How to Make Dried Red Chili Flakes

Every summer I harvest an abundance of cayenne peppers from my garden – way too many to eat fresh, so I dry them! Let me tell you how to make dried red chili flakes the easy way – no special equipment needed here; just a baking tray and a warm oven!

I love to grow lots of spicy hot peppers in my backyard raised garden beds. This year I’m growing a dozen different varieties. Usually, I end up loving them all, but cayenne pepper will always be a favourite of mine. Not only are they easy to grow, but they deliciously spicy, and the sight of a cayenne-loaded plant gives me so much pleasure. The question remains though – what do I do with all of those peppers? Well, I like to make my own dried red chili flakes and this post will tell you exactly how!

Just in case you’re curious, another thing I like to do is to make my own Cayenne Pepper Sauce. Canned Cayenne Pepper Sauce might conjure up images of your tongue being on fire, but it really isn’t that bad. Sure, if you decided to spoon some of the sauce right into your mouth, you might feel like you’re going to die. But, who is going to eat it with a spoon!? The sauce is meant for dipping, drizzling, seasoning, and flavouring.

The sauce has everything I need to make me happy when it comes to hot and spicy food. It is spicy and sweet and it has heat and umami. I love the complexity that the fresh garlic and vinegar add too. If you’re into spicy food at all, and if you love sauces as much as I do, you might want to try it too! It’s going to add so much flavour to your favourite dishes.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Fresh Cayenne Peppers
• Aluminum Foil – Technically not an ingredient, but you will need it – along with a baking sheet!

HOW TO MAKE DRIED RED CHILI FLAKES

Begin by preheating your oven to 180 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. You may need more than one baking sheet depending on how many cayenne peppers you are drying. If your oven can only fit one or two baking sheets at a time, you will need to dry the peppers in batches. It is important to place the peppers on the baking trays in a single layer.

Next, wash the peppers by filling a large bowl or your very clean sink with cold water. Add the fresh, very red and ripe cayenne peppers to the water and swish them around gently a few times to wash. Remove the cayennes from the water in large handfuls and transfer to a clean kitchen towel. Gently press the peppers dry.

Transfer the peppers to the prepared baking sheet and set it into the preheated oven. You will need to dry the peppers for 3-4 hours. Check the peppers after the first 90 minutes. Gently shake the baking sheet to move the peppers about. Rotate the pan and set it back in the oven for another 90 minutes. For the next hour, pay closer attention to your peppers, because depending on the size, they may need more or less time. Once the peppers are completely dried, they will easily break and crumble. You can remove fully dried peppers from the tray and set them into a glass bowl to cool. Return the peppers that need more time back to the oven and bake in 20 minute increments. Before packing for storage, make sure your chili peppers are fully cooled.

HOW TO STORE DRIED RED CHILI FLAKES

Once your chili flakes are ready for storage, you have a few options. You may store your chili flakes whole or crumbled. You can use either air-tight storage containers or food-safe Ziploc bags. My favourite way to store them is in a small, clean mason jar.

Whatever you do, keep them in a cool place out of direct sunlight! This is starting to sound like the Gremlins movie! Also, don’t forget to label your containers or jars with the date and the name of the pepper. Once you get to the point where you are drying several types of peppers, it becomes easy to mistake one for the other!

Most dried peppers have the freshest flavour if you use them within 18 months of storing them. In my case, I used dried chili flakes quite often to add some heat or spice to my favourite foods. I like to keep them whole and only crush enough to last 3-6 months. I store the whole dried peppers and the pepper flakes the same way – in mason jars.

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down below the recipe card to find my Follow Me on Social Media box and never miss another recipe!