ABTs

[rcger]

Does anyone have any concerns around using store-bought peppers for some ABTs?  I've been hearing about the Salmonella scare.

[westexasmoker]

I think as long as you wash them well and then of course they will be cooked, I'd think you'd be Ok.  I guess with an abt we probably don't get the temp high enough to kill the boogers, but thats where a good bath before cooking comes in.  I'm planning on batch this weekend!

C

[rcger]

I think as long as you wash them well and then of course they will be cooked, I'd think you'd be Ok.  I guess with an abt we probably don't get the temp high enough to kill the boogers, but thats where a good bath before cooking comes in.  I'm planning on batch this weekend!

C

That's good info.  I always bathe them anyway.  I figured you grew your own down there!!

[westexasmoker]

Oh yeah most definitely grow our own, just can't grow enough to keep my pepper crazed family supplied, seems like every year I have to add another pepper plant or two too the garden and its still not enough!

C

[rcger]

Oh yeah most definitely grow our own, just can't grow enough to keep my pepper crazed family supplied, seems like every year I have to add another pepper plant or two too the garden and its still not enough!

C

Would you mind sharing your recipe/technique?  Based on your other posts, I'll assume it includes a bit of Mesquite.

[westexasmoker]

I prefer to cut the stem end off, and core it out using my potato peeler, then a mixture of cream cheese, cheddar cheese and whatever was left over meat from the night before diced up (and if you want some more heat, some habaneros aka pens adts) mix this all together and spoon into a small ziplock bag, cut one of the corners off and pipe this mixture into your cored jalapeno.  Slice of thin sliced deli ham to seal the end and wrap the entire pepper with bacon, secure with toothpick.  Into your smoker at 220 for 2-3 hours, after pulling if you want to crisp your bacon some more pop into the broiler for a minute or two.....and yep Mesquite would be the wood of choice! 

C

[rcger]

I prefer to cut the stem end off, and core it out using my potato peeler, then a mixture of cream cheese, cheddar cheese and whatever was left over meat from the night before diced up (and if you want some more heat, some habaneros aka pens adts) mix this all together and spoon into a small ziplock bag, cut one of the corners off and pipe this mixture into your cored jalapeno.  Slice of thin sliced deli ham to seal the end and wrap the entire pepper with bacon, secure with toothpick.  Into your smoker at 220 for 2-3 hours, after pulling if you want to crisp your bacon some more pop into the broiler for a minute or two.....and yep Mesquite would be the wood of choice! 

C

Thanks!  Darn it, I'm hungry!!!

[bigcatdaddy]

I wondered about this to.  Does anyone know at what temp do the bugs die?  I always give mine a good washing also.  Sometimes I just throw them in the tub with me!!!!   !!!!

[Mr Walleye]

This was the only information that I have found on temperatures to kill Salmonella. I can't vouch for the accuracy. I got the information from this site.

http://www.aopy00.dsl.pipex.com/recipes/temperature.shtml

Salmonella
Salmonella bacteria are killed by temperatures above 55°C (130°F). The rate at which bacteria are destroyed depends on temperature, species, acidity (pH), and humidity (Angelotti et al.). Ten minutes at 65°C (150°F), or less than two minutes at 70°C (160°F), are both about as effective as an hour at 60°C (140°F). These times and temperatures are sufficient to kill 99.9999% of a particularly heat-resistant strain (S. senftenberg), in custard. (At any given temperature, the proportion of surviving bacteria killed in a given time is constant: it takes one sixth of these times to destroy 90% of the bacteria; one third of the time to kill 99%; half the time to kill 99.9%, and so on. A lethal dose may be as few as 500,000 bacteria.)

Mike

[Habanero Smoker]

The USDA/FSIS is also a good source, and they are over cautious with their temperatures. The temperatures they site are the minimum temperatures they recommend for a particular cut of meat, and most most people use lower temperatures.

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Salmonella_Questions_&_Answers/index.asp#9

Here are a couple of excellent articles written by Manxman.
http://www.susanminor.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=9

[bigcatdaddy]

I have never taken the temp reading of my ABT'S, but I would guess if I run them for 2 to 2 1/2 hrs at 220 degrees that the peppers would be well over the 160 degree mark.