*  Exported from  MasterCook  *

                            Chipotle Chiles

Recipe By     : Garry Howard
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 will 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!


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