Drying Fresh Chillies

Northern78

Afternoon all!

Just after some advice re drying chillies. This is probably a very stupid question but here goes.......

I bought a chili plant and it sat happily on the window sill and has about 20 small chillies on. We then went away on holiday and I forgot all about the poor chili plant When we returned the plant is half dead and the chillies have started drying out, they've gone all wrinkled.

So then I got to thinking could I leave them on the plant and just let them dry out? If I can how do you know when they are complete dry and what's the best way to store them? I didn't want to stick them in a jar or something then find out they've gone mouldy.


Thanks!

[Deleted User]

Hi NORTHERN we grow chillies in the greenhouse and leave them on the plant until they're completely dry. I don't keep them in a jar either, I get some strong cotton and tie the chillies individually by thier stalk so I get a string of chillies like paper lanterns then I hang them up in the kitchen on the dresser and use them as I need them. I've done it for years and it always works well, Lyn xxx.

Northern78

Hi MrsLurcherwalker!

Thanks for the reply. How do you know when they are OK to take off and hang up? Should I just leave them till they are hard and wrinkled? This chili growing lark is more complicated than it seems!

Thanks.

[Deleted User]

When they look as if they are drying nicely I harvest them as they keep on drying after they are tied up on a string. They will dry out completely in the kitchen. I've tried it with fresh chillies that are still fresh and not got nearly as good results. So wait till they look as if they've started to dry and pick them then.

THIRZAH

I use a needle and thread and tie a knot between each chilli to keep them apart, I usually hang them up in the airing cupboard to dry.

Northern78

Thanks both! Think i'll give them till this weekend, all this sun should help dry them.

hoglet121

Just a quick note to say you can have great success using the above chillies on a thread method for chillies that haven't dried out on the plant too. I have used it to preserve a bag of chillies from the shop I knew I wouldn't get through in time and it worked really well.

This year I have frozen my chillies and that's worked well too. I just slice from frozen and bung in whatever I'm cooking.