Made easy: dry peppers/chili and store properly

The hot pepper, which is closely related to the chilli, comes from South America like its relatives. The cultivation of the versatile vegetable is not easy and demands a lot from the passionate hobby gardener. The most important requirements include, for example:

• Hot peppers need nutrient-rich, well-drained soil .
• Full sun is preferred.
• A sheltered and warm place promotes growth and resilience.
• The substrate must not dry out, water regularly.

Good care has a direct effect on the harvest of the tasty fruits. If you want to enjoy your pepperoni harvest in the same year, you should use plants that have been brought forward. Sowing on the windowsill takes a long time and not all seeds germinate reliably. There is a greater chance of success if you sow the seeds in a mini greenhouse with high humidity. It is worth supporting the solanaceous plants, which grow up to 1.60 meters high, with a trellis. With this you prevent gusts of wind from damaging the plant and the fruits from having contact with the ground.

The first bloom, called the “queen bloom,” must be carefully broken off immediately after it appears. This stimulates the pepperoni plant to produce more flowers, which increases the harvest yield. During the flowering period, it is important to water the plants evenly and protect them from hypothermia. Spreading a thick layer of wood chips, for example, has proven itself here. The material warms the roots and at the same time prevents the valuable soil moisture from evaporating too quickly. The fruits are harvested from August to October. Harvest the peppers regularly so that the plant can start new flowers. Incidentally, the color of the fruit determines its taste. Dark “pods” have a more intense aroma than light specimens.

Tip : Fertilize the pepperoni with an organic fertilizer during the flowering period. Nettle manure and horn shavings, for example, have proven themselves.

Dry thin-fleshed peppers

The fruits of the nightshade family are versatile in culinary terms and are rich in vitamin C.Whether raw or cooked, spicy or mild – there is a tasty variety of pepperoni for almost every palate. When growing the pods, the question often arises: What is the best way to dry peppers and how are they stored correctly? The preservation of herbs is simple: dry the leaves in the right place and you have your personal stock of spices for many months. If you try this with pepperoni, the experiment often goes wrong. The consistency of the fruit determines the preservation process. Some types of chili and hot pepper are thick-fleshed and require technical assistance to dry. In the case of pods with a thick flesh, the water inside the fruit cannot evaporate quickly enough.

You can dry thin-fleshed pods in our latitudes at constant temperatures and low humidity in the attic or in the kitchen. Much of the water in the fruit needs to be able to evaporate in order for you to keep hot peppers for several months. If you are unsure which species your plant belongs to, carry out the test with a few fruits. Probably the easiest way to dry pepperoni is to hang them in a dry, airy place. In order for this to succeed, the pods must not be exposed to moisture or direct sunlight. Both factors have a negative effect on the consistency and taste of the pepperoni.

• Use a needle and thread to join the stalks of the pods together.
• The fruits should barely touch each other.
• Hang the peppers like on a clothesline.
• A shaded or dark room has proven itself as a location.
• The process takes between 2 to 5 weeks .

The knotting of ristras saves space and is decorative. With this special technique, the peppers are tied together according to a specific pattern. Ristras can often be found on the markets in Hungary and Mexico, for example. As an impressive bundle, they dominate the still image, are colorful and practical at the same time. You can make a pepperoni ristra yourself with your harvest without much effort and with a little skill:

• Sort the fruit by size first.
• You will need 1 to 1.5 m of flexible sewing thread .
• Connect 3 pods together .
• Tighten the yarn with a knot after 3 fruits.
• Form more bundles of three .
• Include individual fruits or different sizes to loosen up the look.
• Braid bunches of peppers together with another piece of string.
• The tops of the fruit must point outwards.

Making ristras is easier than it first appears. After drying, the bundles are an unusual wall decoration or an interesting gift.

With dehydrator and oven to success

Thick-fleshed fruits are tasty, but require a lot of effort and patience from the passionate hobby gardener when preserving them. You can also dry the large pods in a dry and airy room. To do this, you have to neatly cut all the peppers in half and then hang them up on a string, similar to pieces of laundry. There is a great danger that the vitamins in the fruit will evaporate during the drying process. Drying in a dehydrator has proven better. The special device extracts all the moisture from the pods in a short time. The taste and the valuable minerals are retained. If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can dry peppers in the oven instead.

• Remove the stem.
• Halve large pods.
• Place the fruit on a baking sheet lined with baking paper.
• Preheat the oven to 50°C to 60°C .
• Stick a cooking spoon in the oven door so that it does not close completely.

Patience is required with this method. It’s tempting to take a long look at the peppers every hour or check the water content. Don’t do it. The temperature in the oven should be constant. After about 6 to 8 hours, the moisture has completely escaped from the pods.

The right storage

Dried peppers can be cut into strips or stored whole in airtight containers. Jars with screw caps have proven particularly useful. The advantage: You can put these containers in the oven for a short time if moisture gets inside. As with almost all preserved foods, the same applies here: the place must be dark and cool . Heat and sunlight minimize the shelf life of the tasty fruit. When ground, you can use the pods to flavor dishes and sauces. Only shred a small portion of your dried stock at a time. In this way, the intense aroma and spiciness of the spice is preserved.

It is rare for all the pods of the nightshade to ripen at the same time. If you want to start drying with a small amount of hot peppers, you can store them in the fridge for some time. Wash the fruit and place the pods, while still wet, in a transparent bag. You can store the peppers in this way and keep them fresh for up to 1 ½ weeks.

Conclusion
If you know the right tips and tricks, you can easily dry your pepperoni harvest in your own four walls. Even thick-fleshed pods are not a major obstacle and can be preserved in the oven or with a dehydrator. You can keep the aromatic peppers for a long time in an airtight container.