We had an absolute bumper crop of chilli peppers this year! We’ve eaten, given, and frozen oodles, yet I still had a glut of chillies on the plants. They needed to be harvested as the parent plants were fading fast. I didn’t want to freeze more since we’re space limited and I didn’t have enough to merit the effort of proper pickling. Of course, I didn’t want to waste them either. My solution? Homemade dehydrated chilli seasoning flakes! So easy, so delicious!
Peppers, Peppers, and More Peppers!
I used all of the various mixed hot peppers left hanging around on my plants to make my seasoning. A few were red, but most were green. Some were chillies some not, but we’ll still label it as chilli seasoning. If you’re growing adventurous varieties of crazy hot chillies, you might want to be more selective to moderate the heat factor of your seasoning to suit your tastes.
Chilies? Chillies? Same same, different name. Here in New Zealand, the British spelling with the extra L as chilli is the norm, but your norm might be chili or chile without depending on where you live. They also refer to bell peppers as capsicums here, which takes a bit of getting used to!
Dehydrating Chilli Peppers
To Roast or Not to Roast?
If you’d like to grill or roast your chillies before dehydrating, go for it. You’ll get a smokier flavour vs. the fresh chilli hit of dehydrating au natural.
Dehydrating Fresh Chillies
- Harvest the chillies.
- Wash well, and then (optional) leave them to dry before prepping and dehydrating.
- Remove the stems and cut to split lengthwise to accelerate drying. You can cut them smaller if needed. For even drying, try to keep the pieces a similar size and thickness.
- Spread them on your dehydrator tray(s) with room for air to circulate between the pieces.
- Load the tray(s) into your dehydrator, and select your fruit and veggie setting (or suitable alternative). Dehydrate the chillies until they are completely dry.
Once thoroughly dehydrated, the chillies can be stored as-is or processed into a ready-use seasoning. They can also be ground for use in a blend of other dried vegetables and/or herbs to make all sorts of ready-use bases for cooking. Homemade chilli seasoning details are below.
If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can use your oven at low temperature for a similar effect. Using a heat safe rack placed on a pan will save you the effort of periodically flipping the chillies for all-around drying. Fan-forced offers extra airflow, if that option is available on your oven.
Making Homemade Chilli Seasoning Flakes
Processing Dried Chillies into Flakes or Powder
- Once fully dried, transfer the dehydrated pieces into a food processor (or blender/grinder).
- Process until you have the desired coarseness.
- Transfer into a jar for storage (a large mouth funnel is a handy helper).
- Use to add as little or as much heat as you wish to your dishes.
Remember, don’t touch your face at any time whilst handling the chillies or chilli flakes. And don’t inhale when you pop the top on that food processor…aieee!
Adding Additional Flavours
If you are feeling particularly cheeky, you can mix in salt, garlic, or other goodies to create your own special spice blend. Perfect for homemade gifts!
I added some coarsely ground salt to mine and we’re loving it. Plus, salt is a natural preservative. Although dried veggies are shelf stable for some time, I like the extra reassurance.
If you’re making chilli powder as a powdered spice, be aware that the flavour you may be used to buying in store is most likely a spice blend, not just finely ground chillies. Blends depend on culinary region and personal preferences, but they often include garlic powder, onion powder, ground cumin, paprika, and other ground dried herbs or spices.
A Footnote on Dehydrators (So Handy!)
Basic food dehydrators (affiliate link) are inexpensive, versatile, and more energy efficient than using your oven. If you are keen to dehydrate often, they’re a very handy home kitchen appliance. I didn’t expect to use my dehydrator so much we bought it, but it gets a workout. If I’d know, I might have gone with something fancier, but the basic one I have still works great. I use it for drying flowers, herbs, foods, and it’s also awesome for dehydrating homemade dog treats.
