Tiko's Fire Roasted Peppers

I was recently contacted by Kris Porter at Jones Distribution, Inc., about reviewing their new product, Tiko's Fire Roasted Peppers. I personally love roasting my own jalapeno peppers, but sometimes when you're in a time crunch and need to get a meal moving quickly, having some roasted peppers on hand might prove helpful.

I received jars of both HOT and MILD versions of the roasted peppers, and got myself to work.

My First impression

Cool label. The label is fun, with a couple of happy jalapeno peppers enticing you to give the product a try. They have a MILD and HOT variety, the only label difference stating the heat level. When I first opened the jar of HOT roasted peppers, I was met with a sweet scent of oils and spices, which was a little surprising. It smelled quite tasty, and I couldn't wait to dig in.

The jar hold 16 ounces, and I counted 5 roasted jalapeno peppers in my particular jar.

Appearance/Smell/Taste

I did not notice much difference between the hot and mild, but I attribute that to my own tolerance level. That said, I did notice a slight more kick in the hot variety. The peppers are preserved in oil and cider and other ingredients, so they were a bit oily to the touch and palate. If you drip on the counter, you'll need some soap suds to clean it up. I used a fork to pull them out and cut them up on a plate. The oils actually compliment the peppers rather nicely, and bring out some of the flavor.

The smell, as mentioned, is rather sweet. The jalapeno peppers tasted sweet as well, much to my happy surprise. I noticed the familiar jalapeno spicy kick, although it was not overwhelming. Spicy food lovers will surely enjoy the hot variety, but the mild version will appeal to those with less heat tolerance.

The Meal

I wanted to try these roasted jalapeno peppers with a meal instead of just on their own, so I added them to a roast I had already begun to prepare. I'm a firm believer that jalapenos can be added to any dish (yes, any), so the delivery was a welcomed one. I had slow cooked my 3 pound roast with potatoes and carrots. On serving, I garnished with the jalapeno peppers. I took several bites of roast with a slice of the jalapeno pepper, and found that I preferred the meats with the pepper slices over the meat alone.

The mixture of sweetness and spiceness brought something out in the roast, which had already been seasoned with garlic, onion, and other spices. I ate 3 of the peppers this way and now the jar of the hot variety is gone. I'll save the mild variety for another meal, and perhaps some habanero dust.

I should note again that the preserving oil has much flavor on its own, so while you'll get some great taste with the roasted peppers, you'll be adding the oil flavor as well to your dishes. These peppers don't directly compare to other pickled peppers you might by in the grocery store. These are much sweeter and flavorful.

Ingredients - on the label

Jalapeno Madness Ratings

For more information or bulk purchases interested parties can contact Kris Porter at:

Kris Porter
Jones Distribution
404-431-8542 (work)
jonesdistribution@gmail.com
web: http://www.totaloutdoorsman.com