Honestly, growing peppers might be one of my favorite things about the garden.
When I sit down over the winter to flip through my seed catalogs, peppers are usually the first I go through. Searching through the all the different varieties makes me feel like I did as a little kid standing at the penny candy aisle (yes I’m old enough to remember penny candy). There are too many to choose from!
Sweet peppers have their place. We grow a lot of banana and bell peppers in the market garden, and these are great to use for fresh cooking, pickling or canning.
But man! Hot peppers. That’s something I get excited about.
Because where there is an abundance of hot peppers, there is a plethora of flavor just waiting to be unleashed in all kinds of creative ways.
Enter the dehydrator. I’m not sure, but I secretly believe this wonderful machine was invented just for the hot pepper.
New to dehydrating food? No worries. Drying peppers with the dehydrator is simple. And I’ll share with you a couple of ways you can use your dried peppers.
But first, let’s talk about the basics.
Things to know about dehydrating peppers
- Use fresh, firm peppers. It’s just easier.
- For even drying, you want equal air flow across the surface of the pepper. I’ve cut and dried peppers lengthwise in strips, but find that thin slices seem to work better.
- When slicing hot peppers, wear gloves. Trust me! Pepper oil can stay on your skin longer than you think.
- Set up your dehydrator in the garage or outside, because the fumes are strong.
- Peppers should be dried at 135 degrees and usually take anywhere from 14-16 hours.
Okay, we got that covered. Now for some recipes!
Churchill’s Sweet & Spicy Rub
Ingredients
- 10 dried jalapeno peppers
- 1 TBS sea salt
- 1/3 cup granulated garlic
- 1/3 cup onion powder
- 1/3 cup cinnamon
How to make it:
- Grind up your dried peppers with the sea salt (we use a coffee grinder)
- Mix well with other ingredients
- Store in a sealed glass or plastic container in a cool, dry space for up to a year
- Use on fish or pork
Barnyard Jalapeno Salt
Ingredients
- 16 dried jalapeno peppers
- 3 TBS sea salt
How to make it:
- Grind peppers along with the sea salt
- Store in a sealed glass container
- Use on eggs, tacos, pasta or just about anything
Owen’s Zesty Pizza Flakes
Ingredients
- 6 dried sweet banana peppers
- 6 dried hot banana peppers
- Dried sweet basil (to taste)
Hot to make it:
- Using a Cuisinart or similar processor with a blade insert, combine all peppers and basil and chop coarsely
- Store in a sealed glass or plastic container in a cool, dry place for up to a year
- Use on fresh pizza or pasta
Angry Beard Habanero Rub
Ingredients
- 5 dried red habanero peppers
- 3 dried jalapeno peppers
- 2 TBS cinnamon
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup granulated garlic
- 1/3 cup onion powder
How to make it:
- Grind up peppers in a coffee grinder
- Mix your peppers with the other ingredients
- Store in a sealed glass container in a cool, dry location
- The brown sugar might clump or harden over time – remix as necessary
- Use on fish or pork
Enjoy and be well –
