Chiles, Rehydrating Dried (2024)

FAQs

Chiles, Rehydrating Dried? ›

Soak chiles in enough hot tap water to be completely submerged, stirring them every few minutes, making sure they are plumping evenly. Usually 15-30 minutes is enough time to make them pliable, much longer and the flavor begins to weaken.

Put the chillies in a bowl of lukewarm water and place a small plate on top to keep them submerged. Leave to soak until soft and fully rehydrated (this can take as long as 15-30 minutes, depending on the size).

So when you have removed the stem, butterfly the chili by cutting it open lengthwise, run your fingers on the inside removing the seeds and as much of the inner membrane as possible. The seeds of the dried variants add more bitterness than heat, which is why they are often removed before using.

Soak the Chiles

After roasting the chiles, place them in a bowl and cover them with hot water. The chiles will need to soak 20 to 30 minutes depending on how thick they are. Use a spoon to occasionally push them under the water if they float too much.

Set the dehydrator to 125 degrees and begin checking the peppers after 4 hours. Depending on the size and freshness of the pepper, this can take anywhere from 4-24 hours. Peppers are finished drying when they are leathery or brittle to the touch.

A dry chile is a pod packed with flavor and can deliver varying amounts of spicy fire. If they are improperly stored, they can quickly lose flavor and may even show signs of mold. With proper storage, they can remain viable to use for 1-2 years after your purchase.

If you find guajillo peppers to be too strong in flavor or heat, California chiles are the ideal guajillo substitute in this case. California chiles have a milder heat and sweetness compared to guajillos. These chiles are best used in casseroles, soups and sauces that call for a milder flavor profile.

A Mexican chile with medium heat and a sweet, fruity undertone, the Guajillo chile can be compared to New Mexico chiles. However, the flavor is deeper and sweeter, making it essential to Mexican dishes and any fusion experiment. (De-Stemmed peppers reduce process and preparation time in the kitchen.

Chili peppers have roughly 0.1 mg/g of pepper or 3 g/oz. So, if you soak an ounce of red pepper in about 100 mL of water, you should be able to extract most of the capsaicin, though you would want to mince the entire pepper, including the seeds, where most of the capsaicin is, to improve the extraction efficiency.

Place the chiles on a medium/hot griddle and roast them for 3-4 minutes. Turn often to prevent burning. Remove from griddle and place them in a bowl and cover them with hot water. Soak for 20-30 minutes.

Why you should wash dried chiles? ›

Chile peppers are often dried in the fields they're grown in. So it is normal for them to arrive with some dust or dirt on them, just like produce from the grocery store. Simply wipe them clean with a warm, damp towel.

Did you know that toasting dried chiles actually increases their flavor? The best way to do this is in the oven.

Place the peppers on the trays of the dehydrator making sure there is plenty of room for air circulation. Dehydrate at 145°F for 6-10 hours depending on the size of the peppers.

After the bell pepper the next 5 mildest dried chiles are Aji Paprika (120 – 140 SHU), Choricero (175 – 300 SHU), Nora (500 – 1,000 SHU), Anaheim (500 – 1,000 SHU), and Aji Panca (500 – 1,500 SHU).