jalapeno cheddar smokies

[bdgr]

Made my first batch about 1 month ago used fresh jalapenos diced up, but they were very bland and mild any advice on how to spice up my next batch?  why were the peppers so mild?  any help would be appreciated

 

[chef jimmyj]

I think good Jalapeno heat can be affected by time of year. They sure seem to be Hotter in Aug/Sept. And although I have no proof, I am convinced that there has been selective breeding in Jalapenos to make them Mild to supply the demand for frozen Jalapeno Poppers for a wimpy Public. I have gotten them a few times in Bars and Restaurants and I have eaten Green Bell Peppers that had more punch. You can always blend in a few Serrano Chiles along with the Jalapenos. They have a somewhat similar flavor but way more heat. There are always Habaneros...

...JJ

 

[weinnmann]

Did you seed the peppers before dicing them up or leave the seeds in them?

 

[bdgr]

I did seed them before putting in the mix.  I had someone tell me the smoking process mellows out the heat of the peppers, but if you froze them first they would pack more of a punch?  sounds fishy to me anyone ever heard of that before?

 

[weinnmann]

Cooking it fresh will produce more heat because peppers seem to loose there heat when heated if that makes sense. We have experieinced the same thing when canning salsa. If we want it to be hot it has to be blazing inferno when fresh.

I leave the seeds in the peppers when using in sausage, that is where the heat really comes from. I have also used dried jalepeno flakes and they work good without alot of work.

 

[seenred]

Like the others have already said, the most heat comes from the seeds and ribs in the pepper.  The more of that you leave in, the hotter it should be.  It's been my experience from freezing freshly picked jalapenos that they tend to lose heat when we thaw them for use later.  I'm also with JJ on both issues:  my belief is that as the heat of the sun intensifies later in the season, the peppers get hotter too;  and I also believe his suspicion that growers have engineered out some of the heat over time for the masses.

My .02..

Red

 

[diggingdogfarm]

If you have the will and the room, grow a cultivar that's known to pack a punch compared to other Jalapenos, "Biker Billy" is one.
As others have said, if you want it hot, don't remove the seeds and the placenta.

http://www.burpee.com/vegetables/pe...pepper-hot-biker-billy-hybrid-prod000802.html

I like to use pickled Jalapenos that have been dried down a bit, the flavor is much more concentrated.



~Martin

 

[bdgr]

great advice thanks everyone.