Peppers, like all fruits and vegetables, after being removed from the plant have a limited duration, which varies according to climatic conditions and how it is preserved.

How can you dry chilli peppers?

There are several conservation methods, but if we are reading this guide it means that we want to dry them first. Let’s see which and how many drying methods there are, what you need to do and how to proceed.

• Hanging hot peppers
• Dry in the sun
• Dry in the oven
• Electric desiccator

Drying chilli peppers by hanging them

This method is not very fast but it is one of the most commonly used methods by our grandparents, how many of you have seen in the house the bunches of chillies tied with string and hung on a nail on the wall for months?

It is a very simple procedure, you have to have a needle and thread and begin to tie the peppers from the stem, or rather, the top of the branch of the remaining plant that is attached to the chili.
After that, you have to hang them in a dry and well-ventilated room (if there is too much damp mold it can grow) for at least 3 weeks.

Drying chilli peppers in the sun

The method that cooks hot peppers with sunlight, is super effective! It will take at least three/four days to dry up, it is a very slow method for the fruits to dry up with the sunlight, which as we know rises and sets and then at night the nuisance procedure stops. So be very careful to perform this procedure only in favorable conditions, that is with a lot of sun and very few clouds, it must be very hot and not humid. At night they should be covered to protect them from insects. 

To prepare the peppers to the annoyance you have to cut vertically and you have to remove the seeds. Then you put them on a baking pan for at least eight hours a day! You can also place your baking pan on a counter in the garden or on your windowsill. 

Warining: turn the chillies every two/three hours! Do not let them dry just on one side.

Drying chilli peppers in a wood oven 

The method consists in drying the peppers in the oven at home, it is very fast and effective but everyone likes it because it is not "natural" drying and is different from letting the peppers dry in the sun or hanging them.

It seems to us just a matter of tastes and preferences! 

Cut the peppers vertically and place them on a baking tray with the skin facing upwards. In the meantime preheat the oven to 75-80 B.C. C, for convection furnaces 40-50 B.C.

When the oven is heated, put the pan with the chillies inside and cook for at least 6-8 hours with the door slightly open so that the humidity can come out, turning them from time to time.
Consider that the cooking time varies depending on the size of the chillies, then check them occasionally and then as soon as you reach the desired drying point let them cool outside and keep them somewhere.
The chillies dried and preserved in jars and preserved in cool and dry places last for years!

Remember that you are working with hot peppers on the outside, use protective clothing such as gloves, mask and glasses.
During work, do not touch mobile phones or other objects as you can leave traces of capsaicin on everything you touch, if you accidentally touch your eyes or mucous membranes, for example, you will feel a lot of pain.
In case of eye contact, rinse immediately with plenty of water at room temperature for at least 4-5 minutes and consult a doctor if the burn persists. 

Electric dryer 

The best method to dry the chili and have a better taste and taste, is to dry it with an electric dryer, available on the net or in the best supermarkets.
The procedure is very simple: wash the peppers well, remove all impurities, especially dirt and dust, cut the chili in half and put it in the dryer.
It usually takes 4-12 hours to dry properly. We know that the product is ready when it becomes crispy. If you want to grind afterwards remember to remove the stem.