Habanero peppers normally grow green and turn orange or red when ripe.
Habanero peppers are among the hottest members of the chilli pepper family, typically clocking between 100,000 and 350,000 Scoville units, a widely recognized measure of chilli heat. By comparison, original recipe Tabasco sauce has between 7,000 and 8,000 Scoville units. Drying Habanero peppers is a great way of preserving the fruit's intense flavor and heat for later use in stews, chillies or other recipes that could use a little kick. Grinding dried Haberneros into flakes or powder is a sensible way of maximizing your harvest if you grow your own chillies. Ristras, a bunch of peppers hang-dried using a needle and thread, provide an attractive, space-saving alternative to standard rack drying.
Instructions
Wire Rack Drying
1. Wash the peppers under cold running water, gently brushing away any dirt. Dab the peppers dry with a clean kitchen cloth.
2. Arrange the peppers on a wire rack so there is space between the fruit for air to circulate.
3. Place the rack in a dry, well ventilated room. Air must be able to circulate around and between the fruit.
4. Wait a few weeks. The peppers will slowly lose their moisture, giving you perfectly dried peppers.
Hang Drying (Ristras)
5. Wash the peppers under cold running water, gently brushing away any dirt. Dab the peppers dry with a clean kitchen cloth.
6. Pass the needle and thread through the stalk of the pepper, wrap it around several times and pass it through a second time. This pepper will be at the bottom of the ristra.
7. Thread the needle and thread through each stalk, forming a stack as you work.
8. Hang the ristra by the thread in a dry, well-ventilated area. The peppers will lose their moisture over the next few weeks, slowly turning brittle.
Tags: Habanero peppers, needle thread, away dirt, away dirt peppers, between fruit, between Scoville