Smoked Paprika

[froggythefrog]

Last night, my girlfriend made these awesome grilled portabello mushrooms in the panini press and one of the seasonings in the portabello mushrooms was smoked paprika. I must say that if she hadn't already won my heart over, the portabellos would have done it for me.

I asked her about what she used in the portabellos, since I host a lot of vegetarian BBQs over the summer. Well, she took me by the store today and I picked up hot smoked paprika and sweet smoked paprika. She told me she never knew how her kitchen was complete without it. The brand was "El Rey de la Vera" imported from Spain. Is this a good one? Does anyone here use smoked paprika? What do you use it for?

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I use it as a substitute for anything that calls for plain old paprika. It's fantastic as an ingredient in meat rubs or in soups, gravies.

 

[GrillingFool]

Same here. Good stuff indeed. A must have component of most of my rubs for meat. Great in chili! Nice for a flavored steak butter too!

 

[bigdaddy3k]

Goes well up agains curry powder in most things too!

 

[LadyCook61]

I have sweet smoked paprika, use it burgers, meatloaf, steaks, even sprinkled some on fries.

 

[justplainbill]

Since the Spanish Pimenton is fairly expensive, I only use it in certain Spanish dishes. For Hungarian dishes, I use Hungarian paprika. The Spanish Pimenton is too expensive to use alone as a thickening agent.

 

[Andy M.]

Since the Spanish Pimenton is fairly expensive, I only use it in certain Spanish dishes. For Hungarian dishes, I use Hungarian paprika. The Spanish Pimenton is too expensive to use alone as a thickening agent.

I don't think anyone was suggesting using it as a thickening agent.

I buy smoked Spanish paprika from Penzey's and it's a great flavor addition to many dishes.

 

[wanna be]

Good stuff!

I recently bought a bottle, because I have wanted to try it for awhile.It tastes terrible right out of the bottle.And no this is not my recipe idea.I just like to know how a new spice tastes on its own.So far the only thing I have tried it on is avacados,with some ancho powder,lime juice a little vinegar,gran garlic,salt and pepper.BBQ season is allmost here and I know that I will have a million uses then.I will have to look into a premium brand before that, because like I said it is some good stuff!

 

[bigdaddy3k]

I buy smoked Spanish paprika from Penzey's and it's a great flavor addition to many dishes.

Penzey's is my stop too.

 

[jet]

Penzey's is my stop too.

That's where I get mine. I use it mostly for rubs.

 

[Claire]

I've used smoked paprika, and like it for some things, but wouldn't use it if I was grilling anyway. I use it in the winter when I don't grill to give that little something extra. I've used three brands and found them all satisfactory (all imported, although maybe re-packaged by a company that buys in bulk). To me .... use it for anything you want to have a smoky flavor when you cannot cook out over coals.

No, I wouldn't use it for thickening, because the smoky flavor would become overwhelming. But sweet paprika (not sweet-smoky, just regular sweet) can have a mildly thickening effect because you can use a lot of it.

 

[gage]

I have quite a few dried red peppers from my garden still hanging in my pantry. I want to grind them into paprika, I have a coffee grinder ( KA ) a ktex mill for grain and an electric stone grinder for grain , do you think the grain grinders would clog ? I just think the KA grinder would take forever. Food processor ?? Gage

 

[danpeikes]

I use it to give a BBQ flavor in indoor cooking. also since my wife does not like spicy food I sneak some smoked Paprika in to get a little heat.

 

[danpeikes]

I get mine from www.thespicehouse.com but they have local locations so I do not need to pay shipping

 

[DaveSoMD]

I think it is an aquired taste. I tried it in my chili one time in place of regular paprika and I didn't like it. I should try it in my BBQ rubs, that mike make it more palettable to me.

 

[Andy M.]

I get mine from www.thespicehouse.com but they have local locations so I do not need to pay shipping

There are Penzey's store locations in Oak Park and Naperville. Not sure how far they are from Chicago. Also a half dozen locations in Wisconsin. One may be close to you.

Penzeys Spices Retail Stores

 

[danpeikes]

There are Penzey's store locations in Oak Park and Naperville. Not sure how far they are from Chicago. Also a half dozen locations in Wisconsin. One may be close to you.

Penzeys Spices Retail Stores

Oak park and naperville are drivable but a decent drive. The Evanston store of the spice house is les than 15 min and I love their stuff. Thanks any way Andy

 

[bigdaddy3k]

Been to spice house, it's comparable. Penzeys does do a mail order business!

 

[jet]

Been to spice house, it's comparable. Penzeys does do a mail order business!

Mail order works great, as long as you know what you want. Whenever I'm near a store, I always stop in to smell the spices.

 

[froggythefrog]

I have quite a few dried red peppers from my garden still hanging in my pantry. I want to grind them into paprika, I have a coffee grinder ( KA ) a ktex mill for grain and an electric stone grinder for grain , do you think the grain grinders would clog ? I just think the KA grinder would take forever. Food processor ?? Gage

Hi Gage:

I feel silly telling you this ('cept I am a moderator on another forum), you might get more responses to your question if you post it in a new thread. I am kind of wondering what kind of grinder would work best for dried peppers too. Somehow, unless somebody with experience recommends you using your grain griders, I would not risk clogging them. My first impulse is to tell you to use your food processor, but I just can't see a precision grind resulting from that. I assume you want a fine powder and not flakes. This would definitely make an interesting thread of its own.