Chipotle Chiles

      1 lb Ripe jalapenos

  Recipe by: Garry Howard Americans who love the smoky taste and fiery bite
  of chipotles have recently been hit with high prices and a scarcity of
  product. With prices for these smoked jalapenos reaching $15 a pound
  wholesale, home growers yearn to smoke their own. But the Mexicans have
  been fairly secretive about their techniques, and none of the books on
  chiles describe home smoking. After a trip to Delicos Mexico, I think I
  have solved this mystery -- but the process takes some dedication. First,
  let's look at how the Mexicans do it.

  They use a large pit with a rck to smoke-dry the jalepenos. The pit
  containing the source of heat is underground, with a tunnel leading to the
  rack. The pods are placed on top of the rack where drafts of air pull the
  smoke up and over the pods. The jalapenos can be whole pods or pods without
  seeds. The latter are more expensive and are called "capones", or castrated
  ones.

  It is possible to make chipotle in the back yard with a meat smoker or
  Weber-type barbecue with a lid. The grill should be washed to remove any
  meat particles because any odor in the barbecue will give the chile an
  undesirable flavor. Ideally, the smoker or barbecue should be new and
  dedicated only to smoking chiles.

  The quality of homemade chipotle will depend on the maturity and quality of
  the pods, the moisture in the pods, the temperature of the smoke drying the
  pods, and the amount of time the peppers are exposed to the smoke and heat.
  The aroma of wood smoke will flavor the jalapenos, so carefully choose what
  is burned. Branches from fruit trees, or other hardwoods such as hickory,
  oak, and pecan, work superbly. Pecan is used extensively in parts of Mexico
  and in southern New Mexico to flavor chipotle. Do not be afraid to
  experiment with different woods.

  The differenc between the fresh weight of the fruits and the finished
  product is about ten to one, so it takes ten pounds of fresh jalapenos to
  produce approximately one pound of chipotles. A pound of chipotles goes a
  long way, as a single pod is usually enough to flavor a dish.

  First, wash all the pods and discard any that have insect damage, bruises,
  or are soft. Remove the stems from the pods before placing the pepperrs in
  a single layer on the grill rack. Start two small fires on each side of the
  grill with charcoal briquets. Keep the fires small and never directly
  expose the pods to the fire so they won't dry unevenly or burn. The
  intention is to dry the pods slowly while flavoring them with smoke. Soak
  the wood in water before placing it on the coals so the wood wil burn
  slower and create more smoke. The barbecue vents should be opened only
  partially to allow a small amount of air to enter the barbecue, thus
  preventing the fires from burning too fast and creating too much heat.

  Check the pods and the fires hourly and move the pods around, always
  keeping them away from the fires. It may take up to forty-eight hours to
  dry the pods completely. The pods will be hard, light in weight, and brown
  in color when dried. If necessary, let the fires burn through the night.
  After the pods have dried, remove them from the grill and let them cool. To
  preserve their flavor, place them in a zip-lock bag. It is best to store
  them in a cool and dry location. If humidity is kept out of the bags, the
  chipotles will last for twelve to twenty-four months.

  Buen apetito!