# Pepper Smoking, Might Have Learned Something



## tallbm (Nov 14, 2018)

So I think I discovered something very interesting while smoking some peppers this weekend.
Top rack Jalapenos, middle rack Chile Tepin (HOT), bottom rack Baby Backs and St Louis Spares.







Well I think I might have transferred the heat of my Chile Tepin peppers onto my Jalapenos :eek::eek::eek:

After the ribs were done the peppers still needed more time to dehydrate.  Well I grabbed a Jalapeno slice and popped it in my mouth.  It started out normal like a Jalapeno but THEN wow!  It kept getting hotter and hotter and wouldn't stop and I couldn't get the heat to go away with water or lactose free milk etc.! lol

I THINK what happened is that as the heat and smoke moved upwards from the Chile Tepin the air and smoke carried oils UP to the Jalapenos.  Thereby giving me Tepin heat on my Jalapenos hahahaha.

If you have experienced this or if this sounds sensible to you feel free to let me know.  

All I can say is that I'm going to have some EXTRA hot Chipotle powder to sit next to my EXTRA HOT Chile Tepin chili powder hahahaha.  Mother's Tamales are going to be smokin hot this year once I give her some of these powders :D


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## indaswamp (Nov 14, 2018)

Jalapenos get hotter as they dry because the capsacin is more concentrated. But you could have had some transfer from the Tepin peppers.


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## HalfSmoked (Nov 14, 2018)

Lesson learned. Very possible oils transferred. Also citrus juice is a good cool down for hot mount from spicy food.

Warren


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## browneyesvictim (Nov 14, 2018)

First of all- that looks like a very happy full smoker! :cool:

I don't know an answer to your question but that seems plausible. But I have noticed a BIG difference in heat levels with different Jalapenos; especially lately. Sometimes you get a real mild batch, and sometimes they are really hot like that.


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## indaswamp (Nov 14, 2018)

browneyesvictim said:


> But I have noticed a BIG difference in heat levels with different Jalapenos; especially lately. Sometimes you get a real mild batch, and sometimes they are really hot like that.


The heat in a jalapeno is influenced by how often and consistent the plant was watered. Hot jalapenos happen during a drought, mild jalapenos occur with routine irrigation.


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## indaswamp (Nov 14, 2018)

*Edit- Unless you have some kind of a cross pollinated seed with a hotter variety from saving seeds with different peppers growing in close proximity.....


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## chilerelleno (Nov 14, 2018)

I think you need to send out generous samples to all interested in this phenomena so we can test them and help you ascertain the correct answer.
I'll be test subject #1.
And I'll also need a few dozen tamales to confirm my findings on the chiles.

I'm in agreement that some plants  fruits are simply hotter, due to a variety of influences.
Genetics, environmental stresses, ripeness and more.

And that smoking (heat) releases the capsaicin oils into the whole chile, rather than concentrated in ribs/seeds.
But I'm not sure how any significant transferred of oils could happen in the smoker.


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## zwiller (Nov 14, 2018)

Add me to tamale sampling please.  Also agree and doubt the oil evaporated and transferred.  Dehydration 

 indaswamp
 makes most sense.  

FUNNY to me as I thought your were gonna tell me the juice of all the peppers landed on the ribs!


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## tallbm (Nov 14, 2018)

indaswamp said:


> Jalapenos get hotter as they dry because the capsacin is more concentrated. But you could have had some transfer from the Tepin peppers.



Thanks for the input, I'll give more info some of my possible transfer theory further down :)



HalfSmoked said:


> Lesson learned. Very possible oils transferred. Also citrus juice is a good cool down for hot mount from spicy food.
> 
> Warren


I have an oil transfer theory further down and thanks for the OJ recommendation I'll have to try it sometime :)




browneyesvictim said:


> First of all- that looks like a very happy full smoker! :cool:
> 
> I don't know an answer to your question but that seems plausible. But I have noticed a BIG difference in heat levels with different Jalapenos; especially lately. Sometimes you get a real mild batch, and sometimes they are really hot like that.


I was told these jalapenos were hot.  See my oil transfer theory below :)



indaswamp said:


> The heat in a jalapeno is influenced by how often and consistent the plant was watered. Hot jalapenos happen during a drought, mild jalapenos occur with routine irrigation.


These peppers were gifted to me so I have no clue how they were kept up before being picked.




indaswamp said:


> *Edit- Unless you have some kind of a cross pollinated seed with a hotter variety from saving seeds with different peppers growing in close proximity.....


There very likely could have been cross polination.  They weren't very big and some looked more like serrano than Jalapeno.  The guy that gave them to me may be one that grows like 8 different pepper varieties or so.  I could totally see some cross pollination easily happening.




chilerelleno said:


> I think you need to send out generous samples to all interested in this phenomena so we can test them and help you ascertain the correct answer.
> I'll be test subject #1.
> And I'll also need a few dozen tamales to confirm my findings on the chiles.
> 
> ...



Hahahaha I'll grind and test some of it today.  I'll see how much powder is created in the end and go from there ;)
My mother's tamales are either eaten or traded for diamonds or gold it seems hahaha.  Lots of people make a claim like "so and so makes amazing tamales" and then you eat one and are like meh.  These tamales are out of this world but only people that get to try them can verify so lol.

See my oil transfer theory below.



zwiller said:


> Add me to tamale sampling please.  Also agree and doubt the oil evaporated and transferred.  Dehydration
> 
> indaswamp
> makes most sense.
> ...


I'm not sure there is ever a such thing as tamale sampling with her tamales.  It is usually just tamale inhaling :P
Hahhaah yeah, during the smoke I was like "oh crap I hope they don't drip on the ribs somehow" hahahahhahaha.  Luckily no such thing happened and the ribs were great!!!!


Ok here is my oil/spicy heat transfer theory.

It is hard to stand over Chile Tepins or other hot peppers if you are cooking/roasting them in a pot/skillet, roasting in an oven, or hell even trying to smell the smoke out of the smoker when peppers were loaded like the ones in my pic!

If you do put your face over these cooking peppers you get stinging in your ears and eyes and your sinuses start up to rid whatever has caused the irritation.  Even without any liquids added to cause noticeable steam!

This leads me to believe that moisture and/or oil particles in these peppers start to rise in the air and carry these hot stinging particles on the way up.  I'm no scientist, but I bet if you took a big whiff while putting your face over 2 pounds of a hot pepper (habenaros) as they are getting good and roasted in a skillet or a tray in the oven, you will get a rude awakening with whatever is coming off those peppers, however it is coming off of them.

So in short, my theory is that something that will burn your eyes and sting your nose is rising so I am assuming this mystery particle would also burn your mouth.  

Someone feel free to test my theory out and let me know what you find out! :D My peppers are all dehydrated and ready to grind lol.


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## DanMcG (Nov 14, 2018)

Interesting theory Tallbm, I don't know the answer but I guess it's possible.


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## ironhorse07 (Nov 14, 2018)

I guess it's possible, when I have dried peppers in the oven and open the door to check on them and get a little close too soon it will clear out your sinuses. And that was at 170 deg.


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## tallbm (Nov 14, 2018)

danmcg said:


> Interesting theory Tallbm, I don't know the answer but I guess it's possible.





ironhorse07 said:


> I guess it's possible, when I have dried peppers in the oven and open the door to check on them and get a little close too soon it will clear out your sinuses. And that was at 170 deg.




I'm with the both of you here.  I don't know what's really happening I just know that I don't enjoy burning eyes, nose, and sinuses so I will try and keep the bulk pepper processing out doors and keep my face out of the mix as much as possible lol.


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## chopsaw (Nov 14, 2018)

Didn't read thru all of what you posted above , don't have the attention span for that . Not meant to be rude ,,, 
However I dried lunch box red ( sweet ) and green bell peppers , MES 30 no smoke and was surprised at the heat level when I ground them into powder . Not hot , but for sure had some heat to them .


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## JckDanls 07 (Nov 14, 2018)

zwiller said:


> FUNNY to me as I thought your were gonna tell me the juice of all the peppers landed on the ribs!



Same here..  I busted out laughing when I seen the pic and that was my first thought ...


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## tallbm (Nov 15, 2018)

chopsaw said:


> Didn't read thru all of what you posted above , don't have the attention span for that . Not meant to be rude ,,,
> However I dried lunch box red ( sweet ) and green bell peppers , MES 30 no smoke and was surprised at the heat level when I ground them into powder . Not hot , but for sure had some heat to them .


No problem :)
Interesting to know.  It could be that maybe the Jalapenos just got really really concentrated with the heat.  I just know it burned like a Tepin where I felt it in my ear sinuses and earlobe on the side I chewed it on hahaha :)


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## zwiller (Nov 15, 2018)

Actually, your theory makes a lot of sense.  I looked into it and capsaicin does boil/evap so...


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## smoking4fun (Nov 15, 2018)

indaswamp said:


> *Edit- Unless you have some kind of a cross pollinated seed with a hotter variety from saving seeds with different peppers growing in close proximity.....


That's what I was gonna say - I've found that my jalapenos are super-hot when I grow them in close proximity to ghost peppers and other super-hots.


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## tallbm (Nov 15, 2018)

zwiller said:


> Actually, your theory makes a lot of sense.  I looked into it and capsaicin does boil/evap so...



Well there we have it.  
I think we all hit on a bit of what was happening. 
I would bet that the heat in the jalapenos concentrated AND the capsaicin from the tepins transferred up to the jalapenos giving me a double wammy of burn lol :)

Well more testing may be needed but if anyone wants to dehydrate bell peppers over some really hot peppers and see if the bell peppers get some heat then we will know how much transfer occurs :)


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## indaswamp (Nov 16, 2018)

Guess you had to do like me and pick all your peppers before all that cold weather hit and got them with a freeze/frost! I picked 9# of jalapehos and 12# of bell peppers. I chopped and froze the bells and pickled the jalapenos.


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## browneyesvictim (Nov 16, 2018)

Ok Tall... Are you keeping us in suspense? The obvious question is HOW DID THE PEPPERS COME OUT? Got more pics and details? You said you were making chipotle powder and Chile powder... How dry do you get 'em?

I just processed some fresh Habs into sauce yesterday...


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## tallbm (Nov 18, 2018)

browneyesvictim said:


> Ok Tall... Are you keeping us in suspense? The obvious question is HOW DID THE PEPPERS COME OUT? Got more pics and details? You said you were making chipotle powder and Chile powder... How dry do you get 'em?
> 
> I just processed some fresh Habs into sauce yesterday...



Hahaha I guess we'll have to wait for some more suspense.
I ground up the jalapenos today, no pic.
I'll get a pick of all the tepins which I'll likely grind up tomorrow or the day after :)

I haven't taste the powder yet.  After I grind it in my magic bullet I let it sit in the cannister for a day so all the powder/dust settles and then I fool with it.

I get em so dry they crumble when being squeezed with your fingers.  They just fall apart under pressure :)


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## tallbm (Nov 20, 2018)

browneyesvictim said:


> Ok Tall... Are you keeping us in suspense? The obvious question is HOW DID THE PEPPERS COME OUT? Got more pics and details? You said you were making chipotle powder and Chile powder... How dry do you get 'em?
> 
> I just processed some fresh Habs into sauce yesterday...



Ask and ye shall receive! :P
Top are the little ChileTepin Peppers all smoked and dehydrated.  If yo ulook close you may see a couple of small Jalapeno pieces that fell into the pan :)
Bottom is the Chipotle Powder from the Smoked and dehydrated Jalapenos.







I put a little of the Chipotle powder on part a steak I grilled... but I accidentally gave that steak to one of the other people eating dinner so my taste test of the Chipotle powder will have to wait hahha.
I plan to grind the chiletepin peppers some day soon.  I'll give some of it to my mother for Hot Tamale time!!!!  I'll also give some to the woman who has been supplying so many of those little guys.  I really like that pepper but it is HOT so I have a limited number of uses for it as well as limited amount that I apply but damn they are good!
ChileTepin has a good flavor and naturally kind of smokey.  I prefer it to Habanero which I find to be sour tasting and Serrano which I find to be a little bitter tasting.  They smokey flavor of the ChileTepin is awesome, and even more so when it is actually smoked :)

Enjoy!


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## chopsaw (Nov 20, 2018)

Looks good . Just now brought the last of mine in from the smoker . Red and green jalapeno's , lunch box red , garden salsa and a couple of Anaheim . Their's even a dozen grape tomatoes in there . Makes great powder .


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## tallbm (Nov 21, 2018)

chopsaw said:


> Looks good . Just now brought the last of mine in from the smoker . Red and green jalapeno's , lunch box red , garden salsa and a couple of Anaheim . Their's even a dozen grape tomatoes in there . Makes great powder .
> View attachment 380896



Very nice!  I like the color of yours.  Mine were roasted a bit dark due to the volume of peppers I had and not really caring too much about mixing them all around or anything hahaha.  I just let em go and when they crumble when squeezed I pull them.  I think I was watching football when these were in and was like "I'll check them later" and when I did they were surely ready hahaha :)


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## crazymoon (Nov 21, 2018)

TBM, Nice batch of peppers and next year put the tepins on top and see if the jalapenos are still as hot ??


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## tallbm (Nov 21, 2018)

crazymoon said:


> TBM, Nice batch of peppers and next year put the tepins on top and see if the jalapenos are still as hot ??



Hahhaa thats the plan!
Next year will depend on whether I'm gifted a bunch of jalapenos, I don't grow them.  
I am always gifted the tepins as my potted plant isn't producing them for crap this year.  None of my 3 little pepper plants are producing flowers or peppers.  I really need to put them in larger pots and feed them a little.  They are growing though so nothing wrong on that front :)


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## HalfSmoked (Nov 21, 2018)

Tallbm nice batch peppers.

Warren


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## chopsaw (Nov 21, 2018)

tallbm said:


> I really need to put them in larger pots and feed them a little.


I had read thru an old thread on here about coffee grounds sprinkled around the pepper plants . So I did a test , used grounds on half , but not on the rest . I'll be doing all of them next year . The coffee ground plants were almost 5 foot tall and loaded with peppers .

Edit ,, used coffee grounds .


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## tallbm (Nov 22, 2018)

HalfSmoked said:


> Tallbm nice batch peppers.
> 
> Warren


Thanks!



chopsaw said:


> I had read thru an old thread on here about coffee grounds sprinkled around the pepper plants . So I did a test , used grounds on half , but not on the rest . I'll be doing all of them next year . The coffee ground plants were almost 5 foot tall and loaded with peppers .
> 
> Edit ,, used coffee grounds .


I'll have to save some of the ol ladies coffee grounds.  I don't drink caffeine so no coffee from me but she drinks a pot a day so I should be covered :)  
How much coffee grounds and what time of the year do you do this?


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## chopsaw (Nov 23, 2018)

tallbm said:


> How much coffee grounds and what time of the year do you do this?


No rhyme or reason to the method . I just saw guys were doing it . So I was just putting it around the base of the plants on top of the ground . Every couple of days , to every day . Right or wrong , it worked lol . 

I've got a 5 gallon bucket half full of garden soil in the garage . Been dumping the grounds in there and mixing them in . 
I'll mix it in the soil next spring . Sounds like a good idea .


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## tallbm (Nov 23, 2018)

chopsaw said:


> No rhyme or reason to the method . I just saw guys were doing it . So I was just putting it around the base of the plants on top of the ground . Every couple of days , to every day . Right or wrong , it worked lol .
> 
> I've got a 5 gallon bucket half full of garden soil in the garage . Been dumping the grounds in there and mixing them in .
> I'll mix it in the soil next spring . Sounds like a good idea .


Next spring I'll give it a shot for sure!


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