10 replies to this topic

[Norman]

It’s getting close to time to start my 2025 chile plants and I need to go through my saved seeds. 
I have more than I’ll ever use, so rather than tossing them I’m going to buy a book of stamps and the first twenty people that PM me with an address reachable by one US forever stamp are welcome to the excess. 
Sorry, my choice on what I send, but I’ll it’ll be several varieties and I’ll label them. If you want hotter or milder, I’ll try to accommodate, but heat levels are mostly habanero and up. These are seeds I’ve saved from my own plants as well as overs I’ve gotten from other growers.

Seeds will probably go in the mail sometime in February. 
Cheers!

 

[Juthro]

I'm curious, Norman, how do you generally use your hot peppers?  I'm wondering, dried and ground into powder, eaten fresh, turned into hot sauce....?  The list goes on.  I know there isn't a definitive answer here, as you likely mix it up, but I was wondering what you prefer.

Edited by Juthro, 04 January 2025 - 11:34 AM.

[Norman]

Mostly I put them in the freezer and wonder what I’m going to do with all these goddamn chiles.

I also have a stockpile of powders, sauces, and ferments that I’ll never be able to use up or give away. 
One Naga Morich makes a bottle of sauce or batch of salsa too hot for a normal person to eat.

Ive been fermenting mashes lately, that’s a good way to keep them without freezing and then the mash can just be added to whatever I’m making. Pickles are good for the ones that aren’t too hot to eat as pickles. I make really concentrated salsas with a lot of lime and onion and can it and then just add the jar to a can of tomatoes for a quick salsa in the winter. Powders are good but the dehydrator needs to be run outside - I came home from work one day and it was like somebody set off a can of bear spray in my house. I’ve started making pepper jam and I’m going to do a lot more with that, endless possibilities for flavors there and the sugar and vinegar tame the burn some. 
Ive been meaning to ask - what varieties are you growing and what do you do with them?

We might as well turn this thread into an all things chile discussion. 

[Juthro]

I tend to use abrol peppers for the heat in my hot sauces.  So a bit spicy, but definitely not Naga Morich hot.  I confess that I usually buy those (aborls) though, as I haven't been able to produce the yield I need in the space I have to grow.  As far as what I grow in the window, I have a couple of varieties of jalapenos I like for poppers, and for smoking.  I also grow poblanos for making chili relleno when fresh, and for turning into ancho chili powder.

 

Most of the hotter peppers I use i get from the local farmers market, and that usually consists of habaneros, and scotch bonnets.  For the hotter peppers, I usually use them to make up into a blended, pickled pepper relish that is good on just about everything (IMO).

 

I really like to use powdered chili's to cook with, but I hear you about drying them inside with a dehydrator.  I like to use my electric smoker outside, you don't have to add any wood if you don't want smoke, and it is thermostatically controlled with a timer just like my Excalibur :)

Edited by Juthro, 04 January 2025 - 04:58 PM.

[Norman]

Ive never grown arbol either. I usually just buy those types too and save the hard work for stuff that’s hard to get.

 

Off the subject of peppers but on the subject of grills, have you seen the Ooni pizza oven?

https://ooni.com/?ut...ASAAEgJ3wvD_BwE

 

I have the one that just uses pellets. Works great!

 

[Juthro]

I have ogled at them for awhile now.  I think I would really enjoy one, but I would have to build some additional covered outdoor cooking space though, but that is something I would like to do, and been thinking about for more than a few years.  I love grilling and smoking food, even when it's cold outside, but I've got to have some kind of protection from wind and snow for my equipment.

 

I had wondered about a real world report on the pellet driven model.   I would love to hear more if you want to share.

[Norman]

Its awesome. I think it’s their cheapest model too. It only comes in 12 inch as far as I know, so that’s a possible limitation and the pellet burner fills up pretty fast so if you’re using it for awhile you have to figure out how to empty it with everything at 900 degrees. 
I might have gone with the propane model if I used propane for anything else but I prefer live fire. I’ve broken two baking stones so that was a pain but they replaced both for free and maybe they’ve got their sourcing figured out.

Other than that, no complaints. It works exactly like they say it will on their site. 

[Juthro]

In the wintertime here we like to do pizza in a 12" cast iron skillet in our oven.  A little extra heat in the house is never a bad thing when it's winter here.  But I would love to play with a wood fired outdoor pizza oven during the summer months (all three of them, lol).

 

I'm a big fan of quality wood pellets for cooking, and smoking.  I almost alway use a blend of apple, cherry, maple, and hickory for near everything I smoke.  It provides a great smoke flavor without being overpowering (IMO).   I think I get more consistent, and better results using these then solid wood chips or chunks.

https://www.amazon.c...6461997271&th=1

 

 

 

[Juthro]

Norman, have you ever looked at earthen ovens?  They have also been a pipe dream of mine for several years. 

 

[Direct Link]

[Norman]

If I owned my home there would be one in my backyard already. 
Right beside my homemade tandoor. 
 

[Norman]

Last chance!

I still have seeds and stamps left, but these things take forever to grow and mature so they need to get in the dirt soon.