The annual hi-heat low-temp pepper smokedown

lousubcap

The growing season hit much earlier this year.  I was gifted the below initial load of peppers to smoke

Left to right-trinidad scorpions, jalas and habaneros. 

With that quantity the jalas will happen later.

Here's the initial load-out (LBGE).  Some creative stacking.

Planning to run anywhere from 150-200*F indirect.  Seems to settle in there quite well every year.  This is a protracted event due to the moisture retention properties of the BGE, small fire and low air-flow.  Great beverage consumption plan in place. Thanks for looking. 

Mattman3969

Good times ahead.  

Eoin

What wood do you smoke with? I normally dry cillies at about 110 F in the kitchen oven, takes a couple of days. Might try smoking, there's a big crop in the greenhouse this year.

lkapigian

Those are nice @lousubcap...id dehydrate some of that after the smoke ,make a fine chili powder with it

lousubcap

I use small chips of pecan with the small pieces of lump in the load.  Seems the BGE manages the above temperature range quite well.  The aroma is great and the protracted nature of the cook means for major SWMBO eggscape time. 

thetrim

Looks great!

Eoin

@lousubcap Would you also halve thinner finger chillies? I have always dried these whole, but maybe you get more smoke by halving?

@lkapigian grinding smoked chillies for powder sounds good, I use a small spice grinder and grind my dried chillies when needed.

kaybee

Very nice! I hope I get similar output from my plants, still a bit early to tell...

I like cherry wood with the peppers, it complements well. Apple is also nice. 

I found temp control in my Medium a bit of an issue (too hot) so I got one of the maze type smokers that use pellets and I found that works extremely well as the smoke/heat source with all vents pretty much closed. The thicker peppers I finish in the dehydrator after smoking if necessary.

lkapigian

Eoin said:

@lousubcap Would you also halve thinner finger chillies? I have always dried these whole, but maybe you get more smoke by halving?

@lkapigian grinding smoked chillies for powder sounds good, I use a small spice grinder and grind my dried chillies when needed.

A little cumin oregano garlic and onion powder paprika, you'll never buy commercial chili powder again ( not to be confused with powdered chili )....great looking cook you have !

1voyager

You must be driving the neighbors crazy with the great aroma of those smoking chiles.

lousubcap

@Eoin- If the pepper can be reasonably halved (diameter dependent) then I always halve.  If nothing else, remove the stem to afford access to the interior.  FWIW-

YukonRon

Way to go Cap!

That is a fabulous harvest right there. Love the smoking and engineering you put together.

I planted banana peppers this year, and forgot about them. I did only two plants, but the yield was significant.

Suzy found them in her flower garden, and picked 20 or so.

Busting out the fryer and will be cooking those bad boys up.

lousubcap

I swear the temperature control at the current 160-180*F range is more stable than when I run around 100*F hotter.  Manual has got this wired and is only called into service once or twice a year (Edit: at this temp-I employ Manual for all BGE cooks).  One minor adjustment over the past six hours. 

Of course when it really doesn't matter things just cruise along (kinda like life )  FWIW-

lousubcap

Round two underway for the week-end.  Trinidad Scorpions first, then the habaneros and finally the jalas.  Gloves for the win.

This quantity will require a few loads to finish out.  Always a fun time.

Thanks for lookin'. 

unoriginalusername

Awesome. My peppers are late this year so I am a few weeks behind you 

Eoin

My second batch, these are just going to be dried rather than smoked.

lousubcap

@Eoin I'm guessing you have a preference for your process??

Eoin

Our oven runs low, down to 105 F, which works well but is slow. When I did the smoking on the XL, I was running hotter than that and the job was done much faster. I'm going to try these at 140 F with frequent turning.

lousubcap

However you get there is what counts.  BTW- I'm not allowed to mess with these in the house.  Have fun.

BobDanger

Got a few going as well.

Spaightlabs

@lousubcap - just remember, the frickin' peppers drive the cook.  

JohnEggGio

I have a bag full of habs - might give this a try in a few weeks.  I only did one plant this year - already harvested 5 or 6 dozen and the plant still has dozens more greenies.

lousubcap

@JohnEggGio - I always cut off the stem and then split to help with the drying time.  As noted above, this is quite protracted on the BGE but always a great fall event.  Have fun with it!

blind99

Dang that is a LOT of peppers. How much pepper do you use over a course of a year??

Eoin

Chillies done, we've got a decent stock now.

lousubcap

@blind99 - I do this for a friend who uses quite a few and I get a healthy amount in return.  So far I have managed to balance the dried pepper consumption with the paper (toilet) consumption.  There are some AM's where I know who won the night before    FWIW-

milesvdustin

I wish I could get my plants to grow! 

Eoin

milesvdustin said:

I wish I could get my plants to grow! 

I our UK climate (not that warm in a normal year), chillies need to be in a greenhouse and even then they don't fully ripen and get hot until late.

JohnEggGio

lousubcap said:

@JohnEggGio - I always cut off the stem and then split to help with the drying time.  As noted above, this is quite protracted on the BGE but always a great fall event.  Have fun with it!

That will be my plan - gotta order some hot pepper handling gloves.  The oil doesn’t bother my fingers much, but when it gets transferred elsewhere...oh, my!

lkapigian

lousubcap said:

Round two underway for the week-end.  Trinidad Scorpions first, then the habaneros and finally the jalas.  Gloves for the win.

This quantity will require a few loads to finish out.  Always a fun time.

Thanks for lookin'. 

Looks Awesome...would make a great Ferment