Preserving Chilis

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Bigtank

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
SMF Premier Member
Jul 10, 2018
655
556
Algona IA
I have a large harvest of chili peppers. In the past, I've just diced them up and froze them. I'd like to maybe air dry or roast some on the smoker. Any recipes or method ideas would be appreciated.
 
You can dehydrated them for sure. I've done it lower temps like 125ºF all the way up to 165º. I like the lower temp better cause it seems to keep the chili flavor better but it also takes for ever to get them dry. But the higher the temp the more the oils release and fill your house with a deep chili smell. I don't mind it, but some can't take it. Try a few peppers a few different ways and see what you like
👍
 
You should be able to do all of it, even dry the chilis and then smoke em. If your end result is to grind for a smoked chili powder. Perhaps SmokinEdge will have some other tips for ya.
 
I have a large harvest of chili peppers.

method ideas would be appreciated.
Eric , I've done them in the MES 30 with great results . I've come to the conclusion , that I personally like them dried unsmoked .
One year I had so many I ran my MES 30 for 5 days straight . I still have a bunch of those in the pantry . I've also done them right on the counter .
I just cut a slit in them , and put in the 30 . Keep an eye on them and pull the ones that dry first .
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I grind some to a powder , but leave most whole .
 
I'm not sure I would like to try roasting them in the smoker. them drying them.
The greater point is weather you want dehydrated Chile or roasted or cooked Chile. I can advise on the roasted for sure. We do about 4 bushel every year, couple dozen ways to go about it. They are delicious that way.
 
The greater point is weather you want dehydrated Chile or roasted or cooked Chile. I can advise on the roasted for sure. We do about 4 bushel every year, couple dozen ways to go about it. They are delicious that way.
What temp do roast them at?
 
The greater point is weather you want dehydrated Chile or roasted or cooked Chile. I can advise on the roasted for sure. We do about 4 bushel every year, couple dozen ways to go about it. They are delicious that way.
I would like to try roasting for sure.
 
I roast, peel, chop, and pressure can them in pints and 1/2 pints. Put them on the shelf in the pantry and they are ready anytime. A little bit of work but so worth it.
 
I have a pretty substantial harvest of reapers and scorpions this year. A few dozen will go to my local bar for a seasonal hot sauce. The rest will get dried in the MES to be made into some death powder.
 
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I have a large harvest of chili peppers. In the past, I've just diced them up and froze them. I'd like to maybe air dry or roast some on the smoker. Any recipes or method ideas would be appreciated.
I think you are getting some great info. I dehydrate mine like chopsaw chopsaw and then grind into powder... when I am gifted peppers. I don't grow any since the squirrels killed my few plants a number of years ago.

One word of caution I always give. If you dehydrate, beware pepper gassing yourself and your house hahaha.
I dehydrated mine in my MES and discovered that the oils will rise upward with the vapors.

I had jalapenos on the top rack and much hotter Chiletepin peppers underneath.
The hotter pepper's oils raised up into the jalapenos making the hottest chipotle peppers and powder I've ever eaten in my life hahhaha.

Also be mindful of pepper gassing yourself and your neighbors if you doing a bunch in the smoker outside. Night time or evening time is best to dehydrate a lot of peppers outside to avoid pepper gassing yourself and the neighbors.

I just wanted to bring this up so you don't accidently get into an uncomfortable or bad situation. One good whiff and you learn real quick about this stuff so best to learn from other's experiences on this :D
 
I would like to try roasting for sure.
Hot and fast. You don’t want to cook the meat of the pepper as much as blister and char the skin, this adds tremendous flavor and makes peeling easy.

I generally like to roast them over hot charcoal turning at least once, when I do multiple bushels at a time I will even hit them with a large weed burner torch to finish the blistering of the skin, it just saves time. When I was a kid my folks roasted them in the oven, made the house smell amazing. But again hot and fast 450F or if you want to keep a close eye on them the broiler works too.
 
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