How to Dry Poblano Peppers

If you have a whole bunch of poblano peppers at home, whether you managed to grow some in your garden, or if you found some on special at the grocery store, you might be looking for a way to have them last for longer.

One of the best ways to extend the shelf life of poblano peppers is to dry them, and drying poblano peppers will give you anchos, which is an incredibly popular ingredient in Mexican cooking.

How do you dry Poblano peppers?

There are a few ways to dry poblano peppers, and which is best for you will depend on the tools you have at home, and how much time you have. You can hang dry the peppers, use a food dehydrator, or dry the peppers in the oven.

To help you make the most of the poblano peppers in your kitchen, read on for the best ways to dry the peppers, to have some anchos ready to use!

Why Should You Dry Poblano Peppers?

Drying poblano peppers is a great idea to help them stay fresher for longer, by removing the moisture, but it is also a great idea to make anchos.

Anchos are the dried version of poblano peppers and are one of the most common chiles used in Mexican cooking, and they are a great ingredient to keep in your pantry.

Anchos are a deep red color, and while they have mild heat, they have a beautiful smoky flavor that adds depth to a dish. The anchos can be added to a meal as is, or they can be ground down into chili powder.

So, drying poblano peppers at home gives you a great ingredient that will last for quite some time!

How to Dry Poblano Peppers

There are three ways you can dry poblano peppers at home, and the method you choose to use will depend on the tools that you have at your disposal, as well as how much time you have to dry the poblano peppers.

The three methods to dry poblano peppers include hanging, using a food dehydrator, and using the oven. Here is exactly how to dry poblano peppers:

Hang-Drying Poblano Peppers

Hang-drying poblano peppers is a traditional way to dry them, but it does work best in warmer climates, where temperatures are around 85 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. This creates the best environment for the peppers to dry evenly, without spoiling.

Here is how to do it:

Step 1:

Prepare the peppers for hang-drying. Choose thin-walled peppers, as thicker ones might not dry quickly enough, and they might end up developing mold. Check that the peppers are free from damage and debris, and are fully intact.

Step 2:

Thread some string through a large needle, and thread the needle through the stem of the poblano peppers, stringing them together. Make sure to leave a good amount of space between each pepper so that there is airflow between them.

Step 3:

Set the peppers up to hang, whether this is in a protected area outdoors, or inside somewhere that has good airflow. There needs to be sunshine and good airflow for the peppers to fully dry, but they also need to be protected from other environmental factors.

The peppers should take between 3 to 4 weeks to dry fully, but keep checking on them to see how they are doing. Once they are brittle, they are ready to be taken down.

Dehydrating in a Food Dehydrator

Some climates are not ideal for drying poblano peppers outside, such as those that do not get warm enough, or climates that are too humid. In this case, you could use a food dehydrator to dry the poblano peppers, which gives you dried peppers in a shorter time.

A food dehydrator (like this one from Amazon) circulates a gentle flow of slightly warm air around the food, and through this airflow, the peppers will dry.

Here is how to dry poblano peppers in a food dehydrator:

Step 1:

Choose peppers that have not been damaged, which are fully intact, and which are roughly the same size.

Choosing peppers that are similar in size will allow them to dry at the same time, rather than them drying at different rates.

Step 2:

Once you have chosen the right peppers, place them onto the drying screens, and place this into the food dehydrator. Set the food dehydrator between 125 and 135 degrees Fahrenheit (or whatever the equivalent is on your food dehydrator)

Step 3:

Leave the poblano peppers to dehydrate, rotating the screens often, and removing any peppers that have dried faster than the others. 

Dehydrating can take anywhere between 4 to 12 hours, so you will just have to keep a check on them as they dry.

Drying Poblano Peppers in the Oven

If you cannot hang the peppers outside to dry, and if you do not have a food dehydrator to use, your next best option is to dry the peppers in the oven. Your oven must be at a very low temperature, mimicking the environment in a food dehydrator.

This is how to dry peppers in the oven:

Step 1:

Choose fresh peppers that do not have any spots or damage. If there are any larger peppers, cut them down into smaller pieces so that they do not take too long to dry.

Step 2:

Spread the peppers out onto a baking sheet, making sure there is space between them and that they are not too cramped. If you have quite a large number of peppers, you might have to work in batches.

Place the oven at 150 degrees Fahrenheit, and leave the door open very slightly to allow for airflow, and to allow for moisture to escape the oven.

Step 3:

Leave the peppers to dry in the oven, checking on them every 30 minutes. Some might dry faster than others, so remove these when they are dry, ensuring they do not burn.

How long the peppers take to dry will depend on their size, but generally, it will take between 1 to 2 hours.

How to Use Dried Poblano Peppers

There are many different ways you can use dried poblano peppers, and drying them is a great way to ensure you have a delicious ingredient ready to use to spice up your meals.

Dried poblano peppers, whether kept whole or ground down into a powder, are very versatile and go well with many types of meals.

Dried peppers can be rehydrated and placed into sauces and salsas, being blended in with other ingredients. The peppers can be ground down and the flakes or powder can be sprinkled into different meals, used in a spice blend, or used as a dry rub.

How to Rehydrate Dried Poblano Peppers

You might want to rehydrate the dried poblano peppers at some point, and this is a great way to use the peppers in certain recipes.

Here is how to rehydrate dried peppers properly:

1. Before rehydrating the peppers, remove the seeds, as these can add a bitter flavor, and they can create an unpleasant texture in sauces. Chop the end of the pepper off and cut the pepper in half, shaking it to remove the seeds.
2. Place a skillet on medium-high heat, and toast the peppers for about 30 seconds on either side until they are toasted. Turn off the heat once done.
3. Pour boiling water into the skillet with the toasted poblano peppers, and allow them to soak for between 15 and 30 minutes, until they are rehydrated. How long it takes will depend on how big the peppers are.
4. Drain the water from the peppers, and use them in a sauce or however you wish, to add some smokey spice to a dish.

How to Dry Poblano Peppers

It is fairly simple to dry poblano peppers, and you have a few different options to choose from when drying poblano peppers at home.

You could either dry them the traditional way, hanging them in a well-lit area with good airflow, you could dry the peppers in a food dehydrator, or you could dry them in the oven.

Drying poblano peppers gives you a great way to preserve them for longer, and to ensure that you have a great spice ingredient to add to any dish, bringing a smoky heat that is simply delicious!

Related Questions

Can You Freeze Poblano Peppers?

Poblano peppers can be frozen, and this is a good way to keep them fresher for longer. When packaged properly and protected in the freezer, poblano peppers can be frozen for up to a year.

While not necessary, you can roast the peppers before freezing to give them some extra flavor.

Do You Need to Remove the Skin from Poblano Peppers?

You do not need to remove the skin from poblano peppers, but some people choose to, as the outer skin can often be tough, and it can be difficult to digest for some. This does depend on the pepper and how thick the skin actually is.