If you love bold, smoky flavors in your cooking, chipotle peppers are a must-have ingredient. But did you know you can make them yourself at home? Chipotle peppers are simply ripe jalapeño peppers that have been smoked and dried, creating a rich, deep flavor perfect for Mexican dishes, sauces, and rubs. Here’s an easy, friendly guide on how to make chipotle peppers from fresh jalapeños.
What You’ll Need
– Fresh ripe red jalapeño peppers (choose firm, blemish-free ones)
– Wood chips for smoking (pecan is traditional, but apple, cherry, hickory, or oak work well)
– A smoker, charcoal grill with a smoker box, or a gas grill set up for smoking
– Oven or food dehydrator for drying
Step 1: Prepare Your Jalapeños
Start by washing the jalapeños thoroughly. Then, using gloves to protect your hands from the heat, slice each pepper lengthwise down one side. This slit helps the smoke penetrate fully and allows any sauce you might add later to soak in better. You can leave the stems on or remove them, but traditionally they’re left intact.
Step 2: Set Up Your Smoker or Grill
Preheat your smoker or grill to a low temperature-ideally between 160°F and 200°F (71°C to 93°C). If you’re using a wood smoker, pecan wood chips are the classic choice, but apple or cherry wood adds a nice fruity note. For grills, soak your wood chips for at least 2 hours, then place them in a smoker box or foil packet with holes to create smoke.
Step 3: Smoke the Jalapeños
Arrange the jalapeños on the smoker racks or the cool side of your grill in a single layer. Smoke them for about 3 to 8 hours depending on your setup and desired smokiness. The peppers are done when they become leathery and slightly pliable but not mushy or brittle. You want some resistance when bending them, but they shouldn’t snap in two.
Step 4: Dry the Peppers
After smoking, the chipotles need to be fully dried to prevent mold. You can continue drying them in your smoker at a lower temperature (125°F to 140°F), or transfer them to a food dehydrator set to the same temperature. If you don’t have a dehydrator, place them on a wire rack on a baking sheet in your oven at the lowest setting, ideally with the door slightly open to allow moisture to escape. This drying process can take 10 to 24 hours until the peppers are completely dry but still flexible.
Step 5: Store or Use Your Chipotle Peppers
Once cooled, store your homemade chipotle peppers in an airtight container or ziplock bag. They keep well for months in a cool, dry place. You can use them whole, chop them up, or grind them into smoky chipotle powder. They’re fantastic in sauces, marinades, soups, and stews.
Bonus: Making Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce
If you want to take it a step further, you can make chipotles in adobo sauce by simmering your smoked chipotle peppers in a tangy, spicy tomato-based sauce. This is a classic Mexican condiment that adds smoky heat to many dishes. The slit you made in the peppers helps the sauce soak in deeply.
Making chipotle peppers at home is surprisingly easy and incredibly rewarding. With just fresh jalapeños, wood chips, and some patience, you can create your own smoky, spicy peppers that elevate your cooking to the next level.
Want to try making chipotle sauce or recipes using your homemade chipotles? Just ask!