How do I dehydrate hot peppers in the oven?
I have a bumper crop of jalapeno hot peppers that I would like to dry in my oven. I love to roast and grind dried chiles for Chili Con Carne or Enchiladas. The correct oven temperature and drying time are the obvious questions that come to mind.
Best Answer
I've dried out chillies a bunch of times, both with and without a fan-assisted oven. It's much easier with a fan oven, but not impossible with a conventional oven, but it is wasteful of energy in a conventional oven as you have to leave the door cracked. That and you must have an oven that has a very low setting.
The reason that heat works is that heating air reduces its relative humidity as warmer air can contain more moisture. Once the warmer air fills with moisture it will saturate, and won't be able to accept any more, and when that happens your chillies will stop drying. A fan oven will generally cycle the air out and bring in new air which will accept more moisture, but a conventional oven won't, so you either have to crack the door or open it every 10 minutes to bring fresh air in.
All in all it takes days to dry chillies in a fan oven with it being constantly on, and it will stink up your house while doing it. A more effective way (although I've never tried it) would be to use a desiccant like silica gel (available from hobby stores) in a sealed container to dry them out.
A good way to keep dried chillies dry in a moist environment is to put them in a sealed container with a bunch of rice grains in the bottom, the rice will absorb any moisture.
Pictures about "How do I dehydrate hot peppers in the oven?"
Quick Answer about "How do I dehydrate hot peppers in the oven?"
Spread the peppers out on baking sheets and place in a 150?F oven. Leave the door open a crack to allow moisture to escape. Check on the peppers every 30 minutes and rotate and remove the ones that are dry. Depending on the peppers, drying in the oven can take 1-2 hours.How long does it take to dehydrate peppers in the oven?
It can be done in an electric oven as well on low heat. Check the peppers every few hours for crispness. It can take 12 hours to 4 days to completely dry depending on your oven and the size of the peppers. They should not burn at all.What temperature do you dry peppers in the oven?
Peppers need to dry at a slow rate at a low temperature to dehydrate properly. A temperature range of 140 to 180 degrees is ideal\u2014any higher might cook your peppers instead of dehydrating them. Make sure your oven has a temperature setting that low. Most ovens bottom out at 170 degrees.How do you dehydrate cayenne peppers in the oven?
Place the peppers seed side up on a parchment-lined cookie sheet in a single layer. Bake at 125 degrees F for several hours, checking them about every 30 minutes. Every hour, rotate and/or flip the peppers over for even drying. Keep a very close eye on them and remove those that are well dried.What temperature do you dehydrate hot peppers at?
Place the peppers on the trays of the dehydrator. Spread them out evenly so the heat can distribute properly. Turn on the dehydrator at 135-140 degrees F, or whatever setting your dehydrator recommends. Once they are dried, remove and store them in baggies or containes, or use as you wish.How to Easily Oven Dry Peppers for Hot Pepper Flakes - Slow \u0026 Low: Grow It, Cook It, Enjoy It! E-2
More answers regarding how do I dehydrate hot peppers in the oven?
Answer 2
When it comes to drying, air flow is actually more important than temperature. If your oven does not have a convection mode, I wouldn't even bother. Furthermore, even if your oven does have a convection mode, chances are that it cannot maintain a low enough temperature to dry the peppers without actually cooking them in the process. If you know that your oven can maintain a steady temperature of 120 degrees F or less with convection, then drying the peppers should take no more than 10 or 12 hours. This might be possible if your oven has a bread proofing mode that also supports convection. If your oven has a bread proofing mode that does not support convection, then I think the only reason you might want to use that is if you live in a particularly humid environment. Otherwise, hanging the peppers in front of a fan is probably your best bet.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Ivan Torres, Artem Beliaikin, Jaouad JK, Jessica Lewis Creative