Smoked Peppers Recipe: Homemade Smoked Poblano Peppers

Smoked peppers cook in a smoker at a low temperature for an extended period, taking their flavor from the wood chips. Bell peppers, jalapeño peppers, habanero peppers, and poblano peppers are common peppers to smoke. Some chili peppers become spicier during the smoking process, while others mellow.

You can dehydrate smoked peppers and then grind them to make chili powder. Chipotle peppers, for example, are smoked jalapeños that have dried in a dehydrator. Keep in mind the specific type of wood chips in a smoker will affect the flavor of the peppers, similar to when you smoke brisket and other meats. For a protein that pairs well with smoked peppers, learn how to smoke brisket with barbeque pitmaster Aaron Franklin.

The wood chips you use will impact the flavor of the smoked peppers. Here are four types of wood chips you can try in your smoker when smoking peppers:

1. 1. Applewood: A fruitwood suitable for smoking, applewood has a high sugar content that helps to caramelize the outside of smoked foods. The apple flavor is mild, but peppers already have an innate sweetness that the apple notes in the wood enhance.
2. 2. Hickory wood: Possessing a strong flavor, hickory is a common choice for pitmasters because it adds a dark color to smoked meats. Hickory wood works well for more potent peppers, as they can withstand the flavor of the wood.
3. 3. Mesquite wood: The smoking wood with the strongest flavor, mesquite is a common choice for smoked meats. Its bold and earthy smoke flavor appeals to many, and the wood burns slowly while still generating a lot of heat. Mesquite wood works well for smoking peppers since peppers also have an earthy flavor, especially bell peppers.
4. 4. Pecan wood: The most popular wood choice for smoking chipotles in Mexico, pecan trees are members of the hickory family, but pecan wood has a milder flavor. Mexican cuisine uses chipotles for salsas, soups, and sauces.