want to dry banana peppers need advice

mamagoose · #1 09/26/05, 01:57 PM

I have an over abundance of banana peppers right now. We've been eating the ripe red ones. I have lots of yellow ones. I haven't been able to get a dehydrator yet and the weather doesn't seem like it would be conducive to air drying at this time. Maybe I'm wrong there. DH asked why I can't just hang them up, will that work? If I dry them in the oven, what temp and how do I know they are dry enough? Then how do I store them? TIA for any suggestions!
mamagoose

shadowwalker · #2 09/26/05, 05:38 PM

I dry the peppers by taking a needle and thread about three feet long (doubled). I pierce stem the ends of the peppers, and space the peppers about 1 inch apart. I hang them in a string on the rafters of my shed. Works goody-good. shadowwalker

mamagoose · #3 09/27/05, 11:24 AM

Can I do this at any stage of ripeness? Even when they are yellow?

Barb · #4 09/27/05, 04:44 PM

Banana peppers turn red? I thought they were just yellow - like a banana. Hmm, I guess that's what I get for living "up north" LOL

mamagoose · #5 09/28/05, 08:05 AM

The banana peppers are so-o-o sweet when red.

Marcia in MT · #6 09/28/05, 04:42 PM

Isn't it amazing how peppers change color?

I have used my (unused) car as a dehydrator: prepare the vegetables, put them on a paper towel covered tray, put the trays in the car parked in the sun with the wondows just cracked, and cover the trays with paper or a sheet. It doesn't take long!

While I have dried peppers in strings, I have had a lot of trouble with mold developing inside the pods. I thought I'd have to split them . . . but I'll just put them in the car.

mamagoose · #7 09/29/05, 06:12 AM

Marcia, do you cut yours up before drying or leave them whole?