Homemade Chili Powder

Home made Chili Powder who would have imagined it would be so easy. Gather all those beautiful peppers you grew this last season and dry them out. You may have a large selection or just one type pf pepper the amount is not important. 

Once you have gathered your peppers. I have made Cheyenne Powder from the peppers I used to make my own Hot Sauce. This process is a type of fermentation followed by gathering your peppers to dry for powder. I will link at the bottom of this post so you do not get side tracked. 

Here are a few tools you will need to Dry in the Oven

• Peppers
• Food Processor
• Gloves
• Mask or swimming goggles
• Cookie Sheet
• Parchment Paper
• Strainer

You may also use a dehydrator to dry your peppers I will give instructions on this  once we have completed this process. 

****** A Few Cautionary Tips ********

Use gloves to protect your hands. You do not want to rub your eyes or lick those fingers once any pepper residue has gotten on them.

Chili Peppers contain a compound called capsaicin. This compound can cause a burning sensation in the nose and lungs. When this compound comes in contact with your mucous membranes, it causes irritation and inflammation. This can cause you to cough, choke, wheeze and make breathing difficult. In sever cases it can cause lung damage. Be extra cautious when opening an oven when drying peppers. Keep the fan on over the oven.

I hope this does not stop you. I have had to learn the hard way these little tips but believe you do not want to breath it. I have and it is not fun. Just remember do not rush use your head and stay ventilated when making anything with peppers. 

Alright gather all your tools. Clean your peppers and remove the stems. You do not have to cut the top off just if there is a blemish on your peppers. 

 With your glove's, goggles and mask have your  food processor ready and start to chop the peppers and put them into the food processor seeds and all. You just want to chop them not pulverize them. 

Once chopped you will spread them onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Pop them into a 140 degree oven and keep the oven a crack open to let the air circulate and not create any moisture. Turn the cookie sheet every 20 minute's until dried. This could take up to 4 hours. 

 Here is a picture of the how much is on my cookie  sheet. 

Once your seeds and stuff have dried all that is needed is to crush them. I sometimes will use an old coffee grinder turn spice maker for this step. 

But my go to is my Mortar and Pestle I do all the time. Here is a picture mine is granite I got when I went to Santa Fe for a cooing class.  I love it. 

With Chili Powder you can keep seeds crushed but not pulverized. I like mine a bit finer texture when they are super hot peppers. This way I can be a bit more cautious. A pepper seed can be a blast of heat but alone on your tongue yikes.

So for this the Coffee Grinder works best. 

Beautiful is it not ! Creating your own spices are endless. I also have many posts on freezing and dehydrating so many of your herbs and things you grow in your own garden. 

Make your own Tabasco Sauce