Hey guys, if you’re like me and enjoy spicy food to the point that you sometimes crave it, I’ve got a great dish for you to try. This is probably not the kind of thing women will like, so it’s good to make for your buddies for an NFL Sunday or other get-together. And the cool thing is, you can make it extra spicy just by making a few adjustments. Ready?
Here is what you’ll need:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 links pre-cooked smoked bratwurst (or 4 to 6 hot dogs)
2 to 3 poblano peppers (the dark green, oblong ones)
3 to 4 jalapeno peppers (fresh, not from a jar)
1/2 cup beer
3/4 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
Hot sauce to taste
Salt and pepper
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over low to medium heat. While that is heating, cut off the top stem of the poblano, remove the seeds and membrane and slice thinly. Then slice the jalapeno carefully — first cut off the stem, and then cut into rounds. I like to do this and leave the seeds in for two reasons. One, it won’t burn your hands (though you still might consider wearing latex gloves), and two, the dish will be spicier with the seeds intact. Throw the peppers into the skillet and stir fry until lightly browned, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Cut the bratwurst up into slices about 1/4 inch thick, and add those to the skillet. Let them start to brown just a bit, maybe 2 to 3 minutes. Then pour in the beer slowly, which should loosen all the brown stuff at the bottom of the pan, and scrape gently with a spoon if necessary (if you use cold beer, you can drink the rest of the bottle). Add the tomatoes, barbecue sauce and hot sauce, sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper, and let simmer on low to medium heat for about 30 minutes or until the sauce starts to reduce and thicken.
If you want the dish to be really hot, try any combination of these alternatives: use a hotter hot sauce; use Ro-Tel extra spicy tomatoes (trust me, the stuff is nasty hot); make sure to leave the seeds in the jalapenos; and maybe buy a sausage that’s already spicy — I’ve seen some habanero chicken sausage that would work well for this.
That’s it. You might want to serve this with bread or crackers to help soak up the heat, or just let it burn your mouth and cool off those taste buds with a frosty, refreshing beverage of your choice.
