Friday, January 8, 2016

Trader Joe's Smoked Ghost Chilies

Maybe you want to add a little extra something to your chili or soup or whatever for dinner. Maybe you had those TJ's ghost chili chips a few months back and thought, "Hey, those weren't so bad." Maybe on a recent trek to Trader Joe's you saw the Smoked Ghost Chilies grinder and thought, for $4.99, it'd add a nice little kick but something you could easily handle.

And you'd be wrong.

Listen: Unless you know what you're getting into, leave this pepper alone. It's beyond hot and spicy. The fact it comes inside a little plastic baggies inside the grinder should be a clue - I think it's so the capsaicin won't eat thru the grinder itself while still on store shelves. It's hot. Listen: most times I've used it, I've turned the grinder only the minimum necessary and let the few small flakes fall out...and that's seemed a bit much. A quarter turn would make things downright uncomfortable...a full would be a reason to go the ER.

Such is the way of the bhut jolokia, rough translation: butt igniter. Super fiery hot. Proceed with caution. No kids. No contact with eyes. No nothing. It'll take me years to get through this...and I like to think I'm a spice aficionado. I like the ghouly grinder but in small doses, and it's far from an everyday kinda thing. Maybe I'm just getting old. But be careful, kiddos.

Bottom line: Trader Joe's Smoked Ghost Chilies: 7.5 out of 10 Golden Spoons.

8 comments:

  1. I can see this being used in cheese sauces. Just a pinch. Since dairy can cut some of the spiciness down. Maybe ideal for buffalo wings just a pinch for the seasonings. Just a tiny pinch for scrambled eggs or omelets. It can replace hot sauce in recipes. Why not make pizza dough and use a pinch of that in the dough to give it a twist? Again the cheese can give some relief from the heat.

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    1. Pretty good idea - if not for the small kids in my house I'd try that.

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  2. Funny, I *just* made a steak with a side of corn, and put just a few flakes of this on the corn before I opened up this review. Coincidence! And yes, the corn is quite heated. :) One grinder of this is like a lifetime's supply.

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    1. Very true - didn't think of it in those terms, but you're absolutely right.

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  3. For a milder spicy experience, I have just discovered Trader Joe's sliced jalapeno yogurt cheese. It has the richest sharpness of a sharp cheddar and the spicy bite as well as pepper flavor of jalapeno.

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    1. Think I've had that once or twice upon a time....

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  4. This is my "Frank's"...I put this ish on everything! It is hot and doesn't take much, but man do I love it.

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  5. I have been able to handle it mixed in with my usual ketchup/hot sauce mix, though with a bit more ketchup, and less hot sauce. It was interesting mixed into yogurt, though!

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