How to dry bell peppers: preparing a healthy and delicious culinary ingredient at home

Drying as a method of preparing sweet peppers for the winter has been used since time immemorial. The product retains a maximum of nutrients and vitamins. Dried flakes or ground powder are added to various meat, fish and vegetable dishes.

Our article will tell you about how to dry bell peppers in the oven, microwave, electric dryer and outdoors.

Benefits of Harvesting Dried Bell Peppers

The method of preserving vegetables and fruits for the winter with the help of drying is especially popular due to the fact that the product retains vitamins, micro- and macroelements.

Bell peppers, unfortunately, cannot be kept fresh for a long time, so this method of preparation is best suited.

Chopped and dried pieces are placed in plastic or glass jars and added to food as needed. During cooking, the flakes swell when exposed to moisture.

Dried paprika can be ground into powder. It turns out an environmentally friendly product, no worse than store-bought seasonings.

Beneficial features

Dried peppers, however, like fresh ones, have a lot of useful propertieswith which it is endowed with a rich chemical composition.

The product contains:

• vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C, E, PP;
• minerals: magnesium, potassium, sodium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, manganese.

Ascorbic acid helps to better carry viral diseases in winter. Vitamin A improves the condition of the skin, hair, nails, and has a beneficial effect on vision. B vitamins are indispensable for the cardiovascular and circulatory systems. Fiber contributes to the rapid digestion of food and the elimination of toxins from the body.

Dried paprika has a beneficial effect on the body when:

• disruption of the digestive tract;
• diabetes mellitus;
• periodontal disease;
• anemia;
• fragility of blood vessels;
• memory impairment, loss of strength, constant fatigue due to stress;
• avitaminosis.

Moderate use of the seasoning relieves flatulence, colitis, spasms, speeds up metabolism and reduces weight. Sweet paprika, unlike hot pepper, does not cause inflammation in the gastric mucosa. Therefore, it can be consumed in large quantities without fear.

Important! Doctors recommend carefully introducing dried peppers into the diet for liver, kidney pathologies, pancreatitis and allergic reactions.

Vegetable preparation

Before you start drying, you need to properly prepare the fruits. Choose fresh, firm, rot-free, fully ripe, red or green peppers. Wash in warm water, pat dry with paper towel. Remove the ponytail and seed core.

reference... The seeds do not affect the taste of the finished product.

First cut the peppers into quarters, and then chop each into thin strips.

How to dry bell peppers at home for the winter

Paprika is dried using:

• electric dryer;
• oven;
• microwave ovens;
• fresh air and sunlight.

The product is taken out into the open air in dry, sunny weather. The trays are covered with gauze to keep out dust and flies. In such conditions, the slices reach readiness in 3-7 days, depending on humidity and air temperature.

For example, at + 30 ° C, three days are enough to dry the paprika.

In the oven and in the electric dryer, the temperature is set to no more than 50-55 ° C. Cooking time is 12-24 hours. It all depends on the thickness of the pieces.

In an electric dryer

To dry paprika in an electric dryer, follow these steps:

1. Place food in trays.
2. Select a temperature of 50-55 ° C and turn on the device.
3. At the end of cooking, turn off the dryer and leave the pepper in it until it cools completely.

Fold the strips into a glass container and close the lids. If desired, they can be ground into flour.

In the oven

To dry paprika in the oven:

1. Line a baking sheet with baking paper and spread the slices in a thin layer.
2. Set the temperature to 50-60 ° C and put the baking sheet inside.
3. Keep the door ajar for free steam.
4. Stir the pieces from time to time.
5. Turn off the oven after 3-4 hours. Do not close the door.
6. Stir the slices the next day and turn the oven back on. The temperature is the same.
7. Cook the peppers until tender. It may take longer.

Important! Before cutting the peppers, they must be pre-blanched for 3-5 minutes.

In the sun

How to dry paprika in the sun:

1. Place the product on trays and cover with gauze.
2. Watch for readiness, stirring the pieces from time to time.

The whole peppers are dried outdoors. For this, the core and tail are removed. The fruits are strung on a thick thread and hung under a roof or in a dry visit. In an apartment, this can be done over a gas oven. You can also arrange the peppers on a windowsill with access to sunlight.

Dried peppers bunches add extra décor to your kitchen. The product is stored in linen bags or glass containers with lids.

Outdoor dried peppers retain more nutrients. At the same time, the aroma of the product is pronounced.

In the microwave

To dry peppers in the microwave:

1. Spread thinly sliced ​​peppers on a plate.
2. Cook for 2 minutes on 200-300 W.
3. Open the door from time to time to monitor the condition of the product.
4. After the beep, open the door and stir the pieces. Repeat the process as needed.
5. If you smell burning, turn down the power.

How to check readiness

Properly dried peppers are reduced in size several times, turning into shriveled pieces. They crunch and crumble easily. If the slice bends, then the product is not ready.

Storage of the finished product

For storage of dried paprika, glass or metal jars, cloth bags and paper bags are used.

If you plan to store the product in a glass container, choose a place protected from direct sunlight. Linen bags are used if the level of humidity in the kitchen is low.

Sun-dried peppers must be calcined in a hot frying pan or oven to disinfect them before packaging. To do this, the oven is heated to a temperature of 100 ° C, then turned off and the pepper is left in it until it cools completely.

The use of dried peppers in cooking

Dried aromatic paprika goes well with other vegetables, pork, beef, chicken, turkey and fish. It is put in stews, sauces, marinades, gravies, frying for first courses.

Advice... Put the preparation in cold for 20 minutes to swell and add to soups, borscht, stewed cabbage at the end of cooking.

Dried paprika is added to bread dough along with flax seeds, sesame seeds and herbs. On its basis, they make homemade spices for a variety of dishes, combining with black pepper, turmeric, dried parsley, dill, celery, basil, garlic, bay leaves.

Ground dried bell peppers are actively used in Mediterranean, European and Asian cuisines. For example, the famous Hungarian paprikash is hard to imagine without fragrant paprika, where it is added fresh and dried.Feta cheese is rolled in ground pepper and marinated in olive oil.

Read also:

How to cook whole pickled bell peppers for the winter.

How to freeze bell peppers for the winter.

The benefits and harms of bell pepper: why the vegetable is good for the body.

Conclusion

The paprika harvested in the summer-autumn period is a real magic wand for culinary specialists. Dried bell peppers retain a full range of minerals and vitamins, the deficiency of which is acutely felt in winter. The blank enriches the taste of familiar dishes, makes it bright and rich.