• If you can't find a "Hot" category that fits, post it here!

Dehydrating frozen peppers

A

ako1974

Going off CraftyFox's post:
 
http://thehotpepper.com/topic/70292-dehydrating-peppers/
 
Has anyone ever tried to thaw frozen peppers and dehydrate them? I consume most of my peppers in winter in a dried form, typically as powder, though I do keep a stock of whole/halved peppers in the freezer for use.
 
I recently found a bunch of ghosts in the back of the freezer. They're in good condition, but not from this year. I would like to dry them and grind into powder, but will the peppers be completely altered by thawing? I guess maybe the skins will dislodge. 
 
If you have dried after thawing, would you cut them up first, or leave them whole/halved?
 
I actually did this about a week ago.
 
I had given some ghost and fatalii peppers to a friend about 16 months ago, but they were apparently too hot and got tossed in their freezer. Fast forward to a couple weeks ago..my friend confessed that the peppers were never used. So, I figured it was as good a time as any to try dehydrating frozen peppers.
 
I noticed that in the process of taking them out and putting them onto the trays (it was a bit slow and tedious) the peppers thawed just enough to separate but held together. It seems like they went quicker in the dehydrator, probably due to a bit of freezer burn & having their cell walls stabbed to oblivion by ice crystals.
 
For the most part, they seem to have a good deal of heat (I use them crushed in a grinder), maybe a little less or it's just my imagination due to knowing they're previously frozen.
 
Boarider said:
I'm guessing you can also smoke the frozen peppers the same way?
Fresh peppers I smoke for an hour or so then to the dehydrator.
Click to expand...
 
I'm looking for an answer to that question as well.
I'm not getting huge pepper harvests.  A few ripe ones here and there, still lots of green ones.
 
I want to know if I can harvest the ripe ones daily, throw them in the freezer, then when I have a good amount process them same as fresh.
 
mitchNC said:
 
I'm looking for an answer to that question as well.
I'm not getting huge pepper harvests.  A few ripe ones here and there, still lots of green ones.
 
I want to know if I can harvest the ripe ones daily, throw them in the freezer, then when I have a good amount process them same as fresh.
Click to expand...
Yep, you can.
 
great topic and answers! I just found a big bag of jalapenos from last year and was wondering the same thing.
 
I found that the frozen peppers (after dehydrating) are much darker coloured than the fresh ones from the same plant.  So yellow scotch bonnets make a dark mustardy-coloured powder (french mustard, I suppose, not that bright yellow stuff you put on hot dogs.)  Still works, though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top