Do you like trying new foods that kick to larger dishes? Then, you may be interested in learning how to use dried chipotle peppers! These delicious peppers are easy to use, cook with, and make on your own! Surprisingly, drying and dehydrating peppers does not take long, especially with the right tools.
The hardest part is figuring out how to use dried chipotle peppers after you have either made them or purchased them! Thankfully, there are many ways to look up dried chipotle pepper recipes where you can emphasize the flavors and textures of these peppers.
What Are Dried Chipotle Peppers?
So, what exactly are dried chipotle peppers? You may be confused and surprised to find out that ‘chipotle’ peppers are actually very ripe jalapeno peppers! These easy-to-grow and harvest peppers are a favorite in my household. We use them for almost every meal.
As these peppers begin to grow and ripen, they actually change color. It is often easier to find them as a vibrant green, but they do ripen to a red and purpose. The ripening process does not take long and is basically effortless! You can dry them on the vine and off of the vine.
Dried chipotle peppers are delicious and although they are dehydrated and the water of these peppers is taken out, the flavor and the heat levels do not change! Instead, they are given a smoked flavor that is a preference amongst authentic Mexican food eaters.
What Is The Purpose Of Drying Peppers?
So, why do we dry peppers? What is the purpose of this practice? This practice has been around for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Drying jalapeno peppers, and just about any pepper, is to elongates the shelf life. Although these peppers typically last a long time, they also rot rather quickly when taken off the plant!
Before we can understand how to use dried chipotle peppers, we need to know why this practice is done and how! These are great options for when there is a large harvest and you do not have time to cook all of the peppers before they go to waste.
The practice of drying and dehydrating peppers is also unique and a favorite amongst Mexican food eaters because it saves space! Surprisingly, it does not take long to do, but we will go more into detail in the next section. You can also make a chipotle pepper powder when you grind your peppers after drying.
How To Dry Chipotle Peppers
How exactly do you dry chipotle peppers? From what we know, dried chipotle peppers, how to use is a process of grinding afterward. Before you can grind these hot peppers though, you have to dry them properly.
First, you need to clean, deskin, and remove the pit from the jalapeno pepper. Make sure you choose some peppers that are large and already ripe. They should be a purple to red color, typically at this stage you can also smell the heat and savoriness of the pepper!
Afterward, either in the oven or in a dehydrator, add the peppers carefully to a tray so that they dry properly all together. Once this is done, they are ready to be stored. It is important to store your dried chipotle peppers in a large container with a tight lid. Any air can bring in bacteria and cause the dried peppers to go stale.
How To Use Dried Chipotle Peppers
Before we start to take about how to use dried chipotle peppers, we need to discuss the many ways that we can manipulate and change chipotle peppers. Some recipes call to rehydrate the chipotle peppers for flavor and texture, while others recommend grinding these peppers into a powder for color and seasoning.
No matter which way you figure out how to use dried chipotle peppers, the flavor remains the same with a hint of smokiness from the drying process, this is especially true if you use the oven when drying chipotle peppers.
Delicious Dishes To Try that Use Dried Chipotle Pepper Recipes
Now, here is the fun part of figuring out how to use dried chipotle peppers, the dried chipotle pepper recipes! What can you use these peppers for? Personally, I like making my own seasoning and powder. It is my way of how to use dried chipotle peppers.
But, how do you this? Take a grinder or a blender and add the peppers with whatever seasonings you would like. I like a high concentration of these peppers, so I don’t add any extras in the blender or grinder. When you grind the pepper, it should turn into a fine powder.
The hardest part on how to use dried chipotle peppers is actually the storing process once you cook with them! After making a powder or seasoning, it is best to also add this powder in air tight containers! This way, you do not lose flavor over time.
Thankfully, you won’t have to worry about mood or the food growing bacteria as there is a lack of water. However, once you rehydrate these peppers, you cannot dry them again. Rehydrating chipotle peppers reintroduces water to the pepper, which can make it soggy with time.
You can use these peppers in soups to as a base! If you want the color and the flavor to show in a soup or stew, simply rehydrate these peppers and smash them into a paste. This paste can be cooked with other ingredients to make a delicious soup!
Conclusion
In conclusion, dried chipotle peppers are a treat! These ripened jalapenos have a delicious flavor with a texture like no other! Have you learned more about how to use dried chipotle peppers? If yes, let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!
The same goes for if you know someone who would benefit from learning how to use dried chipotle peppers! Please share this article and start a discussion, maybe you can collaborate on making a delicious and unique recipe that uses these peppers!
FAQs
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