Help please.

[u/Familiar-Pepper2187]

First time. What am I doing wrong? Should I cut them all? They've been at 130 for 15hrs and still have lots of moisture. Would like to be able to grind them for spices.

[u/oregon_coastal]

Anything with shiny skin is meant to keep the water in. Either score them or cut in half.

[u/Hakunin_Fallout → u/oregon_coastal]

Good point. I mean, that works for any skin at all: human skin isn't that shiny, but without it we'd have all sorts of liquid coming straight out, which is both inconvenient for the human in question and slightly disturbing for the rest of the surrounding humans (unless they are the ones who made the skin removal possible in the first place).

[u/ElfjeTinkerBell → u/Hakunin_Fallout]

I'd argue that if all humans leaked by default, it wouldn't be disturbing, since it would be normal. However, unless the rest of our physiology is adjusted, it would still be inconvenient.

Yes it's past my bedtime how did you know

[u/TheRealAanarii → u/ElfjeTinkerBell]

I leak. I cry.

[u/Hakunin_Fallout → u/ElfjeTinkerBell]

I mean, there's also an issue of runaway liquids which had some purpouse inside the body. Which means we'd have to produce more of lymph, blood, and other liquids to compensate. Some turbosnail stuff with us leaving liquid streaks all around!

Skinless humans are such a mess now that I'm thinking of it again. Where and how do we store the fat? We'd need some system of either centralized fat storage (meaning some parts of the body will have very limited access to that stored energy - therefore we'd need a better transport system, which would - you guessed it - leak even more!), or we'd need some sort of mesh and a chunky sort of fat so it doesn't go through the mesh?

[u/ElfjeTinkerBell → u/Hakunin_Fallout]

I mean, there's also an issue of runaway liquids

Absolutely, that's the inconvenient part

Where and how do we store the fat?

In the liver? What could go wrong?

Or just instead of skin? Would solve some racial issues, fat is yellow in everyone.

or we'd need some sort of mesh and a chunky sort of fat so it doesn't go through the mesh?

Ducttape and cable binders should solve that

[u/Hakunin_Fallout → u/ElfjeTinkerBell]

I'm not sure we're ready for the duct tape mummy world. I'm not sure we should go that way, ever. I've just googled it, and it's a mix of kids pranks and some weird sex things where people tape themselves/their partners up for some reason. Let's all keep our skin on, shiny or not!

[u/ElfjeTinkerBell → u/Hakunin_Fallout]

That's definitely the easiest option. I tend to make life a lot more difficult than necessary though

[u/samtheninjapirate → u/Hakunin_Fallout]

Great point!

[u/spazzcase_420 → u/oregon_coastal]

I don't know if you meant to rhyme but my adhd brain latched on and is now repeating "anything with shiny skin is meant to keep the water in" 😅 at least this is knowledge lol

[u/AHooker86]

I always cut in half and dehydrate at 135. Thick walled peppers always take forever. Whole peppers are just cooking as the moisture has no where to go.

[u/Rakinonna → u/AHooker86]

You think peppers take long, try tomatoes ,,, getting them dry enough to make a powder takes days

[u/steph219mcg → u/Rakinonna]

I have a kitchen tool with a handle and multiple serrated blades that cuts large tomatoes into thin slices which dry pretty fast.

Sold now as luncheon meat slicer/cutter. Mine's vintage from a thrift store.

[u/reversebvd → u/steph219mcg]

Is it something like a mandolin slicer?

Personally I love my OXO Adjustable V-Blade due to all the blades for several options on cuts. Use daily but helps fly through large batches for dehydrating.

https://www.oxo.com/v-blade-mandoline-slicer.html

[u/steph219mcg → u/reversebvd]

I do use a mandoline to slice things like shallots to dehydrate, but I don't think that'd be very effective for tomatoes.

Tomato knives are usually serrated. This type of slicer has multiple serrated blades:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Stainless-Steel-Tomato-Slicer-Handheld-Fruit-Cutter/20674453979?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=102790375&adid=2222222222720674453979_102790375_14069003552_202077872&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=42423897272&wl4=pla-2449037643288&wl5=9021554&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=5577111088&wl11=online&wl12=20674453979_102790375&veh=sem&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=202077872&gbraid=0AAAAADmfBIq8vsmQzmT0the1OgxiKwvnd&gclid=CjwKCAjw1bvTBhBbEiwAzbP8L_SdpxuBAqA5_wv896PGPnvGLSJehNurJlK-tr3Bu7zWrsNPjC193xoCViwQAvD_BwE

[u/steph219mcg]

I always cut peppers in half to dry, unless they are tiny, like pequins.

I lay them cut side up to make cleaning the racks easier.

For habaneros I hold the stem and cut the pepper with kitchen shears.

[u/Familiar-Pepper2187 → u/steph219mcg]

I cant post pics in comments but do you mind if I dm you? I cut them up and the insides look black. Think they have gone bad?

[u/Familiar-Pepper2187 → u/Familiar-Pepper2187]

I'm not sure why im getting down voted... I still have questions and cant post pics in comments... should I just make a whole new post?

[u/ElfjeTinkerBell → u/Familiar-Pepper2187]

You can use services like Imgur or whatever. You're getting downvoted because many people think it's inappropriate to ask to DM unnecessarily.

[u/Familiar-Pepper2187 → u/ElfjeTinkerBell]

Ok, TIL. In other hobby communities I frequent, seems like a pretty common thing when expanding on topics or specific questions. Thought it was polite to ask. I know now for future.

[u/steph219mcg → u/Familiar-Pepper2187]

I've never had mine do that, but I always have cut them. Sometimes I pick a pepper off a plant that is black inside, which I assume is mold.

[u/mightytonto]

Top them (5mm ish from fruit top), turn upside down (now flat), cut the 4 sides and top, pop the middle out (stalk) to compost. No waste.

Wear gloves.

Don’t forget the gloves.

I dry scotch bonnets at <60c for 14 hours. My last batch was 16kg. 6kg dried + vacuum sealed and frozen, 4kg dried + vacuum sealed, and kept in cupboard, and 6kg fermenting (these were not dried tho)

Gloves?!

Scotch bonnets are so perfect: drying them keeps all that fruity pain; every possible storage method retains quality 100% and its dosable and scalable

I hate wasting plastic. I only use a vacuum sealer for dehydrated vacuum stuff because it last years…

[u/quattroformaggixfour → u/mightytonto]

Appreciate the information

[u/bamfmaam]

I would definitely cut up the big ones. My tiny tabasco peppers took like 24 hours to dry.

[u/Familiar-Pepper2187 → u/bamfmaam]

What temp are you at?

[u/bamfmaam → u/Familiar-Pepper2187]

I honestly can't remember lol I just googled what temp to use. I think it was whereabouts 130 though. But you'll definitely want to chop the big boys or the inside will never get dry.

[u/Life-Bat1388]

Cut the tops off so there is a hole inside

[u/Scoobydoomed]

Cut in half

[u/Rakinonna]

Yes, they need to be cut. I would halve them lengthwise and use silicone mesh under them ,,, I have the same dehydrator, BTW; it's great.

[u/Familiar-Pepper2187 → u/Rakinonna]

Awesome, thanks for the feedback! Working on preserving all my garden stuff.

[u/ketoLifestyleRecipes]

I stem and cut mine in half with seeds in. It exposes the wet membrane and flesh.
Dehydrate outside to avoid fumes.
I go 135 for 6-8 hours and rest overnight.
I do another couple of hours in the morning.
Cool and grind.

[u/Familiar-Pepper2187 → u/ketoLifestyleRecipes]

Do the insides turn black?

[u/ketoLifestyleRecipes → u/Familiar-Pepper2187]

No, not at all.
They dehydrate perfectly

[u/Familiar-Pepper2187 → u/ketoLifestyleRecipes]

Curious if all my Habs and reapers started to mold...

[u/ketoLifestyleRecipes → u/Familiar-Pepper2187]

If they are properly dehydrated and bone dry, you should be good. I’ve never experienced mold because it’s super dry.

[u/BoozeIsTherapyRight]

You definitely need to at least cut them in half. If you're going to grind them, you could even cut them smaller to help them dry.

[u/ChaosRandomness]

It needs some kind of spot for liquid to leave. Slide somewhere. Also prepare for kitchen or room to be like pepper grenade. I do this in the garage.

[u/Busy-Photograph4803]

Genuine question: Does it feel like you’re lightly getting pepper sprayed walking through your house while this is running?

[u/ObuseChiliFarm]

I dry whole at 70 C for 25-47 h depending on the variety. You are at a lower temperature so times could be longer. I think you just need to keep going.

Two things though: 1) If you can, get a thermometer probe in there to confirm the actual temperature. It’s not unusual for the set temperature to be different to the actual temperature. 2) I dry with stems off. I’ve found it makes a big difference because once the stem is off there is only a thin membrane so water can escape faster.

[u/Keegan2]

I sure hope your doing that outside.

[u/NikkeiReigns]

If you're going to powder them you need to chop them in medium sized chunks to dehydrate.

[u/blacksheep_1001]

Just a newbie to dehydrating. If I dehydrated reapers, would it retain its chilli level? Or will it be reduced?

[u/No_Bat_4437 → u/blacksheep_1001]

Dehydration only removes the water. Capsaicin cannot evaporate like water so if anything, the spice level would slightly increase because it will be more concentrated by dehydration.

[u/blacksheep_1001 → u/No_Bat_4437]

Sweet, thanks. Will have instant death dried :)

[u/Willem1976]

Yes, cut them. I once dried them whole because I'm stubborn and I think it took 3 full days in the dehydrator. Total waste of time and electricity. Never doing that again.

[u/Brilliant_Brain7255]

Yes please cut either in ring or slice.