It’s just a few easy steps to roasting and drying your pepper harvest to preserve them for weeks or months.
It’s that time of year, here in Zone 5 anyway, to harvest the last of the peppers. We grow sweet and hot peppers. My husband loves the heat, so we grow a wide variety of hot peppers, Jalapeno, Cayenne (yellow and red), Poblano, Habanero, Scotch Bonnet, hot Bananas.
We have so many we couldn’t possibly eat them before they go bad, and no one near us or who knows us wants any of our hot peppers. So we roast them and dry them. This way we can enjoy them all winter, all year actually!
PREP: Wash, slice and seed.
- Wash and dry thoroughly.
- Slice the tops with the stems off and slice in half from top to bottom. When slicing and removing the seeds from the hot peppers be sure to WEAR GLOVES and be careful to not touch your face! The oil from the pepper skins and the seeds will irritate your skin, and burn your eyes and lips.
- Toss lightly with 2 Tbs of olive oil, being careful not to soak the peppers.
- Put parchment paper on baking sheets. Lay the peppers cut side down if possible, the smaller peppers may curl a bit.
- Roast at 350 F, smaller peppers 15 – 25 minutes, medium to large peppers 30 to 45 minutes, turning the peppers halfway through. If you like a smokier flavor, you can let the pepper skins char a little bit.
The roasted peppers last for up to a week if place in an air tight container. I recommend freezing them if you’re not going to use them within a week. You can do this by first freezing them on a baking sheet, then put them in freezer bags where they will keep for 3 months.
DRYING HOT PEPPERS
If you’re a hot pepper lover, like my husband, you can dry your peppers in a 200 degree oven for 1-3 hours. If you slice your peppers open, they will dry faster. Leave the seeds in them for some serious heat. If you’re not in a hurry and just want the heat from your hot peppers, not layers of smokey flavor produced by roasting, you can simply lay them on a baking sheet and let them air dry, which will take several weeks. Check on them weekly.
Once they’re sufficiently dried, let them cool and then just crunch them with your hands. BE SURE TO WEAR GLOVES and thoroughly wash your hands after you’re done. Avoid touching your face until you’re well scrubbed! Crunching the peppers will release some capsaicin in the air, so if you’re sensitive, open a window or even consider wearing a mask. 
The dried peppers can be kept for months in an airtight container. My husband sprinkles the hot peppers on all kinds of food. Everything but whatever he’s drinking. Tears running down his face, sneezing, it’s all just part of the experience.
What else to use them in you ask? Panini’s, humus, Risotto, Tuna Salad, Chicken Salad, Turkey Sandwich, Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup, Ham Sandwich, Salad, Pasta, Baked Frittata or Omelet with avocado and Onions (now I’m making myself hungry), or as my husband has just said to me – they’re just calling for an Italian Beef sandwich (how very Chicago of him)