drying Drying without a Dehydrator

JJBagoose

JJBagoose

Hi,

Quick one here.

What is my best option for drying some pods? I don't have a dehydrator.

I searched a saw some people reference using an oven while other mentioned just air drying. What should I do and how do I do it?

Any info would be great.

thanks,
jj
 
your best option, get a nesco dehydrator at walmart for $40

otherwise, I'd do the oven method vs just leaving them out to dry.
I've tried the air dry method & some of them just go bad. but could be location/humidity
 
I move very frequently, and don't want to haul a dehydrator around with me. I cut the pepper into pieces, put them on a sheet of non-stick aluminum foil(coffee filters work well too), put them in the oven set at 180 with the door cracked open. I let them "cook" in there for an hour, then turn the oven off, but leave the door open. I'll let them sit like that overnight, and will repeat the process if needed. Works well for me.
 
origamiRN said:
I move very frequently, and don't want to haul a dehydrator around with me. I cut the pepper into pieces, put them on a sheet of non-stick aluminum foil(coffee filters work well too), put them in the oven set at 180 with the door cracked open. I let them "cook" in there for an hour, then turn the oven off, but leave the door open. I'll let them sit like that overnight, and will repeat the process if needed. Works well for me.
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A dehydrator is a lot lighter than a couch.:P
 
My dehydrator costs 4 cents an hour to run. Is very portable and light. No fire risk and no dodgy wiring and insulation.

I am all for home made and have indeed made my own drying boxes of a few designs over the years and all were bulkier and cost more to run.

Plus if my house burns down due to a home made dryer the insurance company will not say I made it for drying pot or similar and ........... no insurance.

If one cannot afford fourty something bucks for a food dehydrator there is something wrong.
 
Here's a handy tip. Pop them in the oven and just turn the light in the oven on. Usually the bulb is enough to make the oven warm and the peppers should dry out a bit faster than air drying with less risk of cooking them by putting them in a heated oven.
 
j883376 said:
Here's a handy tip. Pop them in the oven and just turn the light in the oven on. Usually the bulb is enough to make the oven warm and the peppers should dry out a bit faster than air drying with less risk of cooking them by putting them in a heated oven.
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But then you run the risk of mold with too much moisture floating around in the closed oven.
 
The only peppers that air dry well for me are cayennes, thais, and some other thin walled peppers, chinenses always go moldy. I'd also avoid the oven method unless its your only choice since the lowest oven temp is still too high for optimal drying, and there's usually no fan to expell the humid air
 
POTAWIE said:
The only peppers that air dry well for me are cayennes, thais, and some other thin walled peppers, chinenses always go moldy.
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same for me. even though the chinense are kinda thin walled they still go bad.


JJ - buying a dehydrator is a wise investment, even a cheaper model but make sure you can adjust the temp.
 
Don't know how you guys who air dry do it but I hang my peppers up on strings near my kitghen window. I've even managed to dry Jalapenos this way. I've tried oven drying but it seems to leech out some of the taste IMO.
 
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