drying chillis

[Philbasford]

ive picked our first green chillies, very surprised after thier late start, but they have produced some fab big chillis:), actually planted them in the new potato bed.  My question is drying them in the airing cupboard going to work?, i looked on google and someone made a reference to this but i havent seen much else useful about drying them inside.  Tried our first today and while not that hot were pretty spicey:)

[Philbasford]

[amphibian]

I hate to disappoint but drying green chillies is a hideously laborious process, you normally pick them ripe for drying.

Once ripe simply sow on to strings and hang somewhere airy, I hang them under cover outside, or from a curtain rail by an open window.

[Robert_Brenchley]

If you want an easy way to preserve them, mince them up, cover with vinegar, and keep them in the fridge. As long as the vinegar covers the chili, they keep for ages and ages.

[Hyacinth]

Easier still, throw 'em in the freezer 8)

[MrsKP]

i'm gonna chuck half mine in the freezer and half in oil. 

never realised how prolific one plant could be .......... and i've got 4 !   ;D

[calendula]

I just pick and dry mine in the kitchen, flat on a dish but you could string and hang them up like they do on the continent

they will get hotter if picked when red (or whatever colour they are meant to go after being green)

[amphibian]

(or whatever colour they are meant to go after being green)

Or whatever colour they are meant to go after being whatever colour they were to start off with.

Green isn't the only unripe colour.

[daisymay]

we dried ours on kitchen paper on a window ledge out of direct sunlight - worked well for us last year.

[calendula]

(or whatever colour they are meant to go after being green)

Or whatever colour they are meant to go after being whatever colour they were to start off with.

Green isn't the only unripe colour.

I know that but the original post was referring to 'green' chillis  :)

[Barnowl]

I stick mine in a bowl in the airing cupboard - by the hot water cylinder. Seems to work well.

Re storing in oil, I've found that sometimes I get a fungus on the surface. Think I saw a suggestion that you should blanch them first to kill any surface bacteria/fungi: has anyone else heard this or similar?

[weedin project]

Storing in oil:
last year we whizzed our surplus chilli's in the food processor along with enough olive oil to make a (stiff, not runny) paste.  Spooned it into small jars with metal screw-tops and put them (still open) in the oven at 100⁰C for about 10 minutes, then put the hot lids on.  The jars had been heated before we put the paste into them.   ::) Use oven gloves.  :-\
This sterilises them and the ones we have still got left are absolutely fine, no sign of mould or rot; once open keep them in the fridge.
Ours were red, but I should imagine this will work equally well with chilli's of any colour.

p.s. we did the same with our surplus garlic, that's worked too (even gave some away!).

[Barnowl]

Thanks for the advice, it sounds good! Did you de-seed them first?

[weedin project]

Barnowl
No, kept seeds in (some like it hot!).  Up to you if you want to de-seed them.

[Rox]

If you want an easy way to preserve them, mince them up, cover with vinegar, and keep them in the fridge. As long as the vinegar covers the chili, they keep for ages and ages.

Have you ever tried mincing and covering them in oil instead of vinegar? I'm tempted to try with some of mine (massive glut this year) although haven't done it before.

[Rox]

oops! sorry - missed Weeding Project's msg re. storing in oil ::)

[Robert_Brenchley]

I haven't tried covering with oil, but one thing I do is fry dried chilis and black pepper in oil to make chili oil.