Chili Powder, How to

[KC.Sun]

I dry them and keep them separate so I still have the chili I can use later. I don't like to crush or make powders from them until I know what I want to cook.

We use whole chil is a lot and prefer it fresh, but when fresh isn't available we drop dried chili pods into soups, stews, etc. When making/preparing other dishes we adjust it to crushed or powder form depending on what we are making.

I do the same thing that FathersDaughter post above. I keep different chills seperate.

[drew51]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Drew that is pretty much what I do.
I buy the cumin seeds in big bags grind it put it in mason jars and store it in the freezer.
Luckily I can buy the Mexican oregano here which isn't even related to Mediterranean oregano.

If you take seedless guajillo chili and chili arbol and fresh ground cumin you will have the best chili powder you have ever had in your life.

Worth

Thanks for the tip! I also grow a Mexican Bush Oregano which also is not related to Mediterranean, or Mexican oregano for that matter!
This is my first year growing them. I used to buy the Mexican oregano online.
I have to overwinter the shrubs indoors, see how that goes...(I do have southern windows, and good plant lights too). Plants are fairly small but I could still make a small harvest this year, fantastic to have it fresh! Both are perennials. I need more time to evaluate the Bush oregano.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by drew51

Thanks for the tip! I also grow a Mexican Bush Oregano which also is not related to Mediterranean, or Mexican oregano for that matter!
This is my first year growing them. I used to buy the Mexican oregano online.
I have to overwinter the shrubs indoors, see how that goes...(I do have southern windows, and good plant lights too). Plants are fairly small but I could still make a small harvest this year, fantastic to have it fresh! Both are perennials. I need more time to evaluate the Bush oregano.

Drew I have looked on line and to my dismay I cant find these chili pepper prices anywhere close to what I can get them for in Austin.
It seems the chili pepper craze has given birth to a whole new market of gringos with money to spend.
Maybe I really should get in on the action and stop complaining.
Worth

[drew51]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Drew I have looked on line and to my dismay I cant find these chili pepper prices anywhere close to what I can get them for in Austin.
It seems the chili pepper craze has given birth to a whole new market of gringos with money to spend.
Maybe I really should get in on the action and stop complaining.
Worth

Well I'm so broke right now, I can't afford very much at all. Until my wife finds another job, the belt is staying tight!

[tam91]

Originally Posted by Worth1

I have made the powder both ways and I like the seedless better.
It has a richer flavor and a better color.
As far as how you would dehydrate them I have no idea because of where you live and your method of drying them.
The easiest way to remove the seeds is after they are dry.
Worth

Oh sorry, I was planning on using a dehydrator, not a real fancy one. So dry them first - whole or halved or ? - and then toss the seeds before grinding?

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by tam91

Oh sorry, I was planning on using a dehydrator, not a real fancy one. So dry them first - whole or halved or ? - and then toss the seeds before grinding?

I would try to dry them whole with a slit with the dehydrator.
And depending how many you have I would grind with and without seeds as they both have a use.


Worth

[AlittleSalt]

We dry our peppers in an electric pizza oven on cold days or nights in November. It fills the house with a wonderful smell and helps heat the home at the same time. Then we use a coffee grinder and store the chili powder in pint canning jars. Adding other spices is optional. We don't add other spices because we have found that they cause clumping. The clumping may be because of weather conditions or who knows? For us, storing just chili powder works best.

[Worth1]

Without buying a chili grinder I have found the best but not perfect way to grind peppers is to use.
A food processor with the chopping blades.
At this time you can separate many of the seeds if you want to with a sifter or colander.
Then to a blender and walk away for a while.
After the blender a bur-mill coffee grinder.
As for the cumin I just dump them in the bur-mill coffee grinder.
After you have all of this powder you can get a pint jar and mix oil and chili powder into a paste and store.

[Worth1]

My own ground cumin and chili arbol and arbol in oil.
That one jar on the left has been emptied 3 times in the last 4 months.
What can I say I like chilies some people like McDonald's.
The arbol powder sets my sausage apart from your usual run of the mill hot sausage.
People ask me what is that flavor and my reply Chili Arbol.
Worth
IMG_20150915_16523.jpg

[tam91]

Originally Posted by Worth1

I would try to dry them whole with a slit with the dehydrator.
And depending how many you have I would grind with and without seeds as they both have a use.


Worth

What kind of use(s) would be better to use the one with seeds?

[drew51]

Originally Posted by tam91

What kind of use(s) would be better to use the one with seeds?

You might want to increase heat of powder. The seeds will do that. I recently made green chili stew, wow that was good. it didn't call for powder, but suggested including the seeds. I used Big Jim and Todo Dia Mira El Sol Chili Peppers. Big Jim tastes a lot better but don't grow that well in this cold region.
Todo Dia Mira El Sol Chili Pepper is prolific here. I still grow Big Jim as even a few are better than none!

[ScottinAtlanta]

I dry them and grind them into powder, without worrying too much about seeds. Many fall out in the drying, some don't.

Please note that Hungarian paprika uses seeds and all - they consider the seeds to be part of the flavor of good paprika.

[Worth1]

I just went to two stores today.
One a really nice Mexican market and the other HEB.
I got the guajillo chilies from three Mexican market and of all things Fresno and Manzano chilies at HEB.
I was walking along and there they were.
Like fool as soon as I got home I cut the stem end off the Manzano chili a d tested it.
Very tasty and sweet like an orange bell pepper but HOT.
I think I just found a new favorite pepper and will save every seed.
they are related to the rocoto and have black seeds.

Worth
IMG_20150915_17554.jpg

[Hellmanns]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

We dry our peppers in an electric pizza oven on cold days or nights in November. It fills the house with a wonderful smell and helps heat the home at the same time. Then we use a coffee grinder and store the chili powder in pint canning jars. Adding other spices is optional. We don't add other spices because we have found that they cause clumping. The clumping may be because of weather conditions or who knows? For us, storing just chili powder works best.

Add a lil' silicon dioxide to prevent clumping..

[Father'sDaughter]

I dry them whole in a dehydrator and prior to grinding I break off the stems, try to shake out as manny seeds as possible, then crumble them and grind in a cheap coffee grinder I use just for spices. From there I dump them into a fine metal strainer and shake over a bowl to get just powder then discard the seeds.

If you go with a coarser grind and leave the seeds in, you get something along the lines of the red pepper flakes you can buy in the store.