Drying and preserving chillies

Instructions for drying chillies

After the chili harvesting in winter, many private chili gardeners face a new problem.

How do I preserve my many hot chillies?

1. Preparation

Only use chilli peppers that are in perfect condition, they must not have any brown spots, black or mushy patches or an unpleasant smell.

Wash the chillies thoroughly in cold water and then place them in a pasta strainer or on a kitchen towel to drain. From now on, please be sure to wear gloves, as the chilli heat (capsaicin) can quickly cause a bad burning sensation by accidentally rubbing your eyes. First remove the stem. This can be partially broken off with your fingers or you can use a small knife and cut off the stem directly below the base of the stem.

Now cut the chillies lengthwise and open them up so that the pods dry faster. The placenta around the seeds and the seeds themselves contain the most heat. If you want it milder, remove both completely.

2. Drying in the dehydrator

We recommend gentle drying at low temperatures (approx. 50°C) in a dehydrator for several hours/days. The aroma and colour of the chillies is completely preserved. Thin-walled chillies (Habanero, Cayenne, Bhut Jolokia, Trinidad Scorpion...) are best suited, but thick-walled jalapenos can also be dried well, it just takes longer.

Spread the prepared chillies out on the drying grid. Make sure that they do not lie on top of each other and that there is enough space between them. Air must be able to circulate around each pepper. Do not fill the dehydrator too full.

Then dry the chillies at 60°C for 8-12 hours. Thin-fleshed chillies will only need about 8-10 hours, Jalapeno and Rocoto 12 hours or more. Large chillies can take up to 20 hours. Some swear by lower temperatures, e.g. 45 -50°C, as this may preserve more colour and flavour. However, the duration will then increase accordingly.

Turn the chillies over every 2-3 hours, this way you can also check how far the drying process has progressed. You can remove the dried pieces or place them on the top shelf. The chillies are dry when they can be easily crumbled (with gloves on!).

3. Drying in the oven

As many people do not have a dehydrator at their disposal, we also describe the oven drying method.

What do we need ? Baking tray, baking paper, disposable gloves

The chillies prepared as in point 1 are laid out evenly on a baking tray with baking paper and placed in the oven. Thin-walled chillies (Habanero, Jolokia, Fatalii etc.) need approx. 2-3 hours at 75-90°C convection oven. Important: The oven door should always be left ajar when the temperature exceeds 80°C. Lower temperatures mean longer drying times but a much better aroma.

CAUTION: When drying very hot chillies, an acrid chili steam is produced in the kitchen. It is best to close the kitchen doors and ventilate during the drying process.

The preservability is caused by the removal of water. So make sure that the chillies really are completely dry. If the chillies crumble easily when you touch them (use gloves!), then they are fully dry. This results in chili flakes which can be used all year round. Alternatively, you can make a powder from your dried chillies: Instructions - make your own chili powder

How can I best preserve dried chillies?

Like all spices, dried chillies should be kept in a dry, dark and well-ventilated place. We recommend a glass jar with a screw lid, or you could shrink-wrap them in a plastic bag.

How long can dried chillies be preserved for?

Well-stored dried chillies can be preserved for approx. 3-5 years.