Whether spicy, hot or mild, chilli peppers are useful in so many dishes. You can use them fresh, as flakes or in powder form. Grow your own and you will save money. Learn how to store chilli peppers for months and you will save even more money, as well as benefitting from organically grown chillies. It’s always worth having a constant supply of immune-boosting chilli peppers.
Hanging chilli peppers to dry
Pros – If you hang up chillies to dry, they will keep well for many months. You only need a warm, dry place, a strong needle and thread, and a hook. The heat intensifies as the chillies dry so you can use less in your cooking. No electricity is needed for storage. You can add them to hot or cold dishes.
Cons – You may not have any suitable indoor space. It takes a little patience waiting for the chillies to dry thoroughly, although they dehydrate more quickly in a dry environment.
Conclusion – Hanging chilli peppers is worthwhile if you have a large amount to dry, only use them occasionally or don’t own a freezer. After drying them, you have the option of storing them whole, chopping them to make flakes or grinding them to make a powder.
How to hang chilli peppers to dry
- Thread a sturdy needle with plenty of strong thread. Double up the thread so you have two strands hanging down and tie a knot at the bottom.
- Push the threaded needle through the widest part of the green base that was originally connected to the stem. Pull all the thread through so that the first chilli pepper is pushed up against the knot.
- Add the second chilli pepper, pushing it up next to the first chilli pepper. Continue until all your chilli peppers are hanging on the thread.
- When finished, part the two threads at the top near the needle and hang onto a hook. Make sure the chillies are hanging clear of any nearby wall.
- If you still have more chilli peppers to harvest, hang up the ones you have so far and move the needle down the threads. Gently push the sharp end of the needle slightly into the highest chilli pepper. This allows you to leave the needle there without it being a safety hazard.
Freezing chilli peppers
Pros – Frozen chillies will store for months and is a quick method. You can chop or slice them even when frozen. Unlike some other vegetables, there is no need to blanche them before freezing.
Cons – They take up space in the freezer and require electricity to store them. They are really only suitable for adding to hot dishes as the flesh becomes very soft.
Conclusion – Freezing chilli peppers is good if you want a quick method, have space in a freezer and mainly use them in hot dishes.
How to freeze chilli peppers
- Simply place them whole in a freezer bag in the freezer.
- You can remove the chillies as needed. You will be able to chop them straight away.
Other ways of drying chillies
In a dehydrator – rinse, slice in half lengthways and remove the stems and cores. Cut the chilli peppers into slices and place in a single layer on the dehydrator trays. They will dehydrate in 8 to 12 hours.
In an oven – rinse and lay out on a baking tray so the chilli peppers are not touching. Turn on the oven to the lowest temperature (a fan oven is quicker) and keep turning them over every hour or so. The time this takes varies tremendously, from a few hours to overnight. Make sure the kitchen is well-ventilated due to the strong, eye-watering aroma that is likely to escape.
