# "KILLER" ABT's



## stewntexas (Mar 3, 2010)

I have made a total of three batches of ABT's, just getting started and making relatively small batches to learn how it is done.

The first two batches were very good. Good flavor and taste, with just about the right amount of heat.

My last batch, yesterday, were terrible. Way too hot for almost anyone without a cast iron throat.  This is why I titled this thread "KILLER".

I think the problem was I used larger than normal jalapenos, which I bought at WalMart.

Is there ANY way to determine which peppers may be too hot? Does it have anything to do with size, color, or appearance? Any help or advice would be appreciated.


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## hdsmoke (Mar 3, 2010)

No, from what i have seen the heat just veries.  But i have not ran into any Jalapenos that are too hot.  Are you taking the seeds and membranes out?  Personally, i usually leave in quite a few seeds in jalaps for more heat, unless i know that they are hotter to begin with.  Often home grown are hotter than store-bought too.  but not always.  

I usually eat half of one before making them to determine the heat and if to leave seeds or not.  You could do that.


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## stewntexas (Mar 3, 2010)

Yes, seeds and membranes totally removed. I cut the stem end off about a quarter inch down, scrape, drag, dig everything out. Blanch them in boiling water for about a minute and a half just to start softening them so they won't be 'crunchy'.

Stuff with cream cheese, wrap with a half slice of bacon held by a toothpick. Roll in flour, egg wash and panko breadcrumbs.

Depending upon the weather, use a charcoal grill outside or bake in the kitchen over. Bake for about 12 minutes at 350 deg., finish by broiling to get the 'color' right. As I said, the first two batches were wonderful, the last batch is outside in the garbage can. I was afraid to use the garbage disposal
as they were so hot they might cause a fire.

I have ordered a King Kooker for future use.  I have been using disposable foil baking pans, upside down, with holes cut in to hold the peppers.


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## chisoxjim (Mar 3, 2010)

interesting version of ABT's,  breaded and all.

I do mine in the smoker the whole time, no blanching in hot water, no time in the oven, etc.  about 2 hours on the WSM, and the bacon is crisp, and the pepper is tender.  

What goes inside the pepper varies by whats in the fridge, or what I want as filler for that batch.

jalapenos heat varies by batch,  some are just hotter than others, but all are good imho.


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## autoferret (Mar 3, 2010)

we do pepper roulette! leave the seeds and membrain in on some and not on some.  a bit of a joke.  but i like them hot so its not a big deal to me.


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## stewntexas (Mar 4, 2010)

btt just to check


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## white cloud (Mar 4, 2010)

Interesting, usually the bigger ones from the store are less hot I have found. And that is just a bit too much prep in making ABT's ( not that it made them hotter). I prefer mine more on the crunchy side and half cook the bacon before wrapping to assure this. Hard to say with all the newer hybreds they have out nowadays.


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## richoso1 (Mar 4, 2010)

Jalapenos do vary in heat levels, I've had plenty of Serranos that could make some folks cry... I just sweat. I grow my own japs, and even homegrown ones vary.


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## bman62526 (Mar 4, 2010)

Also...I've only done ABT's five or six times, but early in the game someone told me to do a "test pepper" about 2 hours in.  If that one has the right texture and heat, they are done.

If it's too hot, chances are the rest will be to.  So I just put them as far away from direct heat as possible, and let them go another 45 minutes or so.  They are pretty soft, but that last 45-60 minutes can tone down the heat more and bring out a deeper, sweeter taste in the pepper.

Just a thought.  I think the point is that since the heat varies from plant to plant, you just aren't sure what you got unless you grab that "test pepper" a couple hours in, and go from there!


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## mballi3011 (Mar 4, 2010)

Now they are really appetizer roulette for sure with the jalapeno's. Now we have a grocery store chain here Winn Dixie nd I have been getting japs from them for a while and they don't seem to be really hot just a little hot. But now the ones that I have gotten from Wally World they have been really hot also. So I do know thats there are some not so hot japs cause some folks here grow them.


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## stewntexas (Mar 4, 2010)

Ditto on the HOT japs from Wal-Mart.  That is where I got the third batch that were way too hot.

The first two batches, that were GREAT were from HEB.  That is the problem with living in South Texas.  We have two choices for groceries, and they are both listed above.  If I want a different store, the nearest one is over 100 miles one-way.  I plan to plant some of my own if the weather ever decides to cooperate.

For tonight I planning my fourth batch (small), and plan to make them in the 'boat' shape, without any breading.  Just a few packaged bread crumbs sprinkled on the top.


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## kanadan (Mar 4, 2010)

Personally i think the longer you cook them the less heat there well be thats been my experience. We have a hotluck(potluck with spicy food) every year for my wifes birthday she loves Spicy food. This year im growing ghost chilis. hope to make some abts out of them. I love to see people sweat.


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## grampyskids (Mar 4, 2010)

While watching an episode of Bobby Flay's Throw Down, he went to New Mexico for a Chile Rellano throwdown. The 2 challengers said that chiles with a curved stem were hotter than ones with a straighters stem. I was going to test this the last time I did ABT's, but cocktails interrupted my serious investigation.


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## mgwerks (Mar 5, 2010)

If you like the flavor of jalapenos but not the heat, and are willing to grow your own, you have an option by growing the TAM II hybrids.  They are the same as other varieties, but have a substantially reduced heat level.  I was thinking that if you used these, you could control the heat of your ABTs by adding in as much as you like to the filling.

Just sayin...


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## wsmsteveo (Mar 19, 2010)

If a jalapeno begins to develop brown cracks coming up from the bottom, that means that it has begun the 'corking' process. When Jalapenos cork, the capsacin becomes MUCH more potent. If you find a jalapeno in the store that has these cracks in the flesh, it will be hot. Also, when a grower stops watering their peppers a few days before harvesting, the oil is also a bit more potent. I grew jalapenos, cayennes, and banana peppers last summer so I had quite some time to experiment with the varying levels of heat.


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## jirodriguez (Mar 19, 2010)

Killer.... hmmm.... wasn't that the name of somebodys dog? And he was just about small enough to git into an ABT as well... hmmmm...


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## northern greenhorn (Mar 19, 2010)

I don't know, I like spicy food, and japs, don't bother me, the breaded one sounded good, but seem like to much work for an appetiser.


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