storage Storing Dried Peppers

[wrinklenuts]

I use glass mason jars

 

[luvmesump3pp3rz]

i recently read a post here that a member ground ALL of his dried peppers and put it in a glass jar and accidentally dropped it and it shattered and he lost all of his harvest. i`m thinking stainless steel is best. 

 

[JD4JC]

Oxygen absorber packets in a vacuum-sealed jar will keep dehydrated peppers in great shape for years. One of these 100 cc packets should be perfect for a jelly-size vacuum jar, or probably even a pint jar.

 

[robanero41]

Grinding into powder is always an option. You could also always add fresh peppers in with the dried for sauces for both flavor and heat.

 

Thanks AndyW!  My only concern with that is when I un-freeze them, won't they rehydrate in the air, and be subject to mold, etc.? I think they are at least 6 months old already. I don't know. Think I'll trash'm to be safe. If I ever buy dried again, they'll go directly into mason jars using vacuum sealer to remove air. Thanks again!

 

[robanero41]

You can use the foodsaver on Mason jars, I do that as well at vacuum pack bags.

 
Thank you dragonsfire! I'm ordering a foodsaver this week. I like that mason jar vacuum attachment. Thanks again!
 

 

[JoynersHotPeppers]

 
Thank you dragonsfire! I'm ordering a foodsaver this week. I like that mason jar vacuum attachment. Thanks again!
 

Yes but you have to buy that special lid which is NOT cheap! I would need a few hundred of them lol

 

[dragonsfire]

Special Lid?
The attachment is all you need.

 

[JD4JC]

Yes but you have to buy that special lid which is NOT cheap! I would need a few hundred of them lol

This FoodSaver canning jar sealer works with regular metal canning lids! Also, the vacuum chamber in the VacMaster VP210 is tall enough to accept pint-size canning jars. If you're wanting to go "whole hog," get a HarvestRight freeze dryer: Its vacuum chamber can vacuum seal several quart jars at once with the heating trays removed. 

 

[ScottsBonnet]

This has been a great thread - like most of you I grow way more peppers than I can eat.  I generally dry mine in halves to a crisp, then place in date-labeled quart storage bags.  Some I will crush by hand to make flakes, just crushing the bag.  For powder I use a mortar and pestal.  I also sometimes freeze the peppers whole in freezer bags.  I have done this before with red Scotch bonnets, then taken them out two years later and dehydrated to make flakes - worked just fine.
 
Recently I made a slight mistake that I hope is correctable.  I dehydrated a batch of peppers but they are not quite crispy.  I bagged them, waiting for more to ripen, thinking I could dehydrate the next batch down to this level, then add the 'bendy' ones.  Will that work, or do I need to freeze the non-crisp ones?
 
To the guy who only grows Scotch bonnets - I ordered some chocolate starters this year from New Jersey and have two ripe peppers (finally!).  Looking forward to eating them this week.
 
Great thread - it seems like you guys have tried everything!

 

[dragonsfire]

I still have a Red Habanero mash in a 500ml mason that I Vacuum sealed and its still good no bulging (have it in the fridge), 2 years old, some liquid separation, thats it.

 

[JoynersHotPeppers]

Guess they fixed something lol,I'll test with my new one since I broke my old one two weeks ago after thousands of pounds of meat being processed. 

 

[JD4JC]

Just started a small batch of Habaneros Cayenne pods. When done (48 Hrs?) I'll man up and powder them as well as the Ghosts.
 
 

 

[JD4JC]

Here are pix of the post freeze-dried results. First photo is the tray out of the dryer, second is of three vac-sealed jars with Ghost Peppers, habaneros and cayenne peppers, waiting for me to gain the courage to powder them.(I don't now why the posting shows the habaneros as orange, as they are actually pretty bright yellow).
 
Unfortunately, our nine-week old Australian Shepherd grabbed one of the little Ghost chunks that fell on the floor, but happily I got it away from her before she chewed it up. In any event, she welcomed ice cubes to cool down the problem!