Chipotle (chih-POHT-lay) peppers start as jalapeños! Grow your own jalapeños from seed, let them fully ripen to a deep red, then smoke and dry them to create rich, smoky homemade chipotle peppers.
Grow: Start jalapeño seeds indoors 8–10 weeks before the last frost. Keep the soil warm, around 80–85°F, for best germination. Transplant outdoors after the danger of frost has passed.
Ripen: Instead of picking your jalapeños green, leave them on the plant until they turn completely red. Fully ripe jalapeños develop a sweeter, deeper flavor that's perfect for chipotle.
Smoke: Place whole red jalapeños in a smoker at about 180–200°F. Smoke 6-10 hours slowly over pecan, hickory, or another hardwood until the peppers become dark, smoky, and mostly dried.
Dry: Finish drying the smoked peppers in a dehydrator or very low oven until they are completely dry and leathery to crisp.
Use: Grind dried chipotles into smoky chile powder, rehydrate them for sauces and marinades, or use them to make homemade chipotle in adobo.
FROM SEED TO CHIPOTLE
One packet of jalapeño seeds can become a season's worth of homegrown smoky flavor.
A few of the best ideas for Chipotle.
- Chipotle hot sauce - chipotles, tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, onion and a little brown sugar. This would be especially good as a bottled sauce.
- Chipotle salsa - roasted tomatoes, chipotle, onion, garlic, cilantro and lime. Great with tacos or grilled meat.
- Chipotle mayo/aioli - mayo, finely minced chipotle, lime and garlic. Excellent on burgers, sandwiches and fish tacos.
- Chipotle BBQ sauce - ketchup or tomato sauce, chipotle, vinegar, molasses/brown sugar, garlic and spices.
- Chipotle honey - honey blended with a small amount of chipotle. Very good on chicken, pizza, cornbread or roasted vegetables.
- Chipotle crema - sour cream or Mexican crema, chipotle, lime and salt.
- Chipotle chili -add chopped chipotle to beef, pork or bean chili for a deep smoky flavor.
- Chipotle taco marinade - chipotle, lime, garlic, oil, cumin and oregano for chicken, steak or pork.
- Chipotle queso - add minced chipotle to queso for smoky heat.
- Chipotle seasoning powder - grind completely dried chipotles and use the powder on meat, potatoes, popcorn or roasted corn.
