t-bob, Willard expands on what authentic Chipotle in the thread linked below. I don't have any experience with the Little Chief smoker. When I first started smoking peppers I warm/hot smoked small batches on my Big Green Egg. As I started smoking larger volumes I picked up a Bradley Smoker and continued to warm/hot smoke (the smoke element would heat up the smoker to 80F - 100F). A couple of years ago I picked up a Bradley cold smoke attachment and have cold smoked all my pods since then. I personally prefer hickory and pecan but have also had nice results with apple, cherry and maple. How long you smoke them for really boils down to your taste. I smoke mine between 2.5 to 3.5 hours. I finish by drying in a dehydrator set to 95F. Bill Here is a link that might be useful: Chipotle discussed This post was edited by ottawapepper on Tue, Sep 24, 13 at 16:36

I've owned and used many different types of BBQ and smoker equipment over the years. Hands down the best I have ever owned is one called Smokin Tex. It is a heavy duty electric smoker made out of all stainless steel....even the racks. This type of smoker is designed to produce real PIT TYPE barbeque.....as you cook "low and slow" at 225 degrees F. You do not need a water pan and only use one or two small pieces of wood (the size of a chicken egg in its smoke box). Because you cook at a low temperature....it is impossilbe for food to char onto the cooking grills. Accordingly, they are very easy to clean in a dishwasher or by hand. It is IMPOSSIBLE to produce bad pit style BBQ in this smoker. Every thing comes out perfect......each and every time......with absolutely no attention needed for either the food or the smoker. I cooked a 10 pound brisket in my smoker the day before yesterday. Here is the proceure.......just before cooking, season the brisket with a heavy coating of Tony Chacherie's More Spice cajun seasoning (it has less salt in it). Place two small pieces of APPLE wood into the smoker box. Cover the smoker box and the smoker bottom with foil for easy cleaning. Place the brisket in the smoker and insert a thermometer. Set the smoker thermostat to 225 degrees F. Remove the Brisket when the meat temperature reaches 190.....about 9 hours. You do not have to turn or watch the meat. It is truly set it and forget it. The brisket is very tender and to die for good. It is absoultely IMPOSSIBLE to mess up. Same can be said about chicken, ribs, vegetables, and seafood. One note of caution....because the food is cooked at such a low temperature for a long period of time, the fat undergoes a "special" chemical reaction where it gets a wonderful sweet flavor to it that is hard to resist eating. (I'm a chemist so I pay attention to food chemical reactions.) Hamburgers do not shrink when cooked in this smoker and one does not have to cook with smoke. Just don't add any wood. Also, this type smoker makes a great FOOD WARMER..... We Cajuns love to party hard and my smoker comes in real handy as a warmer when we "Laissez les bons temps rouler!! (Let the good times roll.) Again, cleanup is a cinch with this type smoker.....because cooking at a low temperatue simply does not allow the food to bake onto the racks!! I 100% guarantee that you will love this type smoker. My son has an electric Masterbuilt smoker that works on the same principle. It does produce excellent BBQ; however, it is nowhere near as durable or well insulated as the Smokin Tex. Being well insulated allows for cooking in this smoker even in the coldest weather....that is an important plus for me when I want to make me a batch of jerky in the winter. I'm into cold smoking too......absoultely love to smoke all types of cheese in it. Lightly smoked mac and cheese is so good!! I can asssure you that this is not SPAM. I usually hang out on the GW fig forum.....but I really LOVE to cook too. I've attached a link below so that you can see the smoker that I use. I purchaseed a nice cart and many other accessories for mine. These low temperature bbq smokers come in various sizes. There is usually another all stainless steel electric smoker for sale on eBay that is much cheaper than the Smokin Tex and looks very similar to this one. I did not see it in my current search. If interested in this type product be sure to check out other sales sites. Tell your husband that he will produce THE BEST BBQ in town with this type smoker........no joke. Here is a link that might be useful: All Stainless Electric Smoker

when my dear uncle died of lung cancer three years ago, (he started smoking when he was 16 died at 82) and we put his 2 BR. villa up for sale (he lived (and smoked)in it for over 20 years It was in extremely wonderful shape, updated and decorated really nice(he was a bachelor but had exquisite taste) and in an exclusive active adult gated community in West Palm Beach when the realtor came and did her thing, and she said that even though the home was worth 150.00 (it was only 1000 SF) she doubt if we even got close to that because of the smoke smell UNLESS a smoker bought it, well almost a year later (usually those villas would be gone in a day or two) we ended up selling it for 85,000 to an ex-smoker who planned to tear up the beautiful Italian wall to wall marble tile, prime and paint, buy all new applinces, and have new air and heating ducts put in, So I guess theres a buyer for everyhouse smoked in or not.

The main issue is the odor and potential discoloration of surfaces. You've done a lot to deal with that. And as an environmental engineer who spent most of my career working on regulating and cleaning up hazardous substances, you're fine now. The idea of testing for "carcinogens" is unnecessary, and won't tell you anything useful. Unless they were doing something other than smoking, like manufacturing meth, or you have a toxic waste dump in the basement, there is no need to remain paranoid. Even if there are traces of tars from smoking still remaining, they pose no threat. It's good to be environmentally aware, but you need to know that you've gone far enough into remediation that you can stop and move on.