Chipotle Chiles

* Exported from MasterCook *

CHIPOTLE CHILES

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Sides

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 lb Ripe jalapenos

Americans who love the smoky taste and fiery bite of
chipotles have recently been hit with high prices and
a scarcity of product. With prices for these smoked
jalapenos reaching $15 a pound wholesale, home growers
yearn to smoke their own. But the Mexicans have been
fairly secretive about their techniques, and none of
the books on chiles describe home smoking. After a
trip to Delicos Mexico, I think I have solved this
mystery -- but the process takes some dedication.
First, let's look at how the Mexicans do it.

They use a large pit with a rck to smoke-dry the
jalepenos. The pit containing the source of heat is
underground, with a tunnel leading to the rack. The
pods are placed on top of the rack where drafts of air
pull the smoke up and over the pods. The jalapenos can
be whole pods or pods without seeds. The latter are
more expensive and are called "capones", or castrated
ones.

It is possible to make chipotle in the back yard with
a meat smoker or Weber-type barbecue with a lid. The
grill should be washed to remove any meat particles
because any odor in the barbecue will give the chile
an undesirable flavor. Ideally, the smoker or barbecue
should be new and dedicated only to smoking chiles.

The quality of homemade chipotle will depend on the
maturity and quality of the pods, the moisture in the
pods, the temperature of the smoke drying the pods,
and the amount of time the peppers are exposed to the
smoke and heat. The aroma of wood smoke will flavor
the jalapenos, so carefully choose what is burned.
Branches from fruit trees, or other hardwoods such as
hickory, oak, and pecan, work superbly. Pecan is used
extensively in parts of Mexico and in southern New
Mexico to flavor chipotle. Do not be afraid to
experiment with different woods.

The differenc between the fresh weight of the fruits
and the finished product is about ten to one, so it
takes ten pounds of fresh jalapenos to produce
approximately one pound of chipotles. A pound of
chipotles goes a long way, as a single pod is usually
enough to flavor a dish.

First, wash all the pods and discard any that have
insect damage, bruises, or are soft. Remove the stems
from the pods before placing the pepperrs in a single
layer on the grill rack. Start two small fires on each
side of the grill with charcoal briquets. Keep the
fires small and never directly expose the pods to the
fire so they won't dry unevenly or burn. The intention
is to dry the pods slowly while flavoring them with
smoke. Soak the wood in water before placing it on the
coals so the wood wil burn slower and create more
smoke. The barbecue vents should be opened only
partially to allow a small amount of air to enter the
barbecue, thus preventing the fires from burning too
fast and creating too much heat.

Check the pods and the fires hourly and move the pods
around, always keeping them away from the fires. It
may take up to forty-eight hours to dry the pods
completely. The pods will be hard, light in weight,
and brown in color when dried. If necessary, let the
fires burn through the night. After the pods have
dried, remove them from the grill and let them cool.
To preserve their flavor, place them in a zip-lock
bag. It is best to store them in a cool and dry
location. If humidity is kept out of the bags, the
chipotles will last for twelve to twenty-four months.

Buen apetito!

Recipe By : Garry Howard



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