When I smoked my hot peppers, I didn’t want to waste a perfectly good fire. So I went back to the herb bed, cut some basil and put it on the grill too. It turned out to be one of my favorite experiments this season.
What I did
I picked some large leaf basil from my garden, washed it and stripped it from the stalk. I placed in on the pellet grill at 170 degrees for 3 hours. Basil has a higher moisture content so it takes time. It turns a deep dark green, is crispy (if it is not crispy, close the lid and check back in 15 minutes) and is so aromatic!
How it tastes
The basil has a very distinct smoke flavor to it which is a nice addition when using it in a rub, as a pizza topping or anyway you love to use smoke! Like the peppers, the flavor is stronger than fresh, so a little goes a long way.
How I’ll use it
I’m storing it the same way as the peppers, in an airtight glass jar. I plan to crumble it over pizza with my smoked chili flakes, add it to a dry rub, stir it into a pot of tomato sauce, and mix some with sea salt for a smoky basil salt.
Missed pepper day? Read Smoking Hot Peppers! to see the whole batch. And if you want to dry your own herbs, my Practical Guide to Dehydrating walks through it step by step, from preparation to storage.
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