drying chillis

[Michelle]

Hi

I've just read the great thread on pickling chillis, but with time/space/money at a minimum at the moment I think I'm just going to dry them. I've just got a few questions first...

I've never grown chillis before, and have several cayenne and jalepeno plants.

Do I literally just thread through the stalks and hang in a window?

Only a couple have gone red so far, should I leave some more on the plants to go red? They won't change after I've picked them will they?

How long can I keep them hanging in a window?

What is the best way to use them once dried?

Thanks!

Michelle

[kernowyon]

Do I literally just thread through the stalks and hang in a window?

That is what i generally do but there is a way of making a Ristra, the link is here Ristra Page

Only a couple have gone red so far, should I leave some more on the plants to go red? They won't change after I've picked them will they?

they do continue to ripen/turn red as they are drying out, depends on the type really

How long can I keep them hanging in a window?

I dry mine in the airing cupboard, never tried the window

What is the best way to use them once dried?

i just crumble them into whatever I am cooking, some I roughly crush into an old pepper grinder and use them as a condiment

I expect someone else with a bit more knowledge will improve on this post, so I will be watching with anticipation

[Alice]

Michelle, if you want to dry them just spread them out on a tray and leave them anywhere. They will dry out allright.
They freeze very well. Just spread them on a tray and put in the freezer. Once frozen tip them into a freezer bag and clip closed. Use as required.

[Dipzy]

I harvest loads of chillis yesterday and wasn't sure what to do so I put them in a mixer and whizzed them down to a chuncky paste and froze them in ice cube trays so I can add them to meals as I need them over winter.