Preserving Chili – The Best Tips

Preserve chilli yourself – that’s how it works

• Drying: Only dried chillies have a long shelf life, as water in the pods quickly causes mould or fungal growth. You can dry the chillies over the heater, fireplace or in the oven. The oven is best: Place the chillies in the oven at 50 to 70 degrees Celsius for several hours.
• Tip: cut the chillies lengthwise before putting them in the oven. This speeds up drying and lets you see if the chillies are healthy and good. Open a window or the door of the kitchen so that the pungent smell in the air can escape better.
• Pickling: Chillies can also be pickled for a very long time. The important thing is that they are pickled in something very sour. Vinegar is ideal for this, put it in a sealable container and put the chillies in it. You should also halve or slice the chillies. For a better taste, you can additionally put onions or other spices in the container. The container is then stored in a cool and dark place.
• Freezing: Cut up the chillies and pack them in freezer bags, then freeze them in your freezer. So you can keep the chillies for a very long time. A disadvantage of this method, however, is that the chillies are not as crisp as they were before they were frozen. Tip: Only freeze the chilli pods; you should first remove the seeds completely.
• Powder: You don’t get the chillies in their original form, but you can use them very well for seasoning. You can easily make chilli powder by grinding the dried chillies in a mortar. It is important that you remove the cores beforehand. After you have crushed the chillies, you can mix them with other spices to create your own spice mix.