This is how you dry your peppers yourself

How to dry your own chili peppers

Fresh peppers left over? You can very easily dry them yourself. This gives them a longer shelf life and you have less food waste. Read our blog with the best methods for drying peppers yourself, with some additional tips, here.

How to dry your own chili peppers

Why dry chilies?

Drying peppers is a great way to preserve their intense flavor and use them year-round. In addition, drying is one of the oldest methods of preservation and has several advantages:

Longer shelf life: Fresh peppers can be kept for a few weeks at most. Dried chilies will keep for months to a year. So they keep a lot longer, but for optimal flavor and spiciness, don't store them for more than a year.
Easy to store: They take up less space. More intense flavor: Drying concentrates the flavor, ideal for spicy dishes.
Versatile uses: Use them in stews, grind them into powder, or make your own chili oil.

Ways to dry chilies

It starts with selecting the right peppers. Basically, you can dry any pepper, only it is important to choose really fresh peppers. So make sure they are not soft or rotten. It is also important to know that thin-walled peppers are easier to dry than thick-walled peppers, such as Jalapeños. The flesh contains a lot of moisture that can mold before the pepper dries.

1. Air drying (Traditional method)

What you need: Fresh peppers, needle, and thread.

Steps:

Thread the peppers on a wire through the stalks so they don't touch.
Hang the pendulum in a dry, warm place with good ventilation, such as an attic or kitchen.
Wait 2-8 weeks until they are completely dry. This depends on the type of pepper and the conditions the peppers hang in (heat/dryness).

What you need: Fresh peppers, knife, baking paper, large plate or griddle.

Steps:

With a knife, make a small incision in each fresh pepper. This will help the pepper lose its moisture faster and prevent it from going moldy.
Then place the peppers on a plate lined with baking paper and place it in a dry and warm place so that they can dry.
Wait 2-8 weeks until they are completely dry. This depends on the type of pepper and the conditions the peppers hang in (heat/dryness).

Tips

These two methods work best in summer or hot, dry climates.
Avoid damp areas to prevent mold.
Preferably use thin-walled peppers; thick-walled peppers dry more difficult this way.

2. Peppers drying in the oven

What you need: Fresh peppers, oven, baking sheet, baking paper.

Steps:

Cut thick peppers (such as jalapeños) in half lengthwise. Thin chilies (such as cayenne or rawit chilies) you can leave whole.
Spread the peppers in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with baking paper.
Preheat the oven to the lowest setting (50-60 °C). Leave the oven door ajar for ventilation.
Check regularly. Drying can take 6-12 hours, depending on thickness.

Tips

Use a fan function if your oven has one.
Avoid higher temperatures or they will burn.

3. Drying in a food dehydrator

What you need: Fresh peppers and a food dehydrator.

Steps:

Cut thick peppers in half if necessary to speed up the process.
Place the peppers in a single layer on the trays of the food dehydrator.
Set the food dryer to 50-60 °C and let it dry for 8-12 hours.

Advantages

A food dehydrator provides stable temperature and airflow, allowing peppers to dry evenly. This prevents uneven drying, which is more common with the oven. You can fine-tune the settings to the type of pepper and desired dryness.
The constant low temperature keeps the peppers nice in color and retains natural flavor and nutrients better than in the oven.
Unlike the oven, there is no risk of burning with the food dehydrator.
Because the air circulates continuously, there is less chance of moisture build-up, which prevents mold. This can be a problem when air drying in a humid environment.
A food dehydrator uses less energy than an oven left on for hours. This makes it a more environmentally friendly choice if you want to dry peppers often.
With a food dehydrator, you can dry peppers perfectly until they are brittle and completely free of moisture. This extends the shelf life and significantly reduces the risk of spoilage.

How do you know if peppers are properly dried?

The dried peppers should be completely hard and brittle. If they bend or are flexible, they are not yet dry enough and may mold.

What can you do with your dried peppers?

Turn them into chili flakes or chili powder. Grind them to the desired size and add them to your dishes.
Perfect base for your own hot sauce sauce. Soak the chilies in hot water and mash them.
Make your own chili oil. Heat chilies in oil and let the flavors infuse.

Preserving the dried chilies.

The dried chilies are best stored in a sealed jar or airtight container. Click here for our blog with more information on how to best store dried chilies.

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Why dry chilies?

Ways to dry chilies

1. Air drying (Traditional method)

2. Peppers drying in the oven

3. Drying in a food dehydrator

How do you know if peppers are properly dried?

What can you do with your dried peppers?

Preserving the dried chilies.

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