How to dry hot peppers at home: the best harvesting methods and recommendations for storing the product

The human tongue does not have specific receptors for sensation of pungent taste. Pain receptors pick it up. The reason for the love of spicy lies in the specific action of capsaicin - a burning substance contained in bitter peppers. A little pain activates the production of endorphins, the hormone of pleasure, in the brain.

Humanity has long appreciated the beneficial properties of hot peppers and learned how to harvest them. Traditionally, peppers, like other spices, are dried. Dehydrated fruits retain their benefits, taste and do not spoil for a long time. There are several ways of drying, you just have to choose the right one and enjoy your favorite spicy dishes all year round.

Selection and preparation of peppers for drying

Having decided to prepare a healthy seasoning for the winter using the traditional method, first select suitable fruits. Any type of hot pepper, both red and green, is suitable for drying. Even unripe, pre-plucked fruits have sufficient pungency, since capsaicin is synthesized in peppers even before ripening. During the drying process, the taste of such fruits will change, more sweetness will be added, and their color will become similar to ripe peppers of the same variety.

The selection criterion is the absence of signs of spoilage on the fruits, such as: black spots, rotten parts, scab, and the like.

Before drying, the peppers are washed in running water to remove adhering soil and dust. If you plan to get a less spicy seasoning, remove the seeds before drying by cutting the fruit in half and removing the core. Seeds of hot peppers contain more capsaicin than pulp, so the plant protects future offspring from being eaten by animals. Those wishing to get a spicy seasoning are advised to dry the whole peppers, if they are stored in powder form, they are also crushed together with the seeds.

Attention! Wear latex or rubber gloves before washing peppers and removing seeds, contact with capsaicin of hot peppers for more than 20 minutes will cause a chemical burn on the skin.

Drying methods

Choose one of the following drying methods depending on your inventory:

• in the air: a simple process, does not require equipment, can be dried both in the sun and indoors;
• in the oven: it will take several hours in time, but you will have to control the progress of the process so that the peppers do not burn and dry out evenly;
• in an electric dryer: a short automated method - if this useful unit lives on your farm, feel free to use it.

Air drying

Proven for centuries, this method is economical and simple, it can be called drying "for the lazy". The natural process takes one to two weeks, depending on the humidity in the air. If you have a vacant attic or other space with an abundance of unoccupied surfaces, you can use a horizontal dryer. When there is not enough space, the peppers are hung and dried in the form of "garlands".

Pay attention to the humidity when drying. Peppers can grow moldy or rot in high humidity. Dry, sunny weather is the best condition for a quick hot seasoning.

Note. Check the weather forecast for the next week. It is better to dry in closed ventilated areas during rains.However, when dried in the sun, the peppers acquire a greater sweetness and the seasoning becomes richer in taste.

Horizontal drying

After preparing the fruits (washing, removing seeds), the peppers are evenly laid out on paper. A moisture-absorbing newspaper or blotter will do; no one forbids using paper napkins either. Make sure that the peppers lie at some distance from each other and do not touch.

The thicker the layer, the slower moisture evaporates from the surface, so whole peppers can be pressed down a little to give them a slightly flattened shape.

In order to dry evenly, the peppers are turned over every day, and the paper bedding is changed every two to three days. Unripe fruits at the same time acquire an even appetizing color, and the drying time is reduced.

If drying takes place in the open air, in the evening the peppers are covered with gauze or any other cloth so that dew does not fall on them and insects do not attack.

Drying in the form of "garlands"

A needle, a pointed match, or a toothpick is attached to a strong thread, line, or rope. The washed fruits are strung by the tail so that they do not come into contact with each other. "Garland" is ready, it remains to hang it in a ventilated darkened room and wait for the result.

Note. Make sure that the peppers do not come into contact not only with each other, but also with surrounding objects and furniture. Provide an even flow of air on each side of the fruit.

Drying in the oven

For the most impatient, the oven-drying method is suitable. You can use either an electric or a gas oven, as long as you can adjust the temperature.

Place parchment paper on a baking sheet. The washed and prepared peppers are laid out on paper so that they do not come into contact with each other. The baking sheet is placed in an oven preheated to 50-60 ° C. The oven door does not need to be closed tightly to ensure a constant flow of air. During drying, the peppers will have to be turned over so that they dry equally from all sides. By observing these conditions, you will get exactly dry seasoning, and not baked or burnt fruits.

This drying can take from 5 to 10 hours, depending on the size of the fruit, the flow of air and the design of the oven. During this time, once every one and a half to two hours, you will have to do control checks of the readiness of the seasoning (test the pods for brittleness) and make sure that the peppers do not begin to dry out or burn.

Drying in an electric dryer

If you have such a useful unit as an electric dryer at home, it will not take much time and labor to prepare the seasoning. The washed fruits are placed on the wire rack, in the same way as peppers are laid out on a baking sheet when drying in the oven.

To prevent the harvested peppers from sticking to the wire rack, they are periodically turned over during drying or placed on clean gauze. Drying time at full power of the electric dryer will be 10-12 hours.

Checking the seasoning readiness

The readiness of the seasoning is checked by tasting the pods for break. If the peppers become brittle and crumble with a little effort, the drying is complete. Dried peppers become shriveled. If unripe fruits are harvested, they may take on the color of mature peppers of the same variety.

Underdried peppers remain flexible, while overdried peppers acquire an unnatural color: they become much lighter or darker than they were before harvesting.

Storing ready-made seasoning

You can save dried peppers as whole fruits, large pieces or powder. Whole fruits are put in a glass jar and tightly closed with a lid so that moisture does not get in during storage. If you have dried peppers in the form of "garlands", you can use them as a decorative decoration for the kitchen - bright fruits stimulate appetite. So the seasoning will always be at hand.

To keep the peppers compact, they can be ground into chunks or powder in a coffee grinder and stored in a jar or plastic bag.

Caution! Small particles of grind can get into the eyes or nasal mucosa and cause irritation and redness. Use a mask, gloves and goggles when chopping and sprinkling peppers. Clean the grinder well after the procedure.

Housewives advise placing sushina in the freezer, wrapping it in plastic wrap, or pouring it into a glass container to preserve the aroma and hotness of the pepper.

The shelf life of dry seasoning is about 12 months. Do not let moisture get on the pepper, and it will delight you with its taste and aroma for a whole year.

Tips for a note

1. Dried fruits do not tolerate moisture. When harvesting large volumes, the bulk of the seasoning is better keep in the attic or in the closet, and in the kitchen, have a small supply in a glass jar, plastic container, or in a tissue or paper bag.
2. Do not store the dryer in a cellar or other room with high humidity.
3. In addition to the fruits, the seeds can be dried as a separate preparation, so a spicier and less sweet seasoning is obtained.
4. When harvesting the whole fruit, give them a flattened shape, this will shorten the drying time.
5. The frozen seasoning can be stored for up to two years.
6. Soaking peppers before drying in a water-alcohol solution, you get a less pungent sweet and sour seasoning.

Read also:

How to deliciously cook pickled hot peppers for the winter.

Review of thick-walled and high-yielding pepper "Tiven".

How to collect pepper seeds at home.

Conclusion

By choosing a way to dry hot peppers at home, you will get a quality product and can refuse to buy store-bought seasonings. The listed options do not require specific skills or the acquisition of special devices, they are economical and time-saving. Having received dry hot peppers, you will delight your loved ones with delicious and healthy dishes all year round.