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Home » Preserving » Dehydrating Peppers

Dehydrating Peppers

by Mike Hultquist · Sep 18, 2018 · 61 Comments · Jump to Recipe

Instructions for dehydrating chili peppers in a food dehydrator so you can preserve them for later use, make crushed red pepper, or grind them into powders for your own special seasoning blends.

Dehydrating chili peppers is one my favorite ways to preserve our chili pepper harvest. With so many peppers coming out of the garden, it can be difficult to keep them all, but once you start dehydrating, you start to realize you could grow so much more.

The Spicy Dehydrator Cookbook, by Michael Hultquist

I fell in love with dehydrating so much that I wrote an entire book on the subject. Yes, I am the author of "The Spicy Dehydrator Cookbook". I hope you will check it out.

I of course greatly enjoy other methods of Preserving Chili Peppers, like pickling, freezing, making hot sauces (YES!) and more, but dehydrating peppers is something entirely different and yields outstanding results.

Dehydrating Peppers

Once you've dehydrated your peppers, they will last an incredibly long time, and pretty much indefinitely if you keep them sealed in protected bags.

 

You can dehydrate them whole and use them for decorating purposes, or seal them and grind them up as needed. Keeping them whole will keep their overall heat and flavor longer, as the heat does tend to fade over time.

I personally like to slice thinner peppers in half and thicker peppers into rings before dehydrating them. Smaller ones can be kept whole, but the more surface area you have to dehydrate, the quicker the process will take.

Uses for Dried Peppers

How do you use a whole dried pepper? One way is to stuff them into a pepper grinder and use them to grind over your favorite foods.

You will have to break them up a bit to fit, but it works great. I keep a grinder handy with 7-Pots or other superhot chili peppers that I can grind over pizzas or whatever else I want to heat up.

They will last quite a long time this way. Think of them as your own version of crushed red peppers.

Dehydrating Peppers

Speaking of crushed red peppers, you can also add the whole pods to a baggie and crush them up by hand, then pour them into a crushed pepper or other container to sprinkle over foods.

Most people think of pizza for crushed red peppers, but truly, this stuff can go over anything.

Another option is to rehydrate your peppers and use them to make sauces, hot sauces, or simply to season your food as you would use any other chili pepper. Here is a link for How to Rehydrate Dried Chili Peppers.

In general, it is as simple as letting them soak in very hot water until they are soft enough to work with. I have made many, many chili pastes this way, as well as a number of hot sauces, which always turn out great.

My favoriteuse by far, however, is grinding the peppers down into powders for use in making my own special chili pepper and other seasoning blends.

Once your peppers are dried, use a food processor or a grinder to grind them up as finely as you can. This is the grinder I use, which you can see in the video below: Magic Bullet MBR-1701 17-Piece Express Mixing Set (affiliate link).

It works GREAT.

If you're going to process your dried peppers this way, you may need a mask to keep the dusty powder away from your nose, or do it in a well ventilated area.

After grinding, sift it through a fine mesh sieve to remove larger particles. Now you are free to mix your freshly made chili powders with other seasonings, such as garlic powder, dried herbs, salt and more.

Check out our section on Homemade Seasonings/Spice Blends for a few ideas. I'm making another homemade Cajun blend soon for everyday cooking.

I've included a video with basic steps below, but here is a list for dehydrating peppers you can follow. It's actually quite easy.

Dehydrating Peppers

How to Dehydrate Chili Peppers

Wash and dry your chili peppers. Choose only fresh peppers. If they show any signs of rotting, throw them away.

Wearing gloves, remove the stems and slice the thicker peppers into rings and thinner peppers in half. Leave them whole if you prefer, but they will take much longer to dehydrate.

The gloves are important when working with peppers because the oils from the peppers can burn your skin, and the pain can linger. Need help? How to Stop the Chili Pepper Burn On Your Skin.

Place the peppers on the trays of the dehydrator. Spread them out evenly so the heat can distribute properly.

Turn on the dehydrator at 135-140 degrees F, or whatever setting your dehydrator recommends.

Drying Tip

I like to place my dehydrator in the garage because it will release fumes over time and you will notice the odor. Let the dehydrator sit anywhere from 5 hours to overnight.

It will very likely take longer than 5 hours, but much depends on the thickness of the pepper walls and how many peppers you're working with.

I personally turn mine on when I go to bed and check it in the morning. The peppers are usually dried by morning, but if not, just leave them in longer until they are dried.

Safety Advice

When working with hotter peppers, including superhots, it is important to wear gloves when handling the peppers both in raw and dried forms. The oils can get on your skin and cause burning sensations. See above.

Need help? How to Stop the Chili Pepper Burn On Your Skin.

Also, the powders are quite fine and may get into the air if you are not working in a well ventilated room, so you may want to wear a mask and goggles. Superhot chili peppers, truly, are called superhots for a reason.

Yield

1 pound of fresh chili peppers will yield about 4 ounces of dried chili pepper pods.

How to Store Dried Chili Peppers

Once they are dried, remove and store them in baggies or containers, or use as you wish. Keep them in a dark place, like your pantry, for freshness.

These are the products that I use to dehydrate chili peppers and make blends, and I personally recommend them. They are affiliate links - just an FYI. If you use them, let me know if you have any questions and I can help. Email me anytime.

Print

How to Dehydrate Chili Peppers - Recipe Method

Instructions for dehydrating chili peppers in a food dehydrator so you can preserve them for later use, make crushed red pepper, or grind them into powders for your own special seasoning blends.
Save Recipe Saved!
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chili peppers, powder, spices
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 5 hours hours
Total Time: 5 hours hours 10 minutes minutes
Calories: 14kcal
Author: Mike Hultquist
Servings: 10
Tap or hover to scale
5 from 11 votes
Leave a Review

Ingredients

  • 1 pound fresh chili peppers

Instructions

  • Wash and dry your chili peppers. Choose only fresh peppers. If they show any signs of rotting, throw them away.
  • Wearing gloves, remove the stems and slice the thicker peppers into rings and thinner peppers in half. Leave them whole if you prefer, but they will take much longer to dehydrate. The gloves are important when working with peppers because the oils from the peppers can burn your skin, and the pain can linger. Need help? How to Stop the Chili Pepper Burn On Your Skin.
  • Place the peppers on the trays of the dehydrator. Spread them out evenly so the heat can distribute properly.
  • Turn on the dehydrator at 135-140 degrees F, or whatever setting your dehydrator recommends. 
  • Once they are dried, remove and store them in baggies or containes, or use as you wish. Keep them in a dark place, like your pantry, for freshness.

Video

Notes

1 pound of fresh peppers will yield about 4 ounces dried peppers.
NOTE: I like to place my dehydrator in the garage because it will release fumes over time and you will notice the odor. Let the dehydrator sit anywhere from 5 hours to overnight. It will very likely take longer than 5 hours, but much depends on the thickness of the pepper walls and how many peppers you're working with. I personally turn mine on when I go to bed and check it in the morning. The peppers are usually dried by morning, but if not, just leave them in longer until they are dried. Once they are dried, remove and store them in baggies or containers, or use as you wish. Keep them in a dark place, like your pantry, for freshness. 

Nutrition Information

Calories: 14kcal   Carbohydrates: 3g   Sodium: 4mg   Potassium: 138mg   Fiber: 1g   Sugar: 1g   Vitamin A: 425IU   Vitamin C: 20.4mg   Calcium: 5mg   Iron: 0.4mg
Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.

The Spicy Dehydrator Cookbook, by Michael Hultquist

Mike's Recommended Products

  • Excalibur Dehydrator - I use mine all the time. They make excellent dehydrators.
  • Nesco Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator FD-75A - For Dehydrating peppers and other foods.
  • Magic Bullet MBR-1701 17-Piece Express Mixing Set - For Grinding down the peppers for powders.
  • The Spicy Dehydrator Cookbook - My cookbook. Check it out!

Other Resources

  • How to Dehydrate Chili Peppers and Make Chili Powders and Blends - A longer video by me, or watch the shorter one below
  • Preserving Chili Peppers
Dehydrating Chili Peppers with a Dehydrator - How To

This post was originally published on 10/7/2016. It has been updated to include some new information and photos. Enjoy!

Reader Interactions

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Costas Giannakenas MD, PhD says

    October 14, 2023 at 4:20 pm

    Hi Mike,

    Spicy Food Lovers' Cookbook was great. Also chilipeppermadness.com is an excellent resource and played an important role in getting me addicted to hot peppers.
    Browsing your site I discovered so much fascinating stuff and wanted more of the same. So I stocked my bookshelves with books about peppers, read about germinating, planting seed trays, LED lights and warming mats, transplanting and cultivating peppers. This season I have 36 varieties of peppers growing in my veggie garden.
    Latest acquirement was a dehydrator 30-70 degrees Celsius (86-167F) and... here is my question:
    If I dehydrate whole peppers will the seeds be viable if collected after the peppers have been dried? I will be bisecting peppers and collecting seeds too prior to dehydration and I read somewhere that as long as I keep the temp below 120F the seeds should not be affected but I would appreciate you view on the matter.

    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      October 15, 2023 at 2:49 pm

      Thank you, Costas. It's best to grow peppers from seeds from fresh peppers. I have a post on this - Saving Chili Pepper Seeds For Growing Later: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/cooking-with-chili-peppers/saving-chili-pepper-seeds-for-growing-later/

      Reply
  2. Jamie says

    September 16, 2023 at 8:08 am

    5 stars
    Hi Mike
    Thanks lots of great info…just dehydrated a few reapers and chocolate morgue scorpions..outdoors,goggles, mask gloves etc all good. One thing that shocked…tried washing the racks with soap and water the next morning…the fumes were surprising amazingly potent…may want to add a warning…apologies if it’s there and I missed it

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      September 16, 2023 at 8:09 am

      Thanks for sharing this, Jamie. I appreciate it!

      Reply
  3. Doug Parsons says

    September 18, 2022 at 3:05 pm

    5 stars
    Thanks for the info and inspiration. I just bought a dehydrator like yours and am currently attempting my first batch of Carolina Reapers and Scotch Bonnets. This is my first experience with using a dehydrator and with Super Hots! I've got it cranked to between 135 and 140 on my screened porch to keep the fumes at bay. I've pickled hot peppers for years but this is a new adventure for me. Keep up the good work!!

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      September 19, 2022 at 6:16 am

      Great, Doug! Welcome to the awesome world of dehydrating!

      Reply
  4. Jennifer says

    September 15, 2022 at 11:08 am

    Hi Mike. I'm getting ready to dehydrate some Apocalypse peppers. I have the Excalibur dehydrator. Do you use different trays when dehydrating hot peppers? I don't want to ruin my only set of trays!

    Thanks,
    Jennifer

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      September 15, 2022 at 11:21 am

      Hi, Jennifer. I do not use separate trays, as they do wash off easily, but you might want to get some dehydrator sheets you can dedicate specifically to superhots if you're concerned.

      Reply
    • Tarn says

      September 08, 2023 at 7:19 pm

      Jennifer,
      I use plain, white paper towels, cut to the side of my trays. The oils don't seem to get through the towel (maybe a little) to stain or leaves a permanent oder, while the water does. Also, the paper towels seem to wick the moisture out of and away from whatever I am drying. I can't say how much this reduces the drying time, but everything seems to get more completely dried when using them. This thorough drying is really evident when drying powders (less clumping).
      Plus paper towels are cheap and disposable.

      Reply
  5. Thom Richards says

    July 15, 2022 at 9:40 am

    Rather new to growing and dehydrating my peppers.

    I have several Thai and Tabasco peppers that have dried on the vine. Still rubbery, not completely dried. Can I dehydrate them still to finish the drying process. Or is it to late?

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      July 15, 2022 at 11:03 am

      Thom, yes, you should be able to dehydrate them as long as they aren't showing any signs of rot.

      Reply
  6. Melynda S Zeek says

    November 03, 2021 at 4:58 pm

    Do you have the instructions to do this in an oven please? I do not have a food dehydrator. thank you

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      November 03, 2021 at 9:34 pm

      Melynda, the best way is to dry them per the dehydrator recipe, but use baking sheets and keep the oven as low a temp as you can go. Most don't go as low as the dehydrator, so you can keep the oven cracked for reduced heat and air flow. Too much heat will cook the peppers, so keep an eye on them.

      Reply
  7. Stephen says

    October 17, 2021 at 9:51 am

    5 stars
    Great help. I just got into growing last year and got a cayenne seedling to make crushed red pepper for pizza and pasta. As I type this I got my entire cayenne harvest, a ghost, a peach ghost, a hab, and a reaper dehydrating to make a crushed pepper blend.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      October 17, 2021 at 9:55 am

      Glad to be helpful, Stephen!

      Reply
  8. Lynn Huntley says

    October 04, 2021 at 4:53 pm

    Love your site and ideas. Can you dry the plant leaves? We just pulled all our plants (frost hit them) and was looking at all the beautiful leaves. Left them on the lawn for the deer.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      October 05, 2021 at 5:45 am

      Lynn, you can dehydrate plant leaves. They will crumble and disintegrate.

      Reply
  9. Nik Sutton says

    September 28, 2021 at 8:14 am

    I've just put on a nice mixed batch of, Habaneros, Trinidad Scorpions, Komono Dragons and Carolina Reapers. This is definitely not an indoor mix, so it's off out to the shed! I can't wait until it's ready tomorrow 😉

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      September 28, 2021 at 8:28 am

      Yes, good idea to do this outside. I usually dehydrate in my garage. Enjoy!

      Reply
  10. Cindy Kolan says

    September 09, 2021 at 10:59 am

    I'm new to dehydrating and have to look up the process for everything I do. This was by far the most detailed and informative site I've come across. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      September 09, 2021 at 12:21 pm

      Thanks, Cindy! Glad to be helpful.

      Reply
  11. Peter Schulte says

    May 23, 2021 at 11:34 am

    5 stars
    When you dry peppers for grinding/powder--do you dry it until brittle, or leathery like a Mexican guajillo for example, before grinding?

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      May 24, 2021 at 6:46 am

      Peter, yes, get them as dry as possible for grinding. Any softer peppers won't break down as much. Good luck!

      Reply
  12. Sonny says

    October 09, 2020 at 6:46 pm

    5 stars
    I dehydrated some superhot beasts & Trinidad Scorpions. I have put in a mason jar. Dehydrated them for 16 hours ground to powder do I have to store in freezer or can I just store in my spice cabinet? I have over 8 ounces and do not want to loose them from bad storage. Really do not think I will use all the seasoning in a 12 month period. Would appreciate your expertise knowledge and wisdom. Thank-you.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      October 10, 2020 at 1:41 pm

      Sonny, you can keep it in your pantry, or in a cool, dry place. You can freeze some to keep it fresher longer. I've had some spices longer.

      Reply
  13. LBinTX says

    August 08, 2020 at 7:50 pm

    So one pound of fresh chiles results in 4 ounces of dried. How much ground powder does that equal? It's Hatch season and I'd love to make some Hatch chile powder but don't want to end up with something like 1 Tablespoon. I want to have plenty to put on everything!

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      August 09, 2020 at 2:26 pm

      It is about 1 ounce powder. Enjoy!

      Reply
  14. Dave Robertson says

    August 05, 2020 at 9:16 am

    5 stars
    Hi Michael, I have been dehydrating chili peppers for years using a little electric smoker I have. I use all types of Chilis from Jalapenos to Armageddons and them together. I mix it with toasted allspice, Szechuan peppercorns, cumin seeds. I grind it up and jar it. I put that stuff on everything!!!

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      August 05, 2020 at 3:06 pm

      Excellent, Dave! It's so great, isn't it? I love it. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  15. Kevin Hanson says

    August 01, 2020 at 3:41 pm

    5 stars
    I've heard that when dehydrating larger whole peppers to puncture the whole pepper with a knife in several places to allow for air and heat circulation for a more even drying. I'm just a novice but it seems to make sense. Thanks. Just thought I'd put that out there. - Kevin

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      August 02, 2020 at 7:56 am

      Kevin, absolutely. You can do it that way. It just might take longer to dry, but totally doable.

      Reply
  16. Winnie says

    January 29, 2020 at 2:36 am

    Hi! You recipe sounds excellent! I was wondering if I can use green and yellow chilli, also can I use ones that are frozen previously? I have about 100 of those in the freezer at the moment and the other half started making every curry with chilli powder rather than chilli these days....

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      January 29, 2020 at 8:27 am

      Hi, Winnie. You can dehydrate any chili peppers, regardless of color. So yes, you can dehydrate those. Also, yes, you can dry peppers that were frozen. They may take longer, but they will dehydrate. Let me know how it turns out for you. Enjoy!

      Reply
      • Winnie says

        February 15, 2020 at 4:59 pm

        Thank you Michael! I might try this this week! How do you know if they are probably dehydrated, if they were previously frozen? Thank you!

        Winnie

        Reply
        • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

          February 16, 2020 at 8:43 am

          Winnie, they will be somewhat brittle and you won't feel or see any moisture at all, even if they were previously frozen.

          Reply
  17. Keith Holton Jr says

    December 28, 2019 at 7:29 am

    Can dehydrated Peppers be canned I have a gallon bag of dehydrated peppers and I'm worried they're going to go bad before I can eat them all

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      December 28, 2019 at 10:28 am

      Keith, dehydrated food is essentially preserved, as all moisture is removed from it. It doesn't need to be canned, but does need to be sealed in airtight containers or bags and kept in a cool, dark place, like a pantry. It will last years this way.

      Reply
      • Erik R. says

        July 06, 2020 at 8:12 am

        5 stars
        Hi,
        I store my dehydrated peppers in clear jars with gaskets on a rack in my kitchen. They've been fine since last fall. Still spicy as heck. (Smoked ghost peppers for fun).
        Is there any reason to be concerned about mold or anything that could make us sick? Have I stored them wrong? They seem perfect still.
        Thanks!

        Reply
        • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

          July 06, 2020 at 8:25 am

          Hey, Erik. As long as they are properly sealed and sufficiently dried, they should be fine. You run more of a risk if there is still any moisture left with the peppers. If they are completely dried from the smoking process, they'll last for years, though they can lose potency after a while.

          Reply
  18. Michael says

    October 01, 2019 at 4:43 pm

    5 stars
    Excellent thank you. I hope I didn't miss it, but have you every done this with poblanos to make dried ancho chile peppers? I use these a lot making my own chili powder, various Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes. My garden produced an abundance of poblano this year, so I am "blessed". Thank you.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      October 01, 2019 at 4:44 pm

      Thanks, Michael! Oh yes, I love making my own ancho powder at home. So great when it is freshly ground! You are truly blessed!

      Reply
  19. Aaron says

    September 11, 2019 at 2:43 pm

    I've read on a hot pepper forum that your not supposed to go above 115 when dehydrating peppers or you will lose flavor.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      September 11, 2019 at 3:08 pm

      Aaron, no, check the documentation that came with your dehydrator. I don't notice any flavor issues at all from dehydrating above those temperatures. If you dehydrate at too low a temp, you run the risk of contamination.

      Reply
  20. Mark Akins says

    August 27, 2019 at 5:32 pm

    Hi Mike,

    Thanks for posting this. I’ve seen on a number of sites where they blanch the peppers before dehydrating them, but you don’t. Have you ever blanched them first?

    Take care,
    Mark

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      August 28, 2019 at 6:47 am

      Hello, Mark. No, blanching isn't necessary. Blanching softens up the peppers, but after dehydrating, the results are the exact same. No moisture remains.

      Reply
  21. Leticia Lopez says

    October 12, 2018 at 7:51 pm

    5 stars
    My dad and I are drying our peppers on the table and he has this food dehydrator! I asked him why?!? You have a dehydrator and your using up half of your table to do this! He said that he doesn’t like the aroma. Then I said, “ well put it in the garage”. He said, “ no because we live in Minnesota”. I’m not quite understanding why he thinks it doesn’t work, but does anyone here have experience with this in a colder state?

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      October 15, 2018 at 8:14 am

      Leticia, you can place the dehydrator outside, but yes, temperatures can be an issue, and yes, you will get the aroma of peppers in the air when using a dehydrator.

      Reply
  22. John says

    September 25, 2018 at 6:07 am

    Do you find that dehydrating with heat vs. air-dried cooks the flesh a bit resulting in a loss of flavor? I feel like mine start tasting closer to green peppers than their natural flavor.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      September 25, 2018 at 2:36 pm

      John, I'm actually discussing a topic like this in a chili pepper group, regarding heat and how it could affect the pods. I typically dry my pods between 125-135 F (51-55 C), though I have gone higher temps, up to 140 F. I didn't notice any flavor loss, though it may depend on what peppers you are starting with, and whether or not you are seeding them or not before drying.

      Reply
  23. Jerry Blandfordding says

    September 18, 2018 at 2:40 pm

    Mike, I was born near the Mexican border 76 years ago and one of my favorite activities was riding the school bus watching the Mexican people utilizing the world's simplist method of dehydrating chile. It was great feeling the cool fall air, seeing feed shocks in the fields, pumpkins everywhere and every Mexican roof covered with green chile. It was beautiful watching the green turn fantastic shades of pink, yellow and finally red as they reached maturity and started to dehydrate.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      September 20, 2018 at 2:47 pm

      That sounds fantastic. Wish I could see that. Gorgeous, I'm sure.

      Reply
  24. Jerry blandford says

    September 18, 2018 at 2:15 pm

    Mike In the past I canned Serranos,diced carrots, onions, and cauliflower together and everything picked up Heat from the Serranos. I had a new Yankee brother-in-law who thought even Kale was picoso. On day at a family lunch a vegetable salad was passed around the table followed by a dish of my Serrano/carrot mix. For a prank I slipped one of the hot carrots onto his veggie salad. In a short time he screamed at his wife "what did you do the salad?" She yelled back and the fight started. For once chiles made me keep my mouth shut.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      September 20, 2018 at 2:46 pm

      Haha, great story, Jerry! I love it.

      Reply
  25. Theresa518 says

    September 18, 2018 at 11:10 am

    5 stars
    I have only been dehydrating for a few weeks but it is so fantastic! I moved it to the garage because of the "aroma" so now our garage smells like a medical marijuana dispensary for the first few hours of dehydrating the hot paper lanterns and thai chili. Sorry neighbors!

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      September 18, 2018 at 1:17 pm

      That's GREAT, Theresa. Yep, I do much of mine in the garage for the same reason. LOL. Enjoy.

      Reply
  26. Laura says

    July 30, 2017 at 2:57 pm

    After reading a few different articles on what I can do with all the extra peppers I will have, I feel more at ease about not having to waste any. I will definitely be attempting spice. Question: Do I leave all the seeds to be included in the grinding process?

    REPLY: Thanks, Laura. You can leave the seeds in, but many people remove them before use, depending on the recipe and application. If dehydrating, they will mostly fall out anyway. -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.

    Reply
  27. jeff palmer - from greenfield Wis says

    October 17, 2016 at 6:30 pm

    I just learned a new way to do this - you cut up any chili you have in rings or bits. Then you put them into the microwave on warm for at least 15mins (level power dependent). It makes the kitchen smell wonderful - habs are my fav to do with this with. I used to use the oven but they got done too well (I know operator error). The comes the spice grinder - love this article

    Jeff

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      May 17, 2018 at 3:27 pm

      Awesome, Jeff. Thanks!

      Reply
  28. Django says

    October 13, 2016 at 1:15 pm

    Hi, is it not possible to dehydrate in a conventional oven?

    REPLY: Django, yes, you can also dry in an oven with low heat. I have a page on drying with information about using an oven in the Preserving section. -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.

    Reply
  29. Leo Lessard says

    October 08, 2016 at 12:16 pm

    Hi, I dehydrate all the time. Your steps are basically what I follow but I don't cut into rings as they will diminish in size quite a bit. I use the large spice plastic jars to store the powder. I have 5 of them: Serrano (loses its smoky flavor but the heat is still there), Jalapeno (keeps the jalapeno flavor and heat), Tabasco (extremely smoky flavored and very hot), Thai (nice flavor and extra hot) and Very Hot (all other peppers go in here from Tepin, Pequin, Douglah 7-pot, Habaneros, Scorpions, Cayenne etc.) Grinding is no problem, it is when you lift the lid off the grinder and release a bit of the powder into the air. After awhile, you will feel it on your face and arms. Pouring into a bag or into the spice jars with a funnel just adds more to the air. Careful - it will get ya..

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      May 17, 2018 at 3:28 pm

      Sounds great, Leo. Thanks for sharing your methods.

      Reply

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ALL. SPICY. RECIPES. Hi, I’m Mike and I LOVE Spicy Food! Say goodbye to bland and boring food with my easy-to-follow recipes. Let’s get cooking!

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