grinding dry peppers

TZ-OH6 · March 2, 2009

In the past I've use my little coffee grinder, aka spice mill, to powder batches of chilli peppers, but somebody around the house read the instruction manual for the blender and found out that the thread collar for the blade assembly fits the mouth of canning jars, so I was able to fill up a mason jar with dried habeneros, screw on the blades and stick it on the blender base. Much easier.

If you do not grow peppers but want fresh chili powder,crushed chilis from different varieties (not just store bought cayenne) winter up north is a good time to air dry varieties from the supermarket. The humidity is so low here when the temps are in the 20s outside that mold is not a problem. I cut up the peppers and de seed them so that they dry faster than whole pods. I then spread them out on a plastic tray (plastic egg crate light panels work better though) and let them sit in an out of the way place (or by the fire place if possible). We usually have Serrano, Habanero, and Jalapeno in the store at this time.

**tomatoaddict** · March 2, 2009

Hey TZ... I would like to know more about that. I'm not sure what kind of panels you are talking about.
I want to dry a bunch of peppers this year.

TZ-OH6 · March 2, 2009

The egg crate is the 1/2 inch square pattern white plastic that are used to diffuse light from overhead fluorescents. You can find then at any Home Depot/Lowes in 2'x4' pannels. They are brittle and easy to "cut" by whacking down a column of squares with the back of a big knife, machete or handsaw. They don't take heat very well so you couldn't make a hot dehydrator shelf out of them (keep out of the oven, no incandescent light bulbs, etc). I've been thinking about using them out on my driveway on some bricks during a hot sunny day for drying peppers. The hot pavement should lower the humidity and make it better than trying to do it someplace over the lawn in the back yard.

montanamato · March 2, 2009

I think my blender is ancient but I will check for jar fit...I have been using the coffee grinder for several years, and it works OK...I just fill colanders with red peppers in the fall and toss them every so often or when I add fresh peppers and in a few weeks they are all brittle and ready for storing whole...That 6% humidity is handy at times...I am hoping to grind far more pepper this year from paprika types and mole types too...
I think I am growing a dozen varieties for mainly dry purposes...
The flavor is really superior to anything that can be bought...

Jeanne

Earl · May 23, 2009

Using red ripe jalapeno peppers sliced in to long wise, de-seed them and smoke them in my electric smoker for a few hours. They're still moist then so I put them in my Harvest Maid dehidrator until they dry and if memory servers it took a few days for them to become brittle enough to grind. But it sure is nice having a big jar of smoked and grownd jalapenos to put in or sprinkle on food stuff.

Amigatec · May 24, 2009

I use one of these to grind mine.

http://www.buythebullet.com/

March 2, 2009	#1
TZ-OH6 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Mid-Ohio Posts: 851	grinding dry peppers In the past I've use my little coffee grinder, aka spice mill, to powder batches of chilli peppers, but somebody around the house read the instruction manual for the blender and found out that the thread collar for the blade assembly fits the mouth of canning jars, so I was able to fill up a mason jar with dried habeneros, screw on the blades and stick it on the blender base. Much easier. If you do not grow peppers but want fresh chili powder,crushed chilis from different varieties (not just store bought cayenne) winter up north is a good time to air dry varieties from the supermarket. The humidity is so low here when the temps are in the 20s outside that mold is not a problem. I cut up the peppers and de seed them so that they dry faster than whole pods. I then spread them out on a plastic tray (plastic egg crate light panels work better though) and let them sit in an out of the way place (or by the fire place if possible). We usually have Serrano, Habanero, and Jalapeno in the store at this time.

March 2, 2009	#2
tomatoaddict Moderator Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: zone 5 Posts: 1,459	Hey TZ... I would like to know more about that. I'm not sure what kind of panels you are talking about. I want to dry a bunch of peppers this year. __________________ Secretseedcartel.com

May 23, 2009	#5
Earl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,278	Using red ripe jalapeno peppers sliced in to long wise, de-seed them and smoke them in my electric smoker for a few hours. They're still moist then so I put them in my Harvest Maid dehidrator until they dry and if memory servers it took a few days for them to become brittle enough to grind. But it sure is nice having a big jar of smoked and grownd jalapenos to put in or sprinkle on food stuff. __________________ "Seriously think about what you're about to do/say before you do it and the outcome will always be better." Earl

March 2, 2009	#4
montanamato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Montana Posts: 1,038	I think my blender is ancient but I will check for jar fit...I have been using the coffee grinder for several years, and it works OK...I just fill colanders with red peppers in the fall and toss them every so often or when I add fresh peppers and in a few weeks they are all brittle and ready for storing whole...That 6% humidity is handy at times...I am hoping to grind far more pepper this year from paprika types and mole types too... I think I am growing a dozen varieties for mainly dry purposes... The flavor is really superior to anything that can be bought... Jeanne

May 24, 2009	#6
Amigatec Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 208	I use one of these to grind mine. http://www.buythebullet.com/