Chilli Salami

[Epicurohn]

Wilf:

I have smoked two batches of Habaneros and although they're very tasty to sprinkle on scrambled eggs, pork chops, grilled fish, etc.; they lack the degree of smokiness of Chipotles when in the mouth.

I've used Hickory chips and Nace chuncks (Nace's a tropical fruit tree), very hard somewhat woodsier than Hickory but not as bitting as Mesquite. No preparation before smoking; Temp 150�F; Time 8 Hrs. Am I missing something here to get such smokiness? I eventually want to use these ground smoked Habaneros in a new cured-smoked Latino flavor Chorizo with coriander seed, parsley, allspice, cumin seed, ginger root, etc. Will post final draft when all kinks in the recipe are worked out.

David

[Wilf]

Epicurohn, although I have a smoker, I haven' actually smoked any chillis yet, as I have a bradley smoker and is more ecconomical to buy them, but they vary each time we get some, from deep red really smokey ones to pale brown mildly smoked ones, so I cant really help, have you searched the net to see how they smoke these chillis, I think some are done in a big pit over a long time?

[TJ Buffalo]

Hi Wilf, I'm in the midst of buying the stuff I need for drying some salami and I was going to try your recipe, but first I've got a couple of questions.
When you say "chilli powder" and that you used flakes, is that the same as the "crushed red pepper flakes" that I buy in the spice section? I think it is, but I was unsure.
You said that "...more importantly cure the meat for a couple of days before starting as it looked a bit uneven in colour in some." Does this mean that you just mix the meat with the cure and all the spices, set it in the fridge for a couple of days and mix it around periodically to get an even distribution of the cure?
Did you have an problems with wild molds, or did Franco's starter have some p. nalgiovense culture in it?
Thanks.
TJ

[Wilf]

Hi TJ,
The red crushed pepper flakes sound the same but what red peppers are they, mild, medium or blistering hot?, I used a medium heat, with the addition of fresh habanero's. As for the curing, I would cube the fat and pork up and mix with the cure2 and put in a zip lock bag or suchlike and place in fridge for a couple of days, just like doing a bacon, would then mince add rest of ingredients including Franco's starter culture, stuff casings and leave at room temp for starter culture to work for up to 36 hours to bloom, and then hang in correct temp and humidity for 4-6 weeks (about 10�, 75%humidity). I had no problems at all with mould and still have a couple wrapped in the fridge now. Let us know how you get on with it, as I will try this approach next time

[TJ Buffalo]

Thanks Wilf
The pepper flakes that I buy http://www.mccormick.com/productdetail.cfm?ID=6355 are reasonably hot to me, I like to sprinkle them on foods at times. As for the rest, I'll give the recipe and instructions a shot when the rest of my supplies arrive.

[Wohoki]

Epicurohn, did you try soaking the chiles in brine for a couple of hours before smoking them. I haven't a lot of experience, but I did smoke some yellow Scotch Bonnets I grew last year (you can only use so many fresh ) and they were the business. Just throw a good handfull or two of sea salt into some water and leave the chiles in it overnight, then rinse & dry before smoking.

[Billy Rhomboid]

I have just taken delivery of some naga jolokias to make an experimental batch of 'fairly spicy' salami.