# trying something new w/Q-view



## patcap (Aug 20, 2009)

Here's my 2nd official smoke. This time I am smoking eggs again, hopefully better than last time, but I am also smoking some peppers. Not ABT's, but the whole peppers. I have some habeneros and some jalapenos. I really like to make my own pepper vinegar, so I decided to try it with the peppers smoked. Just put them on about 25 minutes ago, so we'll see how it turns out.


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## got14u (Aug 20, 2009)

good luck with your smoke. I will be checking back in to see some more. I would like to hear what you do with or how you make your vinegar


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## patcap (Aug 20, 2009)

Well, after an hour it looked like the peppers were done, so i pulled them off.



Making the vinegar is easy. If you don't want to smoke the peppers it's even easier. buy whatever peppers you want to use and make sure they're clean. If you want you could cut them in half, but I just leave them whole. Get a mason jar and make sure it's good and clean. put the peppers in the jar. Heat up your plain white vinegar. You don't have to boil it, just make sure it's hot. Pour the vinegar in the jar and seal it with the lid. Let it cool and put it up. Now its just a waiting game. I would wait a few days at least to let the pepper flavor infuse in the vinegar. The longer it sits the better it gets!!!! I use the vinegar in gumbo, jambalaya, red beans and rice, spaghetti, chili, etc...  When the vinegar runs out you can just heat up some more and fill it back up.

If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask.


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## beer-b-q (Aug 20, 2009)

The Vinegar sounds interesting, I may try to make some...


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## patcap (Aug 20, 2009)

It's a staple here in Southern Louisiana, kinda like tobasco and roux!!  LOL


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## beer-b-q (Aug 20, 2009)

Do you just put the peppers in whole or do you make them like a mash?

I would love a good recipe for making my own Hot Sauce without tomatoes just Peppers & Spices & Vinegar...


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## patcap (Aug 20, 2009)

I just put them in whole.  It's more about the flavored vinegar than about the peppers themselves.  I don't know a whole lot about making hot sauce.  I know the tobasco brand is fairly simple in process.  You mash it up, add vinegar, and put it in white oak barrels topped with salt for a few years until it ferments.


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## patcap (Aug 20, 2009)

Okay, I put the peppers in the jars, heated up the vinegar, poured it in the jars and sealed them. Now it's "hurry up and wait".


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## fire it up (Aug 20, 2009)

When you are all done do you just throw your peppers away?
Hope you make them into some form of sauce of salsa, no reason to toss perfectly good smoked peppers.


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## patcap (Aug 20, 2009)

I just leave them in the jar and keep refilling it with warm vinegar. I keep them until the acidity of the vinegar finally dissolves them. I've had them last for years in the cabinet. 

Keep in mind guys that this is the first time I've smoked the peppers first, this is completely experimental. For all I know the vinegar will taste like sheep dung, so try this version at your own risk until I can get the final result. To be on the safe side, just put them in the vinegar raw for the time being!!!!


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## mballi3011 (Aug 20, 2009)

That looks really good and easy. Matbe I might just try that but it's gonna be hard not to try to make salsa like Rivet.


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## patcap (Aug 21, 2009)

I hear ya!!  I think you'll like it especially once it ages.  Patients is the key with this.  You have to let it sit before it gets really good.  I made it once before with habeneros and I was surprised to find that the peppers gave the vinegar a slightly sweet taste.  Don't get me wrong the heat was there, but not as much as I would have thought.


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## ocsnapper (Aug 21, 2009)

Patcap just wondering what kind of smoker you are using? Can't really tell by the pic...


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## patcap (Aug 21, 2009)

My smoker is custom built. Here's a photo.


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## beer-b-q (Aug 21, 2009)

Nice smoker...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





I guess I will try the vinegar with raw peppers and wait to see how the smoked ones worked from your experiment...


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## patcap (Aug 21, 2009)

Thank You.  I'll let you know how it turns out as soon as I do.  If the bell peppers I smoked the same day are any indication, the vinegar will be outstanding!!


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## rivet (Aug 21, 2009)

Hey thanks Mballi, and you're right Pat....smoking them does make them "sweeter" and mellows out the heat.

For my salsa I steep the peppers in apple cider vinegar for a month which then I use -peppers and vinegar- in the making of the salsa.


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## patcap (Aug 21, 2009)

Oh, I never thought about using apple cider vinegar!!!!   Maybe I'll try that next time.....YUM!!


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## patcap (Aug 22, 2009)

I just tried my pepper vinegar and I was really happy with the way it turned out. I broke it open a little early, but it seems that the smoking of the peppers helped the flavor infuse in the vinegar more quickly and really brought out the sweetness. I would recommend smoking the peppers first!


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## the iceman (Aug 23, 2009)

That sounds fantastic. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 I've bookmarked this one.

A question for you *Patcap*, once done, do you refigerate it or just leave it on the shelf?


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## patcap (Aug 23, 2009)

You can do either.  I just leave it in the cabinet.  I have some up there that has been there for a few years and I used it as recently as yesterday.  It was really good and hot!!!!


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