I made a batch of ABTs this week and the filling I made from them was real good, bad thing is, even after smoking, the Jalapenos were still very spicy (actually way too spicy, and I usually can eat Jalapenos raw). My hands were burning for a couple days after gutting them out.

Does anyone have a good way of knowing how spicy a batch of jalapenos are going to be before buying them from the Grocery Store? (They probably wouldn't enjoy me taking a bite out of one before paying).

The filling was just cream cheese, chopped up sun dried tomatos, and garlic... Very Good, and probably would use this just as a plain dip for crackers in the future.

I need to make some for a poker party a week from tomorrow. I do plan on leaving some of the seeds and stuff in one to play a very mean joke on someone.

You can't tell how hot a pepper is going to be.Even in a batch at the store,some could be hotter than others. If you take the membrane and seeds out before you smoke or cook,that will help a bit.The membrane and seeds are sources of much of the heat.

wear some gloves when you are removing the inners so your hands won't burn again

it has to do with the temp and duration of the cook. i believe most of us do them on a grill around 325 degrees. i shoot for an hour cook for a mild stuffed jalapeno. about 45 minutes will make for a med/hot jalapeno. try not to open the grill, definitley indirect heat.

fishguy is right, smoke them longer and they'll have less heat.

If you take all the membrane out and all the seeds you'll still get a little heat.

Make the next batch like this.

A set of them with seeds and membranes if you want them hot.

A set with most of the seeds/membranes out

A set with all of the seeds membranes out.

Cook them like you did.

Then before you pull them, eat one. See if that particular set is the way you want them (heatwise). If not, just leave them in longer.

Because of the variation in peppers, you just can't go with a set time and be guaranteed the same results. It just varies.

We just take all the stuff out, then fill them and cook them for 45 min. Leave another batch in a little longer. That way we have two sets of heat.

Hope that helps.

Smokin'

I usually do my ABT's in the oven. However, I usually incorporate a smoked meat in the cream cheese mix.. pork, tuna, chicken.. whatever.

The 008 doesn't get hot enough IMO.. that's why I use the oven.

Be sure to remove all the membrane and seeds from the Japs.. One thing I might suggest.. don't know if it'll work.. I believe most of the heat is carried in an oil like fluid in the pepper. If you eat a jap that's too hot, the heat can be cut by sucking on a lime or lemon.. read ACID. If my thoughts are correct.. maybe soaking the cleaned japs in a vinegar solution might mild them up a bit.. I'd then rinse well before stuffing and cooking.. Vinegar is less expensive than lemon juice.. otherwise, I'd use that for an experiment.

I will probably end up doing them in the oven or try 1 batch in the smoker and do a back up in the oven.

Has people pretty much given up doing these in the smokette due to temp in the 008/009?

I'd have to disagree. Unless you're trying to crisp up bacon, you can get smoked peppers in a 8 or 9. If you do them without bacon, they'll come out nice and smokey.

If you've trying to cover the ABT's with something that needs a higher heat, like bacon, to crisp up, then just smoke them for a while and finish on a grill or oven to crisp them up.

After all to get chipotle's, you start with japalenos and smoke them and you can do those in an 8 or 9.

SmokinJ - If you're trying to get crisp bacon while smoking the ABTs, try running the bacon through a microwave first for 45-60 seconds. Let cool, then wrap the japs and smoke. A tip I picked up from the forum some time ago. Works pretty well and the bacon comes out fairly crisp.

Also, the milder japs that you have been used to in the past may have been TAM japs. These were developed at Texas A&M a few years ago and are genetically "deheated" to satisfy the American palate. You're most recent batch may have been real japs which can be significantly hotter that TAMs. Ask the produce manager if the japs they're selling are TAMs or the real thing.

Thanks you all for the advice, I have also been reading in the forum that the microwave bacon also works well and might actually try that. I will definitely give it another chance in the smoker, wife also taught me something with Jalapenos too, if they only get minimal water during growth, hotter they are, more water, less heat. Don't know if thats true, but wives are usually "right".

SmokinJ

Another suggestion, not for preparation but in case you tangle with too much heat again. The antidote for capsacin (that's what gives any pepper the heat) is milk. No beer, alcohol, soda drink or water will do it - only dairy (milk, cream, whipped cream, etc.).