Drying and Preserving Hot Chili Peppers
Don’t let those hot chili peppers go to waste. Use them fresh, preserve or give as gifts.
Chili ristras are not only decorative, but a traditional way of drying and storing hot red chili peppers for future meals. Create your own ristra with cotton string, red chili peppers and a series of knots to secure the peppers onto the string and eventually the twine.
Or dry your peppers in a dehydrator or on a foil lined cookie sheet in the oven. Wipe the peppers clean and spread in a single layer. Speed up the process by slicing through the peppers or dicing into smaller pieces.
The peppers are dry and ready for storage when they are dark red, shrunken, but still flexible.
Thoroughly dried peppers can be crushed into flakes.
Or try canning, freezing or pickling a few peppers to enjoy throughout the winter.
And be sure to wear gloves and wash hands thoroughly when you’re done.
A bit more information: Always label peppers at harvest. Some hot peppers, like Hungarian half sharp peppers, look just like the banana pepper. Try using separate harvest pails or labeled plastic bags to separate the sweet and hot peppers.
Related
Audio
Article
Categories
Upcoming Live Events
& Webinars
April 3, 2024
Garden Trends
Franklin Public Library, Franklin, WI
April 10, 2024
FREE WEBINAR
Container Gardening Throughout the Year
Register now
April 11, 2024
FREE WEBINAR
7 Steps to Managing Water Where it Falls in Your Yard
Register now
April 17, 2024
Landscaping for Birds:
A Gardener’s Perspective
Glendale, WI
April 18, 2024
Be a Waterwise Gardener
Golden Rondelle Theater, Racine, WI
Register now
April 20, 2024
Pruning Hydrangeas and Other Shrubs
Pasquesi Home & Gardens, Lake Bluff, IL
April 27, 2024
Ridges & Rivers Book Festival
Viroqua, WI
April 28, 2024
Flowering Trees and Shrubs
Ebert's Greenhouse Village, Ixonia, WI
May 1, 2024
FREE WEBINAR
Ornamental Fruits and Vegetables
Register now
May 9, 2024
FREE WEBINAR
How to Plant Your Rain Garden
Register now
WATCH ON-DEMAND WEBINARS
Learn More