With conscientious care, you can look forward to a rich yield of fresh pepperoni pods by autumn at the latest. Although the fiery hot fruits add the perfect chilli note to many dishes, you definitely don't want to eat spicy every day. So what to do with the ripe fruit? How about drying or drying them, for example? Below are lots of great tips for preserving a pepperoni.

Hot peppers can be hung to dry

Appropriate Varieties

Drying hot peppers is easier than you think. However, the variety you choose plays an important role. Peppers with thin flesh are ideal. External heat will soon dehydrate you, so the drying process only takes about two weeks. Thick-fleshed varieties run the risk of going moldy before the water has been completely removed. Do you have a rather unsuitable type of pepper? Don't worry, there is a solution for that as well below.

Hot peppers air dry

Drying peppers in the air is the most complex option, but it is also the most natural. Unlike the other methods, you save electricity. In this process you have the choice between two options, which you best make depending on your space capacities:

  • Dry peppers in the sun
  • Thread the peppers

The classic variant

A large yard is ideal for air-drying hot peppers. If this is then also aligned to the south, all the prerequisites for successful drying are right. In the traditional South American way, spread linen, wooden boards or paper on the floor. A small canopy, such as an eaves, provides additional protection from wind and humidity. Now spread out the pods on this surface. Make sure that the fruits do not overlap, but are well distributed. Sunlight does the rest for you.

Tie Ristras

The sight of a ristra immediately puts you in the colorful ambience of Mexico, where the bizarre structures hang at every second market stall. Although each ristra is a small work of art, creating it is very simple. You need:

  • a needle
  • a cord
  • an eyelet or a hook

that's how it works:

  • 1. thread the thread
  • 2. secure one end with a knot
  • 3. now thread the individual pepperoni pods by piercing them with the needle
  • 4. hang the finished string on a hook on the wall. A sunny place is ideal for this

Alternatively, you can also dry the fruit on a conventional line. Proceed in a similar way, only in this case stretch the cord horizontally. If you want a particularly attractive look, you should thread different colored peppers according to a specific pattern.

Pepperoni dry with the dehydrator

A faster variant is to dehydrate a pepperoni. Of course, you need the appropriate device for this. However, dehydrators are available almost everywhere these days and are also available in all price categories. When using such a device, proceed as follows:

  • 1. Wash peppers
  • 2. Remove stems
  • 3. Halve the peppers lengthwise
  • 4. Spread out the halves of the pod on the individual grids (make sure there is enough space here too)
  • 5. Assemble the dehydrator according to the operating instructions
  • 6. Connect the device to a power source

Depending on the performance of the dehydrator and the water content of the peppers, the process takes about eight hours. This method is also suitable for thick-fleshed varieties. In this case, drying takes longer.

Alternatives to the dehydrator

Don't own a dehydrator and don't think it's worth buying? It doesn't matter, an oven has the same effect. Here are the steps you need to take:

  • 1. Wash peppers
  • 2. Lay out the pods on a baking sheet (distribute well)
  • 3. heat in the oven at about 60-80°C (the oven door must remain open a crack)
  • 4. Check the degree of browning of the peppers regularly, adjust the temperature if necessary
  • 5. If the pods can be crumbled with your finger after about eight hours, they are done

storage and use

By grinding or crumbling the dried fruit, you've made your own paprika powder that's sure to taste way better than store-bought. Likewise, your peppers can now be kept almost forever. As a powder, they refine salads, sauces or dips. You can use the end product like a classic condiment. Perhaps you would like to keep a beautiful ristra untouched as a decoration. Otherwise, put the peppers in an airtight container and store in a cool place protected from light.

The garden journal freshness ABC

How can fruit and vegetables be stored correctly so that they stay fresh for as long as possible?

The garden journal freshness ABC as a poster:

  • as a free PDF file to print out yourself

Category:

Vegetable garden