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Its Fall - Time for this years version of Smoked Ghostly Garlic Salt

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    Its Fall - Time for this years version of Smoked Ghostly Garlic Salt

    Ahh, nothing says Fall better than smoking some himalayan pink salt, garlic and fresh ghost peppers!
    Its become a yearly tradition - friends and family start asking for refills around September. Nothing better than some of this smokey, garlicky, hot salt on eggs, beans and rice, noodles - the list goes on!

    A few points -
    I like to smoke the pink salt (larger crystals suitable for a salt grinder) at least 2 times during the summer. 3 times even better. Dry salt doesn't take much smoke the first time or two. I store it in airtight containers between smokes.
    As far as the garlic, I have found that slicing the cloves before you smoke and dehydrate them makes them easier to grind into small pieces. If you leave them whole, the become hard rocks that are tough to breakdown (into smaller sizes, again suitable for a salt grinder
    Wear gloves when preparing the ghost peppers for smoking. I just make a slit down the front of each pepper.
    Wear gloves - and a mask - when working with the dried peppers and other ingredients when mixing together. This year I did it all outside. As you mix the smoked, dried salt, garlic and peppers - the dust is - like pepper spray!!!

    As a side, it was not a good year here in the Northeast to grow Ghost Peppers. The couple that I purchase the plants from every year felt bad for me. So, they sent me (after I promised to send some Smoked Garlic Ghost Salt to them) and assorted batch late this year.
    I smoked them, sealed them whole in vacuum bags and will see how they are next Fall.

    Ok, some photos of this years batch:

    ​
    Second time in the KBQ. You can see the salt is already getting darkened.

    ​
    After a few hours, I put the Ghost Peppers on top. This is what they look like after another few hours
    Nicely dry and smoked well!

    ​

    The garlic went on with some of the salt. Again, smoked them all around 2 hours.

    At this point, the salt went back into an airtight container and the Ghost Peppers and garlic into a dehydrator.
    The peppers a perfect overnight, but the garlic takes ~2 days to get nice and dry. I put the peppers into the container with the salt.

    After the garlic is dry, I crush them into smaller pieces with a grain mill that I used to use for homebrewing beer:

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    Then grind the peppers in the same grain mill.

    Now, mix it all together and vacuum seal into individual refill bags for the salt grinder (top off on the right).

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    Ready to send to fans!

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    BTW, here are the peppers for next year (hopefully) A mix of regular, chocolate and yellow. Should be an interesting mix next year!

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    Post KBQ

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    #2
    That looks great! The first three pics aren’t showing up.

    Comment


      #3
      I love this stuff! I wish I had some more. LOL

      Comment


      • JGrana
        JGrana commented
        Editing a comment
        I just sent you a PM ;-)

      • CaptainMike
        CaptainMike commented
        Editing a comment
        Shameless hustler!

      #4
      There is nothing better or eggs, Fajitas or some sprinkled into some chili.

      Comment


        #5
        Yup, it's magickal stuff that I've enjoyed fer many years!

        Comment


          #6
          JGrana I see you are doing this on the KBQ. Do you open just the top poppet for extra smoke flavor? What temp range do you like? You say you smoke the salt 2-3 times. Does that mean you let them cool in between smokes? Hopefully not to many questions.

          Comment


            #7
            Ronaldf123 I would have all there poppets open. The salt will not suck up much smoke, so I think you really have to hit it heavy. I am guessing that is part of the reason he has to go more than one round.

            Comment


            #8
            I have smoked salt a half dozen times or so and a few pointers I can give people is:

            1. Keep the smoking environment inside whatever you are smoking in as moist as possible. I use my kettle and my SnS. I make sure the SnS stays full of water the whole time

            2. I have 14” stainless steel splatter screen I have cut the handle off of that I smoke the salt on. My thoughts are that the smoke can attack both the bottom and top of the salt at the same time.

            3. I’ll gently stir the salt every 1 to 1 1/2 hours to get as much new surface exposed to the smoke as possible.

            4. I use Hickory chunks in with my charcoal. I found fruit wood didn’t give the salt a strong enough flavor.

            5. I just load up the SnS with charcoal and hickory and try to get it running at 250 and just let it go until it burns itself out. I do not worry about the temperature getting too high or too low but I just want to make sure it doesn’t burn out too quickly or puts itself out before the fuel is spent.


            And as stated by JGrana above keep stored in an air tight container for maximum smoke flavor retention.

            Comment


            • Ronaldf123
              Ronaldf123 commented
              Editing a comment
              ssandy_561 Thanks, that’s a good idea with the screen

            • CaliforniaDad
              CaliforniaDad commented
              Editing a comment
              ssandy_561 - Since I don't have an SnS, I'll have to tweak this method a bit, but I want to give it a try.

              You say - "go until it burns itself out." Any idea on a time estimate? Also, do you recommend larger sea salt v. kosher salt? Thanks!

            • ssandy_561
              ssandy_561 commented
              Editing a comment
              CaliforniaDad Depending on temperature, wind and vent setting it can be anywhere between 4 and 8 hours. If no rain is in the forecast I have just let mine burn out over night and collected the salt the next morning. I always use sea salt and then I use a grinder when using the salt.

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