ABT question?

[Kell]

My first attempt at ABT's will be this weekend.  I've seen a few different ways of doing these.  The original recipe says to split the pepper in half, the other says to just cut out the top and core out the interior.  Which way is easier?  Will splitting them in half and rewrapping them up in bacon cause the filling to run out?

[Payson]

Personally I core them and stuff them. They look really nice that way in my opinion. Halving them is probably easier though. If you core them a vegetable peeler works really well to get out the seeds and scrape out some of the ribs if you want to decrease the heat. Either way, they sure are tasty!

[Kell]

Payson,
Do you use something to hold the peppers verticle or just lay them on the rack?

[Habanero Smoker]

There are a lot of Jalapeno holders on the market that will hold your peppers upright. You can generally find then at Wal-Mart. I sometimes core them, but now I cut them length way. I do not wrap them in bacon, but cook the bacon, crumble it and mix it into the cream cheese, along with some left over pulled pork. I found that many guest prefer the halves over the whole ones.

[Kell]

Habenero Smoker,
I think I prefer them halved as well.  It would'nt look ladylike w/ a whole jalepeno in my mouth.  :) 
Can I get smoking time and temps from you?

[Habanero Smoker]

I generally throw them into the smoker when I am smoking something else. The temperature is generally around 210°F, and pull them out after about 2 hours of smoke. When I put them in, I try to catch the last two hours of smoking time. Since everything is already cooked, I mainly go by sight and the feel of the pepper. When the pepper is soft enough for me, I take them out.

[Buck36]

If you love ABTs you might want to check out Chili Pepper Magazine. My wife got it as a gift for me. They have a ton chilli pepper recipes and the ads have several roasters and cookers. I have enjoyed the magazine.

http://www.chilepepper.com/html/

[Payson]

Payson,
Do you use something to hold the peppers verticle or just lay them on the rack?

I use the rack Habanero smoker referred to. I also go by feel but 2 hours ballpark is about right. I like them relatively soft so I approach 3 hours on occasion.