Roasted Red Peppers

I smoked them before. I didn't know the skin was a problem. I just cut the cap off, cleaned out the veins and seeds, smoked on 250* for 3 hours. 1 seafood grill covered. They were good and sweet. I think maybe after smoking you might dry them in a dehydrator and they would be good. They might dry out if left in the smoker long enough with temp turned down. Maybe open the door every hour.

quote:

Originally posted by GLH:
I didn't know the skin was a problem.

Not really a problem. My normal method for roasted peppers is burn the living hell out of the skin with a plumbers torch,let sit ( completes cooking) in a paper bag about 20 minutes. Then scrape the skin off. I was just wondering about the best way to introduce a slight smoke flavor. Experimentation time I guess.

You say the skin is not a problem, but in your first post you wanna peel it off and in your 2nd post you wanna scrape it off. I am trying to understand what the deal is with the skin! I just eat the peppers skin and all. I thought the skin was part of the eating, if you will.

quote:

Originally posted by GLH:
You say the skin is not a problem, but in your first post you wanna peel it off and in your 2nd post you wanna scrape it off. I am trying to understand what the deal is with the skin! I just eat the peppers skin and all. I thought the skin was part of the eating, if you will.

Roasted red bell peppers are almost always prepared by scorching the skins black in any of several ways. Broiler, oven, gas stove top burner, etc. I use a plumbers propane torch. The peppers are then left to sit a while to cook in thier residual heat. After that the charred skin is scraped off. Take a look at them the nixt time you are in a grocery store. You will see small remains of the burnt skin in the jars.
If I have a lot I then pack them in olive oil for later use. Usually though they get used up pretty fast. So my question really is when to smoke. Before scorching or after I peel them.

Axel, you may have to try it out and tell us.

Seems to me that with the skin on you won't get enough smoke penetration to make it worthwhile. (though I can conceive of a long smoke making the skin 'scrunch,' though I don't think it will Char.

I 'think' it may do the same thing as when you scorch and then (though you didn't mention this step) leave it in a paper bag to sweat the skin loose.

The other side of the argument, I can envision the pepper turning to mush if you've scorched, sweated, and removed the skin before smoking.

All that said...."I" think you'd have the most luck with cutting the peppers in half, stem to stern, remove seeds and ribs, 'maybe' leave the stem on, and smoke/roast them with the skins on, and skin side down. Then pull them and peel them after...oh, what the heck half an hour?

That's at least where I'd start. I'd ALSO do them while they are still green and not totally ripened as red peppers. Let us know what happens!

...like, how different can it all be than smoking Ancho Chilis??

OK, I am starting to understand now. I think it depends on the type of peppers you are smoking. I just ate them skin and all the one time I smoked them. I don't remember the skin being a problem or a deterrent to eating. I think what I am saying is, I don't remember noticing the skin as being something other than part of the 'meat' of the peppers. These were big ripe red sweet peppers from my garden. I don't know the variety. They were conical shaped and about 3" wide at the stem end and 6+" long. Yummy.

You guys are WAY to deep into this.

The first method is the normal, chefs way, of "roasting peppers". You blacken them on a grill and then peel off the burnt parts (hey, go ask a chef, it's not my idea).

Smokin peppers is common and pretty routine (although personally I wouldn't use a red bell pepper)

Jalapenos that are smoked are chiptotles

You might try smoking them that method, which is longer to essentially dry them out and gives them plenty of smoke taste

...yes, and ancho chilis are dried, usually smoked, poblanos. I would only worry that a ripe, red bell pepper wouldn't have enough structural integrity left in it to not turn to mush.

I love smoked chilis...but I'm not a big fan of red 'bell' peppers. (GLH, I'm guessing your garden to have grown poblanos...they are a little less than halfway between a bell pepper and a jalapeno....usually the chili in chili relleno)

I believe you to be correct on the pepper variety, TO. They are not bells.

I would prep the peppers and put them in an already-smoking smoker for about 10 - 20 minutes, depending on how intense you like the smoke flavor. This will take some experimentation.

Take them out of the smoker, then proceed as usual with the roasting technique. They will have plenty of smoke and skins would remove easily.

I have not actually done this, but this is where I would start.