At the start of the summer I decided I wanted to make my own smoked paprika, why doesn’t matter, we will settle for saying “why not”

Research on line pointed to Hungarian peppers as the base material, seeds were obtained, planted, and over the summer they have been cosseted on my workshop window. Eventually peppers appeared initially green which slowly turned into red which I am assured by Google means their ready.

In the intervening period I constructed a combined smoker and dehydrator, and along the way discovered smoked Tomato powder, transforming humble tomatoes into the most concentrated flavoured powder, that’s become a must have ingredient at home. if you want to see that have a look at

However we digress, after approx 5 months the planets coincide, The peppers are ready, I have some free time, we can put of off any longer. It’s time to make paprika.

Now I have to admit I don’t have a lot of experience with peppers. I like paprika but that’s comes via our local supermarket, it’s packed full of flavour but not a lot of heat. So without thinking whilst preparing it for the smoker I cut of a piece to test.

For a few Moments I  lost the power of speech. I know now that peppers are also available with heat, and not just hot but pain. I have watched these idiots on TV news programmes testing red hot chillies but never really thought I would be one, but now I know what it’s like.

Fearless I have continued, smoked the peppers, dried them, and transformed them into powder, and finally we have home made smoked paprika. the problem having lost the power of speech once, what’s going to happen now I have concentrated the flavour.