How many jalapenos, dja think?

[up in smoke]

O.K. Let me pose this scenario, I’m gonna make 10 lbs. of hot stick, 5 with hi-temp cheese and 5 plain, however I’m gonna add minced jalapenos to all 10 lbs. How many do ya think, and yet not over power, as the mix is already rather spicy (Con Yeager). I sure would appreciate some input, please!

p.s. I like spicy, myself, but I like to share!

 

[chrish]

I like a spicy meat ball too

but it depends on the people you share it with, some find heat in a pell pepper and some like it hot, everyone is different. so its really hard to tell someone how much heat is the right amount to put in.

 

[brennan]

So true, so true. I've run into people who don't like ketchup cause its too hot.

 

[squeezy]

My wife finds black pepper too hot !

 

[hawgheaven]

Pick a quantity, double it, then call me when it's done...

 

[triple b]

Why don't you try 1 per pound to start.
Shouldn't be too bad.You can always adjust on the next batch.
Good luck.

 

[wild boar trapper]

I use 1 jalapeno per pound. In fact, I am stuffing 25lbs of Wild Boar Summer Sausage this weekend and I will add 25 jalapenos. I find there are variables though. Jalapenos are unpredictable. They vary in heat. So, sometimes the sausage is hotter than at other times. The other advice is to add the jalapenos as late in the process as possible. I add them just before stuffing the SS. If you add them during the curing period, they will have no heat at all. If your hot stick seasoning is cayenne based you might find that jalapenos don't compliment them. I find that they tend to compete instead of compliment.

 

[deejaydebi]

I wouldn't use more than a handful say 4 or 5 finely diced jalapenos. Peppers of any kind even green sweet peppers seem to permeate the meat rather quickly.

Con Yeager has crushed Jalapeno peppers kind of like crushed red pepper that works really well for favoring sausages without overpowering sausages with a heavy pepper taste. I think it's the liquid in the fresh peppers that take over and distribute the flavor so strongly.

Good Luck Carl! Let us know how you like it!

 

[brennan]

Oddly enough, the variable heat of the pepper would come from where the pepper was grown. The closer to the equator you are, the hotter the pepper generally is. You can get a jalepeno from your hometown grocer that was grown in say, New Mexico, and get the exact type of pepper from southern mexico and you will notice a difference in heat. There's other factors that go into it, but that was the most interesting one to me.

If you're worried about heat, and still want the flavor, just make sure to cut out most all of the yellow veins as they carry the majority of the capsaisin. Of course the seeds have it too, just not as much if I remember what my hero Alton Brown had said.

 

[richoso1]

I often use Jalapeno flakes, red or green, as the heat level is more consistant, and I don't worry about any of the fresh going bad. That'll work if you want the flavor and heat, if you're going for texture, you have to use fresh and follow Brennan's advise.