How to Smoke Chili Peppers (Recipe Method)

5 from 5 votes

How to Smoke Chili Peppers (Recipe Method)

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.

Prep Time10

Cook Time2

Dehydrating8

Course: Condiment, Seasonings

Cuisine: American

Keyword: dehydrator, preserving

Servings:

Calories: 373kcal

Author: Mike Hultquist

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

Yields 1/4 pound dried peppers.

Nutrition