I like spicy food, but I feel like Carolina Reapers are a bit too spicy for me. When you’re ready to try the spiciest peppers, I would suggest you learn how to dry them.
What you need?
If I were drying Carolina Reapers I would start by gathering up some supplies. First I would find the peppers myself, but you can’t just put the peppers in the oven. I suggest looking for the following if you don’t have them.
- Gloves
- Knife
- Oven
- baking tray
I would use the gloves to protect my hands from the heat of the peppers. Touching them with your bare hands can injure you, especially if you touch your face afterwards. I personally would have a couple pairs of gloves on hand in case I needed to touch something, I could switch to a new pair.
I could also use the knife to cut the peppers. This will dry the peppers much faster than leaving them whole. You will use the oven for drying, and you will need to place the Carolina Reapers on the baking sheet.
Prepare your peppers
After you have all of your supplies, I would recommend preheating your oven to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. When you’re done preparing, you can put the peppers in the oven.
I like that when I’m feeling lazy I can just put whole Carolina Reapers on the baking sheet. You will become well dehydrated after enough time. But I could use a grid on the baking sheet to allow air to flow on all sides of the peppers.
But if I’m short on time, I would cut the peppers in half. That way, the drying process doesn’t take as long. I would do it this way if I want to dry the peppers in the morning or later in the day for dinner.
But no matter what, I’d leave the stems on. This makes it easier to grab the peppers when they come out of the oven and you have somewhere to store them.
Vent your kitchen
Another thing I would do is add more ventilation in the kitchen. At the very least, I would turn on the oven vent to keep the pepper spice from seeping into my cabinets and walls.
I also appreciate how this will ensure you are breathing the cleanest air possible.
Now I currently have a kitchen with a window, but I don’t always have. If you can, I would recommend opening the window for more ventilation as well.
Put the peppers in the oven
When you’re done, you can put the peppers in the oven. If you’re using whole peppers, you’ll need to soak them for 10 hours. This makes dehydrating peppers the perfect overnight project so you can make them before bed.
However, if you cut the peppers in half, it only takes about five to six hours. This is a better option if you plan to use the dry Carolina Reapers later in the day.
Depending on your oven and the size of your peppers, set a timer for five hours. If they don’t look quite right, you can leave them in the oven for another hour or so.
Save the peppers
After drying the peppers, you should find a good place to store them. Grab another pair of gloves and use an oven mitt to remove the pan from the oven. Put on the gloves before touching any of the peppers.
Then you can store them in a vacuum bag or other airtight container. After that, the peppers should keep for about a year. You could dehydrate a large batch and make them last so you don’t have to keep repeating the process.
Keep the airtight container in a cool, dry place away from children and pets. It helps to store the container on a higher shelf and label the container in a way that reminds you and others that the peppers are quite hot.
How to use dried Carolina Reaper?
After drying your stash of Carolina Reapers, you might be wondering how to use them. As with any other pepper, you have a few choices. However, make sure to be careful when handling the peppers.
Here are a few ideas to try.
Make a powder
Right after you’re done dehydrating Carolina Reapers, you can turn them into a powder. Place the peppers in a food processor and puree as much as you like.
If you puree them a little less, you’ll end up with pepper flakes. Flakes are good for topping many dishes with a little spice. However, you can mix the peppers more to end up with a Carolina Reaper powder.
Regardless of your desired results, wear gloves and a mask. That way, you don’t inhale the fumes from the peppers or get them on your hands. If they get on your hands or body, be sure to wash them off to avoid a burning sensation.
Add them to a soup
Another way to use your dry reapers is to add them to a soup. You can slice the peppers (with gloves) so they’re cut into smaller pieces and easier to eat.
You can also add whole peppers to the soup. This will add a bit of heat, and you can easily eat around them if you don’t want to get too much flavor in one bite.
If you are making soup for others, make sure they are okay with the pepper before using it. You can always add a pepper or two to your own bowl. Then you can get some seasoning without it affecting the rest of the batch.
Create a hot sauce
Maybe you like the spiciness of a Carolina Reaper, and store-bought hot sauce is never hot enough for you. You can use the dried peppers to create your own hot sauce recipe.
Look for some recipes online for ideas. You should at least add the peppers and some salt and water. Mix all of your chosen ingredients in a food processor and blend until you get a nice, smooth sauce that you can add to your favorite dishes.
