Drying chillies

macma

I never put chillies in oil because of the risks.
I freeze loads ,just pick them as they ripen and toss them in the freezer.They're great to chop when still frozen.Some I dry ,again just tossed in a basket on the kitchen windowsill.
I've just made a chillie relish which is great in sarnies,with burgers and even stirred into mince to perk it up.
Sad thing is as you'll have gathered I'm a sort of toss it in kind of person and couldn't replicate the recipe if I tried

CocoDeNata

I just chop mine up and leave to dry out in some kitchen roll or paper. Then when they are fully dry shove them in a little spice pot ready to use in all sorts They have been good so far!

KatsMeow1980

Hi MKS, do you know what sort of chilles you have? Some of the thicker skinned types like jalapeno can be harder to dry than thinner skinned varieties like cayennes. I tend to just dry cayennes by stringing them up with a needle and thread and leaving them hanging off a door handle until completly dry. Other types I tend to freeze whole as other posters have said or pickle in vinegar. For pickling I tend to slice them, salt them over night to remove excess water, give them a quick wash and then store them in sterilised jars covered in vinegar (at least 5% acidity). The vinegar prevents the growth of bacteria and mould which can be an issue if you store under oil. You can pickle them whole as well but you need to put a slit in them to let the vinegar get into the centre. Anyway hope this helps.