Re: [CH] Drying question...

Mike Stallcup (michael.stallcup@msfc.nasa.gov)
Fri, 25 Oct 2002 13:28:15 -0500

>Frost is not a problem if you dry them right after. If you leave them on the
>plant for several days after the frost damage they will start to rot.

Recently, I've been putting the abundance of my chile patch (both 
green and ripe chiles) into my gas grill to smoke.  Since I don't 
have a true low-temperature smoker I adjust the fire in the grill so 
the hickory or walnut chips just smolder.  I've found that about 2 
hours will produce half-dried, smokey flavored chiles.  I then move 
them into my dehydrator (American Harvest with fan and adjustable 
temperature) to finish the drying job.  After they are dry, I grind 
them in a small jar which fits onto my Oster blender, sieve out the 
seeds (under the kitchen exhaust fan which leads to the outside), 
then store the powder in used shaker bottles which previously held 
spices.

BTW, I also have quite a few roasted NM green/red chiles in Ziplock 
bags in the freezer.  I feel like an ant from the parable about the 
ants and the grasshopper - storing up supplies for the winter.  On 
the other hand, there is nothing like a slice of fresh hot pizza with 
your own variety of hickory-smoked ripe serrano chile powder dusting 
the top.

-- 
Mike  (C-H #36, hab seed intact)
Carpe Capsicum!
(My words, not NASA's)