These jalapenos are the main ingredient in making your own smoked chipotles.
For some, dishes that are sweet or salty just won't do. Such people seek dishes that are have real bite and kick, dishes that possess a hot and spicy flavor. For those who are lovers of hot and spicy foods, the chipotle often comes into play. A chipotle refers to a jalapeno which has been smoked and dried. Thus it has all the hotness of a proper jalapeno and a distinctive smoky flavor. Chipotle peppers can be ground up, chopped or added whole to dishes to give them a bit of zing. You can easily make your own homemade chipotle using basic smoking techniques.
Instructions
1. Wash all the jalapeno pods. Check them for bruises or other flaws and discard any undesirable pods. Remove the stems.
2. Place the peppers on the grill rack. Light two small fires with a match on either side of the grill, using charcoal briquets. You don't want to expose the jalapenos to direct fire. Rather, your goal is to smoke them slowly.
3. Take two large wood chunks for grilling and soak them in water. Place them on top of the fire at either end of the barbecue. This will cause the wood to burn slowly, creating a great deal of smoke, which will help to flavor the jalapenos.
4. Open the barbecue vents ever so slightly to allow fresh air in, to prevent the pods from overheating and burning too fast. Check on the pods and fires each hour. Adjust the pods so that they're not too close to the fires. It will take 48 hours to properly dry the pods into chipotles. If possible, keep the pods on through the night, if you are able to stay up or check on them periodically.
5. Remove the pods from the grill when they have dried sufficiently and are hard and lightweight. Place them in a plastic storage bag. Store them in a dry, temperate location.
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