Smoked chili peppers add new dimensions to your cooking and recipes, and it’s a great way to preserve a bountiful harvest. Here is how to smoke them at home.
How to Smoke Chili Peppers
If you’ve ever had a chipotle pepper, you’ve had a smoked pepper. There are many ways to preserve your chili pepper harvest, including drying peppers, freezing peppers, pickling peppers and more, though most people don’t consider smoking chili peppers as a way to keep your harvest.
It’s time to consider this method more fully.
Smoking chili peppers allows you to incorporate new flavor elements into your dishes. Consider substituting fresh or roasted peppers for lightly smoked peppers for a nuanced smoky changeup.
Or, smoke and dry them completely then grind them into powders for your own custom smoked chili powder blend. This is what I love to do.
Combine smoked chili powder with other ingredients for homemade rubs and seasonings that you can sprinkle over dishes or create roasted or grilled meats that no one has ever tried before.
Use them at your next party and truly WOW your guests. They’ll be begging you – “Where did you get this seasoning? I simply must have some!”
You can swell with pride as you withhold your new secret ingredient. Or feel free to share! Smoked chili peppers should be enjoyed by all!
Let’s talk about how to smoke peppers.
How to Smoke Chili Peppers
First, wash and dry your chili peppers. Make sure they are free from dirt, and use only the freshest of peppers. If they show any signs of rot, toss them out.
Next, slice the peppers in half and core them out, if desired. You don’t need to, though. I keep them intact as most of the heat is within the pepper innards.
Again, if you see any rot, toss them out. Also, if the peppers are thicker walled, you can slice them into quarters or rings, therefore increasing the surface area for the smoke to penetrate.
Next, prepare your smoker and heat it to 200 degrees F. Set the peppers on a tray or over aluminum foil so they don’t fall through your grates and set them into the smoker. You’ll need to follow your own smoker instructions for maintaining your overall temperatures.
You can also use your grill with a smoker box, as long as you are able to maintain a constant temperature.
Next, get your smoke going. There are many different wood options available to you. I prefer maple wood, though mesquite is a good choice, as is hickory.
Here you should really experiment with wood of your choice, as each will impart a different smoky flavor. Use enough wood to smoke the peppers for 2-3 hours.
3 is best, as it takes a while for the wood smoke to truly permeate the peppers, but check on them at the 2 hour mark to make sure everything is OK. At this point, the peppers will be smoked but not completely dried. Thinner peppers will be dryer than others.
If smoking thinner walled peppers like habanero peppers, smoke them for less time if you plan on using them in a non-dried form.
You can use them in different recipes at this point if you’d like. Freeze them for future meals or preserve them in oil, or just hold them in the fridge where they will last a couple days.
You can smoke longer if you’d like, as the peppers will not be completely dried after 3 hours. It will take many more hours to completely dry the peppers in the smoker, but I prefer a different method to finish the process.
Finally, dry your smoked peppers in a dehydrator. A dehydrator is the most efficient way to completely dry chili peppers. Transfer the smoked peppers to your dehydrator trays and dehydrate them at 125 degrees F for about 8-10 hours, or until they are completely dried through.
At this point, you can store the pods in sealable containers and use them as needed.
What to do with Smoked Dried Chili Peppers?
Smoked and dried chili pods can be rehydrated in hot water and used in any number of dishes. See How to Rehydrate Chili Peppers.
Alternatively, crush them and sprinkle over foods, or grind them into powders for making new blends and seasonings, or just sprinkle them as they are for a nice touch of smoked chilies.
Be sure to use gloves if handling hotter peppers, as they may irritate your skin. This is particularly true of superhot peppers.
Check out our information for How to Dehydrate Chili Peppers and Grind them Into Chili Powders.
2 pounds of chopped pepper pods yields about 3-4 cups of dried peppers, and when ground, yields about 1 cup of powder.
I made some smoked chili powder with my yield. Use in as you would any recipe that calls for chili powder. It adds a nice smoky element to the dish.
How to Make Homemade Chipotles and Chipotle Powder
Chipotles are nothing more than dried smoked jalapeno peppers. They are typically made from red jalapenos, so follow the instructions above with your selection of jalapeno peppers.
Use a milder wood to impart a lighter smoke flavor. Once smoked and dried, you are free to store them and rehydrate them as needed, or grind them up, per above, into a perfect homemade chipotle powder.
Enjoy!
Recommended Products
The Spicy Dehydrator Cookbook, by Mike Hultquist - That's me! (affiliate link, my friends!)
95 Incredible Recipes to Turn Up the Heat on Jerky, Hot Sauce, Fruit Leather and More.
Buy a Dehydrator (affiliate link, my friends!) - I recommend Nesco products for easy dehydrating at home.
Check Out Some of My Other Homemade Seasoning Blends
If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you'll please share it on social media. Don't forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I'll be sure to share! Thanks! -- Mike H.
How to Smoke Chili Peppers (Recipe Method)
Ingredients
- 1 pound chili peppers
Instructions
- First, wash and dry your chili peppers. Make sure they are free from dirt, and use only the freshest of peppers. If they show any signs of rot, toss them out.
- Next, slice the peppers in half and core them out, if desired. You don’t need to, though. I keep them intact as most of the heat is within the pepper innards. (Again, if you see any rot, toss them out. Also, if the peppers are thicker walled, you can slice them into quarters or rings, therefore increasing the surface area for the smoke to penetrate.)
- Next, prepare your smoker and heat it to 200 degrees F. Set the peppers on a tray or over aluminum foil so they don’t fall through your grates and set them into the smoker. You’ll need to follow your own smoker instructions for maintaining your overall temperatures.
- You can also use your grill with a smoker box, as long as you are able to maintain a constant temperature.
- Next, get your smoke going. There are many different wood options available to you. I prefer maple wood, though mesquite is a good choice, as is hickory. Here you should really experiment with wood of your choice, as each will impart a different smoky flavor. Use enough wood to smoke the peppers for 2-3 hours. You can use them as desired at this point. Or dry them.
- Finally, dry your smoked peppers in a dehydrator. A dehydrator is the most efficient way to completely dry chili peppers. Transfer the smoked peppers to your dehydrator trays and dehydrate them at 125 degrees F for about 8-10 hours, or until they are completely dried through.
- At this point, you can store the pods in sealable containers and use them as needed.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Sparki says
Mike, are canned Chipotles smoked Jalapeños then dehydrated then added to adobo sauce?
Mike Hultquist says
Sparki, that is correct.
Paul Lueders says
Hey Mike,
I grow 6 fifty-foot rows of different peppers every year, and I have an 8 x 10 concrete slab and I'd like to build a smokehouse on it. Do you have any thoughts or ideas on a design for using it to smoke peppers? This is going to be my spring project this year. (I grow Jalapenos, Poblanos, Guajillos, cayennes, & serranos)
Thanks,
Paul Lueders Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin
Mike Hultquist says
Paul, I wish I could help here, but that's out of my range. I smoke pods in a cabinet smoker on trays that allow the smoke to get to them, then finish them in my dehydrator. Works for me. I'd love to see your finished smoker set up!
Lynn says
I have read on other sites that pecan wood is traditional for smoking fully ripe jalapeños to make chipotles. What has been your experience with pecan vs. other woods?
Mike Hultquist says
Lynn, milder woods, like fruit woods, are ideal for making chipotles, as the smoke is very important. Pecan if very commonly used. However, you can use any to your flavor preference.
Eric M says
I've been smoking peppers for a few years now for the purpose of making hot sauces. I smoke at 140 degrees in my box smoker and then ferment the reciepe for 12 to 16 weeks. The smoke flavor really comes through in the end, especially with habanaros and super hots... highly recommend! the exact same set of ingredients comes out markedly different and far better with the smoked peppers
Mike H. says
Thank you!
Mike Connelly says
Michael,
Thank you for this article sharing your smoking techniques. I know how delicious smoked chili peppers can be because I have been smoking and dehydrating them for years and sharing them with friends.
Your methods and mine are identical except for the Chipotles. I learned how to smoke-dry the chipotles in Mexico where the smoke and low heat travel through tunnels from the smoking fire to the smoking domes through a very salty soil which enhances the flavor of high quality chipotle peppers which are rarely exported from Mexico.
To simulate this process I take my red jalapenos, poke a couple of slits in them with a sharp knife, soak them in a mild brine (about three tbls of canning or other non-iodized salt) for 12 to 24 hours, drain them very well and then smoke-dry them at 200 degrees with mesquite chips until they are dry but still flexible.
At that point they can be packed in adobo sauce or further dehydrated and ground into powder.
Keep up the good work! I really enjoy your emails and articles.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks for sharing, Mike!
Terry says
I’ve been smoking paprika peppers for years now. The aroma and flavor of home-smoked paprika compared with what you buy in the store is unbelievable.
Tara says
I’ve been smoking habanero halves on my pit boss for a few hours. They look good so I will pull off soon. I don’t want to set on dehydrate yet though as I won’t be able to observe it. Can I put them in fridge until Saturday morning?
Mike Hultquist says
Tara, they should be OK if you really wrap them up so they don't go bad, then rehydrate.
Robert says
I have a charcoal fired water smoker. For smoking peppers, and cheeses, I use one of the disposable aluminum mesh grill grate toppers to support the food. These allow smoke through but doesn't let the food fall through. I fill a disposable aluminum half size steam table pan with ice and place that in the water pan. I use 4 to 6 100% hardwood charcoal briquettes and a small piece of some smoke wood that I'd also use to smoke meat. Pecan is traditional for making chipotle peppers, and that works well for other peppers. I like wild cherry wood for cheeses. I keep the dome / grate temperature below 90°F, this keeps cheeses from melting, and like you say 2 to 3 hours is plenty of time for smoke uptake. For peppers, I dry them in my food dehydrator after I smoke them. Cheeses I put in vacuum sealer bags and seal, then refrigerate.Both are great ways to make a smoky queso dip, on sandwiches, in stuffed peppers, you name it!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesomeness, Robert! Thanks for sharing your experience!
Jim says
I would like to dehydrate some hot peppers to grind into powder. Should I remove the seeds before grinding as there is very little heat in the seeds. Will I get a strange taste by grinding the seeds with the pepper?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hey, Jim. A lot of people say the seeds are somewhat bitter when ground. Also, they grind into little white spots in the overall powder, which some find visually unappealing. They are edible, but consider the bitterness. Enjoy!
Kathy says
Mike: Thanks for your reply regarding the stovetop smoker. I had figured that 30 minutes would be about right. I had to replace the original 1962 builders’ grade fan/hood a couple of years ago and got a very decent fan, so smoke should not be an issue. 8)
BTW, I had to do this as a separate comment as “Reply” does not work.
Kathy
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Great, Kathy, thanks. Will check on the "reply" issue.
Adam says
Smoking peppers is great. Been doing it for years. Smoke your peppers from 120 - 150 deg. You go over 150deg you start to cook them. I smoke thin walled peppers (cayenne) for 3-4 hours and thick walled peppers (green bell, jalepenos with seeds left in) 5-6 hours. Once smoked i put in dehydrator for 2-4 days. If i dont have room in dehydrator just put smoked peppers in baggies n put in fridge till you have room. Once dry i put peppers in baggies till pepper season is over and im done drying peppers. Then i grind them all into powders then vacuum seal in bags with 1/2 cup in each bag. I dehydrate smoked and plain peppers, onions, shallots, and garlic.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Perfection right there! I love it.
Swami says
Can you smoke already dried and ground chili powder? Made a bunch earlier and now think I'd like to have some smoked. Theoretically, could I just put a layer of powder on an aluminum foil lined tray and smoke that for a couple of hours?
Mike H. says
Yes, you could that, Swami. Let me know how it goes and enjoy!
James says
I've been smoking my peppers for several years now. I just use my old Weber grill. Start about a dozen charcoal briquets, then put small chunks of live oak or pecan on the coals. Adjust the vents to keep it low and there ya go. I grow Bishops Hat, and Brazilian Starfish most every year and they're just right for an everyday seasoning, not too hot. When I'm smoking the peppers I'll also throw in green onions and sliced garlic. Afterwards, dehydrate all of it together and toss in the blender.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Sounds awesome, James! I love it. Thanks!