Drying Chilli for powder

[Smokey]

I use two ways. A food dehydrator or if I want them smoked like Ancho? pre dried then smoked and now dried and smoked at the same time in a pellet (GMG) smoker.
However you must keep the temp below 165F /73c otherwise you cook them rather than dry. 150F / 66c is ideal
In the past for smoked chilli powder, and i've always been happy with the outcome is to semi dry them in the sunbeam dehydrator till semi soft like an apricot and then cold smoke them using a Pro Q smoke generator. Then back on the sunbeam till crispy dry.
Then I buzzed them in a magic bullet to a powder.
They can also be dried and or smoked in any bbq that can hold 66C for 6 hours.
Keeping a few heat beads going in a kettle or komado should do the trick.
An indor oven will do them or even string them up and hang in the sun.
There is nothing like fresh chilly powder to make your rubs really stand out. Its not so much the heat kick, Its the fruityness that dies away and is often absent in the store bought stuff.

How do others do it?

[Card Shark]

OK, so just going the BBQ processing route from picking to drying and smoke. I reckon with a good gasket mid 60c is doable in a Kamado but appreciate a pellet would excel here and probably too gas. So to the smoke, which variety of chilli with what...? And how do you judge generally the way they progress without cooking them and when they're done? CS

[Smokey]

OK, so just going the BBQ processing route from picking to drying and smoke. I reckon with a good gasket mid 60c is doable in a Kamado but appreciate a pellet would excel here and probably too gas. So to the smoke, which variety of chilli with what...? And how do you judge generally the way they progress without cooking them and when they're done? CS

Using the pro q I was limited to what I had localy. She Oak worked really well so that was what I used.
Any variety will work however I do try to keep to the basics like cayane, tobasco, jalopino.
This year Im growing mild to just hot Mex types such as Large Biker Billy Jals, Poblanos (Ancho)
The super hots were just too stupidly hot however they do bring a very distinct fruity flavour. Almost pineapple ish.
Even if your temp is at mid sixtys, You do feel like your cooking them. You just have to trust it and push through until you can snap them.
They do further dry after removing. I put them in a tray for a few days before powdering, Then into a glass jar.
I zap them as I need them as they seem to hold flavour better whole or halved.
Bit like coffee beans, Once ground it looses complexity fast

[fishmilkshake]

Similar but different.
http://www.aussiebbq.info/forum/viewtop ... =11&t=9724


FMS

[Groovy Gorilla]

We would sow a string through the stalks and hang them as a chain under the eaves over summer.

[Flippo]

I just do them in the oven. I turn it to about 50 degrees and put a wooden spoon in the door so it stays ajar and they dry right out, then I just whizz them in a coffee grinder and away we go. Sometimes they kind of caramalise a bit which I think adds a nice flavour to the powder. I got hold of some Habeneros earlier in the year and made them into powder. Wowee it's bloody hot. Good flavour but I think it'll take me years to get through it cause you need bugger all to add the heat.