DRYING AND GRINDING OF HOT CHILIS/PEPPERS

Drying and Grinding of Hot Chilis/Peppers image

I grow, dry and grind a variety of hot chilis/peppers each year, and try to include 7 to 9 different varieties. What I don't grow I purchase dry at the store and grind. I normally give half of my supply away, in small quantities, by Christmas. They will warm a friend's heart. And the rest of them. It's a great way to take a little "Heat" OUT of the Kitchen. If you comprenda? 1/10 teaspoon or less will warm a bowl of chilly to a nice comfortable average person's heat. A little bite at the lips and corner of the mouth and a slow "Keeps comin' on" warmth. With a depth and range of flavors.

Provided by Gary Hancq @SidEFied

Number Of Ingredients 5

Ingredients

- 7 to 9 varieties of chilis/hot peppers
- brown paper grocery bags large/small
- oven
- coffee grinder
- jars to store

Steps:

I grow a number of variety of Hot Peppers each year, and have a couple of friends that do so as well. What I don't grow or trade I purchase dry and grind.
My growing list or shopping list includes: Cayenne, Tabasco, Guajillo, Pequin (Thai Bird Pepper), Chili de Arbol, Jalapeno, New Mexico Reds, Chiltepe, Chipotle, Serrano and any other "Hot" I can find.
This is a few weeks process. I place the picked peppers in a large brown paper grocery bag no more than two layers deep and close top, and set it in the corner of the kitchen or other dry place. I shake the bag every few days to reposition the peppers. Normally dry one variety in each bag. They're normally dry in 3 weeks. The paper bag helps pull moisture out of them.
When they are dry and crumble to the hand, I place in oven single layer, and further dry 2 to 3 hours at 170 to 180 degrees. I crack the oven door with a wadded dish towel to vent moisture. I then remove and let set a day before grinding.
What I don't grow I purchase dry at the store, including some dry Red Pepper Flakes we are all familiar with.
When dry I remove the stems and grind them up a few at a time in my Coffee Grinder, and place in pint jars and seal. I purge my Coffee Grinder with Salt or Sugar so next morning's coffee is not an inferno.
When all are ground I place in a large bowl and mix and combine well the whole batch. The yield this year was 2 1/2 pints of a little taste of "Hades". I have used or given half of it away by this end of February. I cut a portion of this with 50% to 70% Paprika to tame it down.