke for several hours using hickory. I'm going to smoke some habs and nagas this year, but make sure to keep them seperated so I do not grab the wrong pepper when I need them.
My mouth is watering, but the only way I could do those is get hold of some seeds and grow them from scratch :'(
You can also find this recipe on the recipe site:
Salsa with chipotle (http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?p=679#post679)