Like many I have limited storage space. So I’ve been moving more towards dehydrating and vacuum packing. There’s advantages in both space saving and longer term storage of produce that would spoil rather quickly in comparison to fresh.
Early on I posted a little about dehydrating, while I had used a dehydrator for years to make jerky I was pretty green on everything else except banana chips.
I’m constantly trying and learning new things. I currently have cucumbers, carrots and jalapenos dehydrating, and I will add beets this coming season as well.
I decided to grind my last batch of jalapenos to use as seasoning. You can buy it easily enough but I’m working towards being as self sufficient as possible.
This was done in a small blender, I ground and chopped until the peppers were a fine powder, I then walked away and allowed the dust to settle for some time before attempting to remove the lid. When I came back I gently lifted the lid off, placed the paper plate over the top of blender container and flipped it upside down onto the kitchen table. Once again, I walked away for some time to allow the dust to settle. Trust me when I say you won’t regret waiting longer than you think you should to let the dust settle. Slow and easy does it.
If you decide to do jalapenos I’d encourage you to wear rubber gloves as well as watch some videos on youtube or at least talk to someone who has done it. If you breath in the dust or fumes or get them in your eyes or nose you will be very sorry! It’s quite painful and easy enough to avoid.
That being said I take no responsibility for anything anyone else does. Know what you’re doing, protect yourself with appropriate PPE and be careful!
Much of what I’m dehydrating I’m grinding into powder. The cucumbers will be kept as chips for snacks or rehydrated for salads and such.
The carrots and beets will be powdered for a varity of uses. You can easily Google uses for the powders.
For my jalapenos I used a makshift dryer to get them started. After a couple of days of sunshine on a Summer day I find I can finish them indoors with out much issue.
I have also learned that by leaving the peppers whole they can be dehydrated indoors without a great deal of eye burning. You will no doubt smell them as they dry but it will depend on how sensitive you are to the capsaicin I believe. I personally found it similar to the smell of roasted peppers when I dried my Anaheims.
Since I’ve started this I have also dehydrated cilantro and onions.
Do not, I repeat do not try dehydrating onions in your house! If you fail to heed this warning, you will cry and your entire house and everything within will reak of onion for days, if not weeks. And if you live in an apartment, your neighbors will cry and hate you.
If you want to dehydrate onions I highly suggest you find a place outdoors or in a garage or other shed outside the home to do it in. I personally think they taste better than store bought but make sure to think it through before making your first attempt.
I will assume if you do this in a garage where you park a vehicle it will smell like onions for some time in said vehicle and you should assume the same, so don’t be upset with me if you cry while driving your car. And yes the smell is that strong and it will hang around.
You may also want to try to do this as far away from others as humanly possible to keep the peace with those living around you.
Best of luck in all your ventures!
Slocum's Creak 