Chiles and Smoke: BBQ, Grilling, and Other Fire-Friendly Recipes with Spice and Flavor, written by Brad Prose, pairs 65 recipes with a fantastic variety of chiles and charing, grinding, pickling, grilling, and smoking techniques. A few highlights include Chiles and Smoke Burger, Grilled Chicken Fajita Wedge Salad, Ancho-Orange Pulled Pork, Hatch Chile Smoked Shrimp Skillet, and Creamy Dijon Herb Slaw. I will also be sharing his recipe for Pickled Sweet Bell Peppers following the review.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Harvard Common Press in exchange for my honest review. All comments and opinions are my own. This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.
Brad Prose
Brad Prose is a recipe developer, food writer, culinary photographer, and home chef. He grew up and is currently living in Phoenix, Arizona.
Brad is also the founder of the website, Chiles and Smoke, with a focus on the flavor combinations, techniques, and ingredients surrounding grilling and smoking. This is his first cookbook.
Chiles and Smoke
Brad begins Chiles and Smoke with a short introduction, the inspiration behind the global flavors and recipes in the book, and tips for bringing everything together.
He also includes recommendations and standards for grilling, BBQ, and essential equipment. I particularly appreciate the intro to purchasing, prepping, and cooking with both fresh and dried chiles.
Chapters are divided according to the following: Let’s Heat Things Up; Brisket, Burgers, Beef and Lamb; Wings, Tinga, and Other Chicken Dishes; Ribs, Chorizo, and Everything Pork; Halibut, Scallops, Shrimp, Salmon, and More; and Salads, Sides, and Vegetable Main Dishes.
Every recipe is paired with at least one half to full-page photo of the finished dish. There are also a handful of step by step photos demonstrating techniques such as shredding pork and trimming brisket.
Measurements are listed in US Customary and Metric. Titles are written in English. Each recipe has a headnote with background information, yield, stories, helpful notes, and serving ideas.
Pickled Sweet Bell Peppers
The first chapter has an incredible assortment of bases from homemade chili powders to smoke rubs and pickled vegetables to help build and maximize flavors every step of the way.
I especially love these Pickled Sweet Bell Peppers. They are so versatile by using whole alongside sandwiches (such as the Gochujang Honey Mustard Chicken Sandwich) or dicing for relishes and salsas.
Mini sweet bell peppers are grilled until vibrant, then pickled in a dill and garlic spiced vinegar brine in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours.
Grilling the peppers first helps bring out the flavor in such a wonderful way. Cook them until softened with vibrant colors and grill marks, but take care not to blacken and blister the skin. I was nervous about charring and could have gone deeper with my grill marks. They faded a bit after soaking overnight in the brine, but the flavors were still fantastic.
The base recipe uses a combination of fresh dill, black peppercorns, and garlic cloves to flavor the pickling liquid. Brad recommends playing around with different spices and herbs as desired. He loves cumin seeds, Mexican oregano, and chile de árbol.
Other Dishes
I also made the Smoked Sonoran Chili, Shishito Cheesesteak Queso, Creamy Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese, and Skillet-Roasted Mushrooms with Spicy Garlic Butter.
The Smoked Sonoran Chili has a ground beef chili base that is slowly simmered in a smoker with a variety of spices. The flavors are best the next day topped with diced onion, shredded cheese, Charred Poblano Pico de Gallo, and sour cream. Brad also recommends using the chili as a topping for hot dogs.
Shishito peppers are a favorite of mine and I absolutely love all the different ways they are used in this book. For this Shishito Cheesesteak Queso, the peppers are grilled with onions and red bell peppers until caramelized and paired with thinly sliced ribeye before mixing into the (four cheese!) queso dip.
I made the Creamy Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese for my birthday and it was so so good. Charred Jalapeños are diced and mixed into a creamy Mac and cheese with four different types of cheese. For even more flavor, it is covered with a smoky bacon crumble.
The Skillet-Roasted Mushrooms with Spicy Garlic Butter are a great side option for many recipes in the book such as the Coffee-Rubbed Tri-tip with Shishito Gremolata. It takes a bit of time in the smoker, but overall comes together with minimal effort. The whole mushrooms are roasted until tender with crispy edges and tossed with plenty of the homemade spicy garlic butter.
Chiles and Smoke is a great pick for those who have a grill/smoker and are interested in adding bright and bold flavors to their summertime barbecues and get-togethers. There is a wonderful variety of meat, seafood, vegetarian options, and sides. Some recipes serve 4-6, while others are perfect for larger celebrations with 8-14 people.
Many of the ingredients are readily available in larger American grocery stores. A few items that may require further searching include tomatillos, dried chiles, Mexican oregano, gochujang, shishito peppers, gochugaru, Szechuan peppercorns, cotija cheese, achiote paste, and pomegranate molasses.
Pickled Sweet Bell Peppers Recipe
Excerpt from Chiles and Smoke
Pickled Sweet Bell Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 pound (455 grams) whole mini sweet bell peppers washed
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) vegetable oil
- 1 cup (235 milliliters) water
- 1 cup (235 milliliters) distilled white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon (14 grams) kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon (13 grams) white sugar
- 4 garlic cloves peeled
- 1 tablespoon (4 grams) fresh dill
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
Instructions
- Preheat the grill for direct cooking at medium-high heat, about 350–400°F (180 to 200°C). Clean the grill grates and oil them as needed.
- Toss the sweet bell peppers with the oil in a large bowl.
- Place the peppers on the hot grill and allow them to cook for a few minutes per side. The peppers should have some nice grill marks and start to soften. Be careful not to blacken the peppers. We are not trying to blister the skin. Remove them from the grill when ready.
- In a medium pot, combine the water, vinegar, salt, and sugar and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve the salt and sugar and then remove from the heat.
- Place the peppers in a 1-quart (946 milliliter) Mason jar along with the garlic, dill, and peppercorns.
- Pour the brine over the peppers, making sure they are completely covered. Allow them to cool completely at room temperature before placing on the lid and putting into the refrigerator.
- They taste best if allowed to pickle for 24 hours and will keep in the fridge for up to 6 months.
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