Drying Chiles

[DC Sunshine]

Just wondering if anyone has any simples tips for drying chiles? I've got a glut of largish finger sized red chiles and no room in the freezer - can they be strung up like garlic and dried in a warm dry place? Really want to do it as simply as possible, keeping them whole. Do they need to be stemmed and seeded? I've looked on the net and found some solutions, but wondered if anyone here has a tried and true method.

[shel]

Originally Posted by DC Sunshine

I've got a glut of largish finger sized red chiles and no room in the freezer - can they be strung up like garlic and dried in a warm dry place?

You betcha - a dry, warm, sunny place - make what is called a ristra

ristras and wreaths

Shel

[KYHeirloomer]

There are two fractors involved, Shel: thickness of the chili flesh, and ambient humidity.

In a dry climate, with thin-walled chilies such as, say, tabasco or serano, drying them is not problem. Merely tie them into ristras (check the instructions, as there's more to it than merely stringing them) and hang them.

However, in the damp San Fran area, you are much better off using a dehydrator. This works better for thin-walled chilis, and is absolutely required for thick walled ones like Jalapenos, which wil rot long before they dry if you hang them.

Of course, if you're going to dry Jaapenos you may as well just make chipotles and be done.

[shel]

Originally Posted by KYHeirloomer

There are two fractors involved, Shel: thickness of the chili flesh, and ambient humidity.

In a dry climate, with thin-walled chilies such as, say, tabasco or serano, drying them is not problem. Merely tie them into ristras (check the instructions, as there's more to it than merely stringing them) and hang them.

However, in the damp San Fran area, you are much better off using a dehydrator. This works better for thin-walled chilis, and is absolutely required for thick walled ones like Jalapenos, which wil rot long before they dry if you hang them.

Of course, if you're going to dry Jaapenos you may as well just make chipotles and be done.

True - However, the OP is in Australia, which has a somewhat different climate from San Fran.

As for me, I'm located in the usually warmer and sunnier East Bay, although we do have numerous micro-climates here in the hills. Still, you may be correct that the weather where I am is not warm enough or dry enough. I had some habs out to dry and they didn't do well, although at the time the weather was foggier and damper than it is now. I'll pay more attention to the weather and see how it goes. Thanks!

Shel

[greenawalt87]

I haved dried Haberneros I just put them on a perforated pan and put them in the sun they dried perfectly

[shel]

Originally Posted by greenawalt87

I haved dried Haberneros I just put them on a perforated pan and put them in the sun they dried perfectly

I guess it's harder to do when there's little or no sun ....

Shel

[DC Sunshine]

Thanks all Biting the bullet and going to attempt (!) a ristra - found a good site USING CHILE: Making Ristras, Making Chile Sauce which I'll attempt to follow. Humidty here today is about 65% with a max. temp 17C and min 5C so I'll make sure to keep it warm and dry. Think I'll also freeze some to make sure I've got some if all else fails - which it may well hehe

[Magnolia_Chef]

My Mom had bought me a ristra in seattle a few years back & had it shipped to me, it dried out eventually, i still use it on the table. I am thinking about makeing some of my own as my peppers produce more.

[ccfly]

Hi
I just took a needlle and thick thread and strung them throught the stems and hung them in my kitchen and they dried nicely. I pull one off when i need it.
not humid here but not warm either.

[Jenyfari]

I live in a very dry atmosphere so my chilis just seem to dry without any effort on the kitchen bench.

[Frayedknot]

I often use my dehydrator to dry my chiles. Annually, I have a garden with several varities of chilis and have great success with them. Depending on what I want to do with them sometimes I cut them in half to remove seeds, veins and then dry them. I use a coffee grinder to make powder. CAUTION, if you do this do it OUTSIDE, first time I did it, my eyes were watering and the cat is still not the same she could not stop sneezin !

Also, if you are drying by the hanging method, you might want to cover with a paper bag, to keep dust, grease etc off the drying peppers.

Best of luck

[DC Sunshine]

Poor cat!
I don't have a dehydrator, but was wondering if putting them on an oven tray overnight, when the oven's been on low then turned off, might work?

Good tip about the paper bag