HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE CAYENNE PEPPER

• Homemade cayenne pepper and hot pepper flakes are wicked! They’re vibrant, spicy and easy to make.

• Cayenne peppers are the only thing you need to make your very own homemade cayenne pepper powder. This common ingredient for cooking is the perfect way to make food spicier without altering the flavor too much.

• Completely dehydrate the peppers.

• Place dried peppers in a food processor. If you have a spice or coffee grinder, you can use that instead for a finer grind. The food processor will grind the peppers into tiny flakes, but a spice grinder will achieve a fine powder.

• Cover the grinder with a damp towel. Cayenne peppers are spicy, meaning that the fine particles that escape during grinding will irritate your lungs. The hotter the pepper, the more careful you should be when grinding. Cover the grinder before turning it on!

• Grind to desired consistency. We prefer a slightly coarse texture, not quite a fine powder. The finer the powder, the more caking issues you may have with your cayenne powder.

• Let sit for 5 minutes before opening. Don’t open the grinder immediately, allow the particles to settle. You can also cover your face with a mask or damp kitchen towel when opening the processor.

• Store in a spice container. Dried peppers can keep for up to a year when properly stored in an airtight spice container.

How to store dried Cayenne pepper

When storing dried cayenne peppers, you want to keep the air within the container dry. We recommend using a desiccant packet if the peppers are whole, but this is not necessary for powder.

Dried cayenne peppers should last up to a year when stored properly. Be sure to check for any signs of mold whenever you use the peppers. If your container contained any water or moisture when you initially stored the peppers, it may invite the growth of unwanted molds.