Adding Smoked Flavor to Your Foods with Chipotle Peppers

Q: What is chipotle?

Chipotle comes from the Spanish word for smoked. In general, using this term refers to dried and smoked jalapenos. It often refers to any variety of chili pepper that is dried and smoked. If you are ready for some great spices, add chipotle peppers to your dishes for a great smokey flavor.

Dried Chipotle Peppers

Using Chipotle Peppers to Add Smoked Flavor to Your Foods

Many people have a taste for smoked flavor but don’t have a smoker. Perhaps space or finances prevent you from having a smoker of your own. Fortunately, there are some ways to add smoked flavor to your foods without having to buy a smoker. You may actually have the answer to your problem in your kitchen cabinet. And the solution is so simple, even if you don’t have it right now, it is easily attainable. Chipotle peppers and pepper products are an inexpensive way to provide a smoked flavor without cooking all day long to achieve it.

What is “chipotle”?

“Chipotle” comes from the Spanish word for smoked. In general, using this term refers to dried and smoked jalapenos. It often refers to any variety of chili pepper that is dried and smoked. If you are ready for some great spices, add chipotle peppers to your dishes for a great smokey flavor.

Chipotle Powder

Adding some chipotle powder to a dish can spice it up quite a bit and add the smoked flavor as well. You can use chipotles in forms other than powder to achieve the same effect. Chipotle is available in powder, whole and flake forms. Use any of these as a rub if you want to add spicy smoked flavors to grilled steaks. Add them to any variety of sauces, soups or marinades to liven them up and offer the smoked flavor.

Smoked Chipotle Pepper Mash or Hot Sauce

Most people who really enjoy chili peppers as a regular part of their cuisine have either pepper mash or hot sauce readily available. You never know when you will want to add some spice, heat and smoked flavor to a dish and either of these makes it quick and easy to do. Pepper mash and hot sauce are pantry staples in most homes. Hot sauce is a favorite way to spice up a lot of dishes, but because it is vinegar and tomato based, it can be a little too intense for some recipes. However, it can be a wonderful addition to dips or sauces.

For those dishes that are not as compatible with hot sauce, chipotle pepper mash is ideal. The chili pepper fanatic usually has both of these on hand to use in just about any recipe. It’s a great way to get the desired smoked flavor without going to a lot of expense.

Dried Chipotle Peppers

dried chipotle morita whole pods

You can purchase dried chipotle peppers and dried peppers of almost any variety actually. Try the smoked dried ghost pepper for a flavorful combination of heat, spice and smoke. If the dried peppers are still whole, all you have to do is crush them and they are ready to pour into your cooking soup or any other recipe that you want the smoked flavor added to.

Other Foods that Offer a Smoked Flavor

There are many ways to use smoked peppers or chipotle to add smoke flavor to dishes, but there are a few other ways as well. For instance, smoked paprika is made by smoking with oak wood. This provides a nice earthy flavor to the pepper powder. Also, use smoked salts as a finishing spice to get the flavor you desire. And even molasses can offer a sweet, smoky flavor to some of your dishes. Molasses has a hint of smokiness that works well with some rich spices like ginger, cinnamon and cardamom. Use Molasses to add a hint of smoke flavor to soups, sauces and marinades.