Peppers can be preserved by drying in the sun, oven, or dehydrator. Dried peppers are used to add flavor, color, and heat to food. Paprika and cayenne powder are made from dried peppers, and chili flakes can be made from sweet or hot peppers. Peppers can be hung to dry or prepared for drying indoors by washing and removing stems and seeds.
Drying is a common method of preserving peppers. In hot, dry climates, peppers were traditionally dried by simply hanging them in a sunny spot. Modern dehydrators and ovens can also be used to dry peppers. Hot peppers are commonly dried and used as a cooking spice, crushed or ground into a powder. Sweet peppers can also be dried and made into a powder or flakes to add color and flavor to food.
Dried peppers are a useful ingredient commonly used to add flavor, color and heat to foods. Any pepper can be dried as a way to preserve fruit for later use. Once dried, peppers can be stored for years, but the mild flavor is best used within six months to a year.
Paprika is a spice made from sweet red peppers. After harvesting, the red peppers are dried and then ground into a powder. The color varies considerably depending on the intensity of the color in the peppers. Paprika is mostly used to add color to food, but the mild, slightly earthy flavor also contributes to the dish. Traditionally, paprika comes from Hungary, but commercial production is also common in Spain, South America and California.
Cayenne powder is made from dry, hot red chili peppers called cayenne peppers. Dried peppers are ground into a spicy powder that can be used to add heat to foods. The spice in different cayenne spices varies according to the quality and heat of the dried peppers used. Whole dried cayenne peppers can also be cut up and used in cooking.
Dried flake-shaped peppers can be made from sweet red peppers or chilies. Pepper flakes made with sweet peppers can be added to salads and other dishes as a condiment to add color and subtle flavor. Dried chili flakes made from chili peppers add color and intense heat to food.
Chillies can be hung up to dry in the sun or indoors in a dry, warm room. The peppers are usually left whole and the stems are used to string the fruit together. Strings of red chili peppers hung to dry outside homes are a traditional image in the American Southwest and parts of Mexico and South America. The peppers can also be spread out on a clean cloth or sack and dried in the sun.
Due to the larger size and higher water content of peppers, they are best suited for drying inside the oven or in a dehydrator. To prepare for drying indoors, you need to wash both hot peppers and sweet peppers and remove the stems and seeds. Small chiles can be left whole or cut into sections. Large peppers should be cut into strips for drying.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
