# Smoking Habanero Peppers-Help!



## georgia smoker (Aug 4, 2017)

My FIL gave me all the habanero peppers he grew.













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__ georgia smoker
__ Aug 4, 2017






I want to smoke them and then dry them in my dehydrator. how long should I keep the in my smoker? Should I keep them whole or split them? I have never dried peppers before so any and all help greatly appreciated!


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## wimpy69 (Aug 4, 2017)

Personally I half, speeds drying and imparts more smoke flavor with the flesh exposed. I mainly make powders so I remove as much seeds as I can and try to save placenta and put them in a foil boat and also smoke to get as much heat as I can out of the peppers. I dont  use a dehydrater but smoke dry with pecan around 100*-110* for up to 24 hrs. Purist-maybe-but product is so much deeper in flavor. Go to the search bar or im sure someone else will chime in that uses the smoke/dehy method. Regardless of method- beware of fumes and dehydrate outside.


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## georgia smoker (Aug 4, 2017)

Thanks, wimpy69


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## wimpy69 (Aug 4, 2017)

Anything for a chili head. Nice peppers. Caribbean's ??


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## Rings Я Us (Aug 4, 2017)

Pretty nice batch.. maybe you can put some in olive oil after they get done. In a jar or whatever.. would be like Sun dried tomatoes [emoji]128526[/emoji]


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## wimpy69 (Aug 5, 2017)

Rings R Us said:


> Pretty nice batch.. maybe you can put some in olive oil after they get done. In a jar or whatever.. would be like Sun dried tomatoes [emoji]128526[/emoji]


Really have to be careful when doing infused oil with dried peppers. Depending on exact moisture content or non acidified product you can easily set yourself up for an environment which botulism can grow.


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## frankly (Sep 17, 2017)

wimpy69 said:


> Personally I half, speeds drying and imparts more smoke flavor with the flesh exposed. I mainly make powders so I remove as much seeds as I can and try to save placenta and put them in a foil boat and also smoke to get as much heat as I can out of the peppers. I dont use a dehydrater but smoke dry with pecan around 100*-110* for up to 24 hrs. Purist-maybe-but product is so much deeper in flavor. Go to the search bar or im sure someone else will chime in that uses the smoke/dehy method. Regardless of method- beware of fumes and dehydrate outside.


Hi Wimpy - or anyone else that may have tried this - any thoughts on running the temp up a bit (or quite a bit) to speed the process?  I have a MES 30 and want to try to smoke/dehydrate a batch of peppers in the MES in 12 hours - run it for one set of daylight hours and be done with it.


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## bluewhisper (Sep 17, 2017)

Yes, cut them open to speed drying. If you dehydrate them later, expect the dehydrator to smell like smoky pepper. Keep the temp low if you want to preserve the hotness - with peppers and roasting, there's a trade-off where  the heat will destroy some of the capsaicin and replace it with a nutty roasted flavor. Still good, though.

Maybe split the batch and smoke some of them but don't dry them out, then make a smoked hab sauce.


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