View Full Version : Dehydrating Red Peppers
Pedaling Fool
12-31-2007, 00:29
Anyone have any quick tricks for drying red peppers?
I don't dry peppers much, because of the cost, but I recently found a cheap source. So I've been drying these peppers today, but it seems to take forever, going on 12 hours, about twice as long as it should considering the humidty level today. I think it's because of the skin, which seems waxy. My book doesn't say I should blanch and not sure if I'd want to steam peppers.
The Mechanical Man
12-31-2007, 00:45
I don't dry much food, but this may help.
What kind of red peppers are they, long and skinny and hot, ................... or red bell type and sweet?
:-?
Pedaling Fool
12-31-2007, 01:10
Sweet Red Bell
Not entirely related or unrelated, but those that like sweet peppers should definitely be giving paprika some serious consideration if they haven't already.
Wash them and dry them good, cut them into strips, and dry them. Thats how I do them.
The Mechanical Man
12-31-2007, 02:02
Sweet Red Bell
I know for a fact you can just hang the "long, skinny and hot" cayanne peppers, tied in a bunch and they will dry.
No info on red bell sweet, sorry
Geez, I had no idea there was so many different kinds of paprika.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paprika
Anyhow, just curious, but this thread has me wondering...
At what point does dried sweet red bell peppers becomes paprika?
Pedaling Fool
12-31-2007, 02:31
Geez, I had no idea there was so many different kinds of paprika.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paprika
Anyhow, just curious, but this thread has me wondering...
At what point does dried sweet red bell peppers becomes paprika?
I'll have to try. Raw red peppers are really good, but when they are dehydrated they are outstanding, when mixed in rice/noodles... All the sweet taste without the water to dilute the taste. Dehydrated Tomatoes also have an outstanding taste when rehydrated in a hot meal.
Don't get me wrong.
If Paprika is good, homemade paprika's gotta be great.
From what I have read paprika is basically dried ground red peppers. It can be hot or sweet. From what I have read it is sometimes difficult to dry and can be in the form of a paste. Anyhow, I think you are definitely onto something there, because in North America we might have a very limited variety of paprika spice, whereas we have a fairly good variety of red peppers.
I have added it to soup, and to rice. I loved it and need to do more of it.
Cheers.
I also like the idea of drying them without grinding them, as you are doing. For more info on drying them you could browse for information on making paprika, and then skip the final step of grinding.
CoyoteWhips
12-31-2007, 07:14
I've dried red bell peppers. They make a nice snack chip -- very crunchy.
Toolshed
12-31-2007, 07:54
John, DO you have a forced air model (with a fan) or one that has no fan. A friend has a fanless model and it does take forever. I use a 12-tray Snackmaster with a fan and it does take 6-8 hours for me depending in the size of the pepper strips. Usually strips that are 1" by 1/2"
I don't know about blanching, but If you "check" them, dip them in boiling water for 30 seconds. I do this with blueberrys to break down the wax. I haven't down it with peppers, but I do start them out with the waxy side down, so the moisture can rise up and out through the other side.
I have dried green bell peppers in the past. I believe they are basically the same (except, of course, not green!! DOH <G>)
I don't remember any problems at all. I cut rings and placed them in the trays of a cheap drier. I came back the next day. they were dry and hard. I stored them in an empty jar.
They worked just fine for the soups and stews I used them in.
Good Luck, but not much luck needed for drying.
Tom
Geez, I had no idea there was so many different kinds of paprika.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paprika
Anyhow, just curious, but this thread has me wondering...
At what point does dried sweet red bell peppers becomes paprika?If you think "regular" paprika is good, try smoked paprika if you can find it. I get it online because I can't find it locally. It's exactly what it sounds like, smoked red bell peppers, dried and ground. Absolutely delicious! :D
Frolicking Dinosaurs
12-31-2007, 09:11
I chop bell peppers before drying them - never had a problem with them taking 12 hours, but I use a dehydrator that controls humidity.
CoyoteWhips
12-31-2007, 09:16
I chop bell peppers before drying them - never had a problem with them taking 12 hours, but I use a dehydrator that controls humidity.
Isn't that what a dehydrator does?
Frolicking Dinosaurs
12-31-2007, 09:20
Isn't that what a dehydrator does?Some are better at it than others - my first dehydrator had condensation issues worse than a single wall tent sitting in a puddle at 40F.....
What kind of Dehydr. do you use? Today, I'm going to try mine out for the first timed, I'm off to the store now to find some peppers. :)
First week of January is going to be experiment with food week.
You'd be surprised on the humidity. My new dehydrator I bought a couple months ago has a computer run sensor that detects how much mositure there is. That controls the fan. (Yes, this wasn't cheap. Thank you business for buying it :D )
As for bell peppers? Jeez, I am lazy. I buy them from Just Tomatoes or Harmony House Foods :D Too much effort for the final product (you can flog me!).
Sarbar, what's the name of the one you got?
I got a new Excalibur for Christmas off an Ebay store, but it looks kind of antiquated. Little dial in the back, big black box with a manual removable front - I was thinking something more streamlined. :)
Pedaling Fool
12-31-2007, 11:57
I have an Excalibur it does have a fan and I can control the temp, but never heard of controlling the humidity:confused: .
I think my problem was that I cut the strips too narrow and while drying the strips rolled up, trapping moisture under the rolled section, without another escape point since the skin is so waxy. I think I'll blanch for my next attempt.
Frolicking Dinosaurs
12-31-2007, 12:38
Because of the size and design of the Excaliber, it does not build up humidity. My 'new' dehydrator isn't made anymore (just found this out when trying to get y'all a link). It was made by Nesco / American Harvester and was called a Gardenmaster Pro Plus
Btw, this is (http://www.amazon.com/LEquip-528-Food-Dehydrator/dp/B00004Z4GQ) what I have.
sarbar, as much stuff as you buy from Harmony House I can't see you dehydrating a lot of stuff unless it is chicken or beef. Harmony House has spoiled you :p
Toolshed
12-31-2007, 18:43
Today, I'm going to try mine out for the first timed, I'm off to the store now to find some peppers. :)
First week of January is going to be experiment with food week.
Just wait until mid-summer when all the roadside stands are brimming with veggies at nice prices.
in the summer, I move my dehydrator out to the garage and keep it going almost 24 hours a day. I use a lamp timer to turn it off after 6-8 hours, so I can still dehydrate every day while I am at work. (fill it in the AM, and everything is usually dry when I get home - though some pieces may need an hour or two longer.
Good advice DSoTM, and I have a large organic garden as well here, so I should learn this sort of thing! So do you just guesstimate time for drying? Dry the same stuff, or do you check it all the time, I assume some veggies take longer than other as per H2o content.
sarbar, as much stuff as you buy from Harmony House I can't see you dehydrating a lot of stuff unless it is chicken or beef. Harmony House has spoiled you :p
Details, details :D Sadly HHF has not seen to making pasta and olives for me yet :rolleyes: So I am (cough, wheeze) forced to still dry stuff. Someday my dreams of being lazy will come true!
Toolshed
01-01-2008, 02:50
Good advice DSoTM, and I have a large organic garden as well here, so I should learn this sort of thing! So do you just guesstimate time for drying? Dry the same stuff, or do you check it all the time, I assume some veggies take longer than other as per H2o content.
Smile, I usually time the first batch of fruit, peppers or tomatoes and then I know within a few hours, either way what the time should be for repeat drying loads. Humidity and temp do play a role, but I have no specifics. Since I usually get started on weekends, I have 2 days to play around before I leave it running while I am at work. I do several bushels each of various vegetables and then freeze and usually give much to family and friends to add to soups and stews and such. I do have it running both day and night though and have been very pleased with my Harvest snackmaster whatever from 1992.
So I am trying my dehydrator right now, for the first time.
I put in apples, bananas, some puree soup, and tomato sauce.
Rubberbandman said the whole place smells like the tomatoes, should I do this separately, like say with onions and garlic on different trays so that the fruit doesn't taste, smell bad? It's only been running on 120 Degrees for about 20 minutes. Ideas? :)
Pedaling Fool
01-01-2008, 17:44
Broccoli has a real bad smell when drying. I don't think the you'll have a problem, but let us know after you're done.
Here's the soup that I put in there in, in a big circular schmear:
An apple, carrot & ginger soup. I wish I could get it into a semi-powder, it was YUMMY.
Here's the recipe ala Smile ( I do not measure )
Some apples and carrots, peeled and diced swathed in a bowl with olive oil and s/p, roast em till they look good, not too soft.
In a pot, olive oil chopped onions, celery and ginger.
Swill them around in the oil till they start to get soft. Add some Veg stock.
Remove from heat, wait for the oven veggies to finish.
Add them to the wet stuff in the pot, add heat and cook for a little while, s/p to taste.
Put in a blender till it's the consistency you like.
Too thick? add a little more of that veg stock.