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Toasted dry pods - does anyone do this?

Lucky Dog Hot Sauce

Lucky Dog Hot Sauce

I once toasted some dried Canenne and Chili de Arbol pods in my oven - used low heat (~250) and kept a close eye on them so they didn't burn (a couple did anway). I then used these in a Jalapeno sauce.

The house smelled great and the I thought it changed the flavor of the pods a little bit but I wasn't sure if it really translated to the sauce as much as I was hoping. seemed like on their own they tasted a little different, but when stewed/boiled and blended I didn't think it materially altered the sauce as much as I'd hoped.

Has anyone here used toasted, dried chili pods in sauce-making, and have you noticed a dramatic impact to the flavor of the sauce as a result? Was there a special technique you used?

Just curious, thanks.
:cheers:
 
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Maybe you need to up the amount of that pepper that you used. Make it the main contributor...unless that is what you already did. I think that if you had some char on there it might give it a unique flavor and become more noticeable. you could put them under the broiler and not even let them dry out all the way but become soften (turning them) and let them get some blackening going on. I think this would alter the flavor of the sauce in a more considerable way. JMO

Although I could be way off as in the direction you are looking to head...lol.
 
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im starting in on this sauce thang. so ive been trying all kinds of thangs and ive been smoking some peppers with diffrent woods,im starting to see it dont matter what wood what matters is that you smoked it. but no ive not done the oven thang i will be tomorow though.
 
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I think that if you are just drying them in the oven, that they are pretty much just getting the water evaporated out of them and if done at high enough temps..cooking them. I would think it would change the flavor of the pepper eaten alone but when you cook it up in a sauce, I believe it would turn out with almost the same results as tossing it in fresh. The pepper would hydrate and then cook with the rest of the sauce. Grilling some peppers might give you a different flavor too. CHARCOAL BABY! lol, I hope I've helped in some form or another LD!
 
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To clarify, I think he means toasting an already dried pod. Like toasted cumin seeds for a nuttier flavor. But I don't see any benefit with pods you may draw some oils to the surface but if it's all going in the sauce... then no point really. Those oils plus a toasted flavor (and adding flavor to the oils on the surface from toasting) could play a small role though.
 
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Yes, I see exactly now what he is asking. Thanks Boss. Although as you are saying, I don't think this will work the same as something such as what you mentioned (cumin seeds)

I like how you're trying to change things up though LD! Hope to see some new varieties in the future.
 
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carpboy said:
Interested if you can use dehydrated chillies for a sauce also
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yes, absolutely. That one I know. :cheers:

The Hot Pepper said:
To clarify, I think he means toasting an already dried pod. Like toasted cumin seeds for a nuttier flavor. But I don't see any benefit with pods you may draw some oils to the surface but if it's all going in the sauce... then no point really. Those oils plus a toasted flavor (and adding flavor to the oils on the surface from toasting) could play a small role though.
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That's exactly what I was saying. I took dried Cayennes, threw them on a cookie sheet and toasted them.

and yeah - had the result you describe Boss. they tasted differently when compared (bite of toasted pod, bite of dried non-toasted pod) but in sauce it didn't make a differnce.

I'd love to capture that toasted flavor in a sauce. Hobby, not commercial.
:cheers:
 
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i do this with my dried chillies. I toast them on the webber with some hickory wood for smoking. About 30 minutes at low heat.

They finish with a great toasty smell and they are easier to crush, but the toasty flavour never really ends up in what I'm cooking.

I guess if you had a large percentage of them in whatever you were making it might make a difference,

I've found it's more an aroma than taste though.
 
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Yes, I do this all the time, and have for years, (at least 3 coffe grinders worth).
When I make Mole, or my infamous Scovie powder, the dried pods go in the oven.
It sounds like you let them go too long. I have ruined many of full pans due to um... "liquid distraction"
I only toast them to wake up the oils, Dan's right tho, it all goes to the same place,
but I think there is some enhancing qualities to toasting.

Diferent pods take different times, (all at about 225°). the small dried Habaneros, just need about 5 mins.
While the New Mexicos, Arbols, Pasilla Negros, and California's take maybe 15minutes, turning once or twice.
They might even puff up. The Pasilla Anchos take a litlle longer yet. Being thick walled and bigger.
They will get pieable, when warmed, and when you peel them open the oils are just beautiful.
The key, is to not over do them, they will burn quick, and once that "overtoasted" flavor gets in there, it's over.
Less is more, think of it as warming them up as opposed to toasting, they are alread dried after all.

The other thing people do is just the opposite, espescially for sauces, rehydrate for about an hour, in just enough water.
That water has the pepper falvor too.

Just my 3¢
 
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That was where I'd 1st seen it - in a salsa fresca a local taqueria makes. They toast their cayennes and I agree - totally wakes them up.

I wanna capture that in a sauce but I guess it's unpossible. When the dried peppers reconstitute and stew you probably wash out that character.

Only way I can think of would be to pasteurize the and then sprinkle the toasted flaked dry pepper in just before bottling, but then you run the risk of contaminants. And it'd probably reconstitute the peppers and wash out anyway.

Sigh
 
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I roast tomatoes, garlic, and arbols and pequins, and toss straight in the blender with other seasonings. Even using fresh tomatoes from the garde, the sauce keeps well in the fridge for close to a month. Maybe that might be of some usefulness to you...
 
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LunchBox said:
Correct...but the consistency, texture, and flavor lend themselves to being pushed toward an actual hot sauce. I've been thinking of adding vinegar, lime juice, and smoke bhut powder to make a sauce.
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That sounds good.

Smoked pods (even smoked dry pods) actually translate to sauce well.

Makes me wonder if that "toasted" flavor is more in the aroma. Hmmm
 
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