I look forward to the replies since this is on my to do list this year. Last summer I grew regular peppers and bought a dehydrator. Then I discovered Aleppo pepper recipes and used up the packet of pepper I had bought while traveling. Because I wanted more and someone said fresh Aleppo peppers were good, too, I ordered seed and while ordering Aleppo pepper seed, why not try some of these other wonderful things. And, since I was afraid one company might be out of stock, I ordered from a second company plus some of their other offerings. I had to make an Excel sheet to help me keep track. First batch has been started. I will be growing the Pasilla Bajio ... I hope.

thank you for the suggestion!!

I do like the sound of smokey, that's one of the main flavours I'm going for - but it sounds perhapy a little hot for me. Our family is not very brave in the heat department. Jalapeno level heat would fly, but Habanera level heat is usually a little much for most of us! :) I'm assuming a chocolate habanero would pack about the same heat as a regular one? How would it compare, heat-wise, to the aji amarillo (which I believe is the hottest one in my list)?

Choc hab is way hotter than an Aji. Heat wise is at least 300,000 SKU give or take, compared to an Aji which is probably no more than 50,000 SKU.

Anyway, I do all my powders by just combining pods and creating my powders this way. It is more of a mixed blend. Everyone says the flavor is great and it is not super hot. The milder ones with flavor dilute the heat. I also create one with just heat, ghost, scorpion, etc so I can enjoy the heat once in a while.

I made a Piri Piri and Tabasco flake blend last year and it is incredible! Just the right heat and tang- we love it in marinades, rubs and soups.

Czigo - The NuMex varieties (Chimayo & Guajillo) are good for cooking but probably not great for drying and grinding. Japones have just a little heat and make good powder. I always stem and seed them before drying. Fresno is another one that is pretty mild. If you have a smoker, you can put them on that for a while before you dry them.

John A

hobbyartisan - thank you for the suggestion. I've heard of piri piri in sauces before, I'll definitely check that out :)

John - thank you for your reply! I'm surprised as I was originally told both Chimayo and Guajillo were good for, and primarily used for, drying and then grinding. They were both suggested for that purpose. Perhaps I am wrong? What is it about them that makes them poor choices for drying/grinding, and better for cooking? Thick walls? I've never grown Japones. I had traded for seeds once, but I had trouble finding lots of info online about them so never grew them (I have limited space)...but I will go back and take another look ... thank you :)

Don't be off put by the scoville ratings of the chocolate habanero it has a unique smokey flavor and mixing it with different peppers will keep it milder. Any processing of peppers in my opinion diminishes some of the heat versus eating it raw. My Wife is not a hot pepper fan but she has tasted my chocolate habanero hot sauce (no fillers only a little onion and garlic) and has eaten it when added to chili. A little goes a long way but worth trying at least once. Plus the peppers look cool in a garden.

Unique smokey flavour does sound exactly what I'm going for ... perhaps if I only use a little bit, proportionally, to the other peppers? I'd still get the flavour, but less heat. And then leave out Aji Amarillo? I'll keep an eye out for some seeds to trade for in the next couple weeks ... I find, being in Toronto (Canada), that the hotter the pepper, the harder it is to get them to fully ripen in our growing season/summer ... but it does certainly sound worth the try! Thank you for the great suggestion, I appreciate it :)

One of the things I like to do is to smoke my peppers for 2 hours in my smoker then dehydrate them. It adds a nice depth and flavor to the powder. I use a burr coffee grinder after I chop them up really good in a food processor.

Nick, do you use a special wood for smoking? I'm not familiar with smoking plus I'm curious about a natural smokey taste and one provided by smoking.

I use apple. I like the fruit woods the best.

I also use apple wood for smoking. A pepper with naturally "smoky flavor" will be much different than those from a smoker.

John A

Thanks to both of you. I have a lot to learn but I already have a dehydrator and starting fermenting. I will have to learn about smoking and how I can do it with existing equipment, if possible. But, maybe I should be on the lookout for a used smoker.

I use an electric called a big chief by luhr Jensen . I smoke fish in it as well .

Personally, I don't have a smoker (although I'd love to someday) so I have to find and reply on peppers that have a naturally smoky flavour so that I don't need to add it :)

Does anyone have any idea as to proportions of peppers within a recipe? How many peppers do you use as your "base pepper", as compared to the ones used to bits of unique flavoring or heat? I'm still unsure as to proportions? Any ideas?