frank megaweege wrote:
Thomas (dot) wrote:
...
I used a small backyard
smoker and I used charcoal for heat and mesquite wood for the smoke, but
hickory, pecan or apple wood would work.
Smoke them on a VERY low temp for a long time and check them often. You
will be able to tell when they are dry. I still use some that I have in a
spice jar which I smoked over 5 years ago.
good luck!


I tried to smoke some in a regular covered charcoal grill with wood
chips this weekend. I'm not sure but they may have gotten burned.
They're pretty brown and shriveled. I guess I'll have to try some
tonight to see if they taste ok.

I actually think they came out great. I used a weber-style grill.
Built a small charcoal pile near the front of the grill and threw a
handful of mesquite chips on top. The habs were on the little warming
grill, a few inches higher than the main grill and towards the back, so
as not to get direct heat. I got it going, closed the lid and didn't
check back until the charcoal was spent. The habs were shrunken and
shriveled but still fleshy and somewhat moist. I repeated the process
again. The next morning they appeared too brown at first glance and I
was afraid I'd ruined them. They were lightweight husks now, and upon
further inspection not really burnt but darkened. I crushed them up,
some parts brittle, others a bit more tough and put them in a jar. I
chewed up a piece about the size of a quarter, and it had a great smoky
flavor, although it was way too hot to be eaten like that. I'll crush
them up some more and use to make a jerk rub and add the bigger pieces
to stir fry or pop into the blender with other salsa ingredients.