Chipotle Powder
Grow, smoke, dehydrate, grind—craft your own Smoked Chipotle Powder! Experience the full journey from garden to spice rack. 🌶️✨
Hey there, spice lovers! If you’re like me, you know there’s nothing quite like whipping up your own spices in the kitchen. Today, I’m sharing my journey of making homemade chipotle powder, and trust me, you’ll want to get in on this! The best part? I grow my jalapeños sustainably in my garden, free from harmful pesticides. Knowing exactly what’s in my spices is super important to me, especially when you consider that many traditional spices are loaded with additives to prevent clumping. But guess what? You can avoid all that junk and create pure, delicious flavors right at home!
Why I Love Making Chipotle Powder
I usually let my bumper crop of jalapeños ripen into vibrant red beauties, then I smoke them, dry them, and grind them into a fine powder. The result? A rich, smoky chipotle powder that I use interchangeably with cayenne pepper in most of my recipes. This spice is fantastic for adding depth and heat to everything from soups and stews to marinades and rubs.
Tips for Keeping Homemade Spices Fresh
Now, you might be wondering, “How do I keep my homemade spices from clumping or going hard?” I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve!
- Use Rice: I throw about 15 grains of rice into each half-pint jar. Rice absorbs moisture, which keeps your spices dry. To keep the rice from mixing in with the spice, wrap it in a small piece of cheesecloth, tie it off, and pop it in the jar. I like to layer it in the middle—pour in half the spice, add the rice, then top it off with more spice.
- Oxygen Absorbers: Another option is to use food-grade oxygen absorbers. These work wonders, especially if you’re not planning to grind the chipotles after drying. For long-term storage, dehydrate the peppers whole, add an oxygen absorber, vacuum seal them, and store them in a dark, cool place.
Can I Use Green Jalapeños to Make Chipotle Powder?
You might be asking if green jalapeños can be used to make chipotle powder. Traditionally, chipotle powder comes from jalapeños that have turned red after being left on the vine. I often blend both green and red jalapeños in my powders to create a unique flavor profile. Green jalapeños have that classic pepper taste, while the chipotles are sweeter and smokier.
Using Your Bumper Crop of Jalapeños
I love cooking with jalapeños all summer long. Whether it’s whipping up some jalapeño poppers or freezing sliced and chopped peppers for winter dishes, I make sure to utilize my bountiful harvest. At the end of the season, I let my jalapeños ripen fully on the vine until they turn red. Those beauties are what I use for my chipotle powder.
How to Smoke Jalapeños
Ready to smoke those jalapeños? If you’re grinding them into powder, cut the tops off and leave the seeds and placenta intact. If you plan on using them whole, leave the tops on and make a couple of long slits on the sides to let the smoke in.
Here’s how I do it:
Set your smoker to 200°F and smoke for 3-4 hours. You’ll know they’re done when they smell absolutely heavenly, and the skins look wrinkled and soft.
Lay the jalapeños on a smoker-safe tray (one with holes for better airflow is ideal).
How do I smoke Jalapenos?
If you plan to grind them into a powder, you should cut the tops off and leave the placenta and seeds attached. If you are planning to eat the smoked jalapenos whole or use them in dishes, leave the tops on and make a couple long slits along the sides to let in the smoke. Lay the jalapenos on a smoker safe tray, preferably one with holes for more smokely air flow around the peppers. Set the smoker to 200 degrees F and smoke them for 3-4 hours. You will know they are done by the way the smell, its heavenly. The outsides will also look wrinkled and soft.
Store Your Homemade Chipotle Powder
After smoking, let your jalapeños cool, then grind them up into a fine powder. Store your homemade chipotle powder in a clean mason jar, and enjoy the rich, smoky goodness in all your favorite recipes!
So there you have it! Making your own chipotle powder is not only easy, but it also allows you to control the ingredients, ensuring you get pure flavor without the additives. Plus, it’s a great way to use up that bountiful harvest from your garden! Happy canning and spice-making!
More Homemade Spices
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Homemade Chipotle Powder Recipe
Equipment
- Smoker trays
- Dehyrator or oven
- Canning Jars, Lids and Rings to store chipotle powder in
Ingredients
- jalapeño pepper
Instructions
- Preheat smoker to 200℉.
- Cut off the top and stem of your red jalapeños.
- Spread the peppers out on smoking racks or a pan with holes.
- Smoke at 200℉ for 3 hours. From here you can do pretty much whatever you want with them.
- Slide the jalepenos in half and then into thirds. They will dry faster this way.
- Place the peppers in the dehyrator and set it to 125℉ for 8-10 hours or until the peppers are completely dry.
- Use a blender or food processor and grind the dehydrated peppers down into a powder.
- Place the powder back in the dehydrator, on a solid bottomed tray, for one hour and store in an airtight mason jar with a few grains of rice to absorb any moisture.
- Use as you would any other spices in your pantry.