Baking and Making Food

Storing Dried Chilli for Freshness and Ease of Use

5 January 2018

Miriam Mcdonalid

Chilli peppers are associated in most people's minds with hot, spicy food with a real kick to it. And, while chilli is certainly the key to spicing up your dishes, there's more to its abilities than simple heat. Depending on how much chilli you use and what other ingredients it's combined with, it can bring a range of interesting flavour differences to food.

This makes it an essential item in any chef's kitchen, even those who don't cook much spicy food. If you don't use chilli in large quantities, you might find it more convenient to buy it dried and crushed. But it's also important to store it well so it keeps its flavours and remains ready for use whenever you need it.

Jars and other containers

This is the simplest and most common way to store crushed chilli because of its effectiveness. Chilli is sometimes supplied in a jar, but if you buy it in bulk, you might receive it in a bag instead.

Using a good quality, airtight jar helps ensure the chilli stays dry, which keeps it fresh and stops mould growing. Alternatively, plastic containers can also work well, but go for the type that has clips to keep it firmly shut.

When you're getting your chilli ready for storage, you can also mix in other dried spices to save more time when cooking.

Freezing

In general, there's no need to freeze your dried chilli, as the drying process itself ensures it keeps perfectly well for a long period. However, there's no harm in keeping chilli in the freezer if you're worried about freshness in a hot, damp kitchen, as long as it's well sealed to keep moisture out.

Some people freeze spices inside ice cubes, which gives you quick access to handy portions that can be used similarly to stock cubes.

Chilli oil

With a resealable bottle, you can add dried chilli to olive or other vegetable oils. Over time, the chilli will infuse the oil with flavour that can add an extra element in cooking.

Chilli oil can be used as a dressing for salads and other cold dishes, or to impart flavour at the beginning of cooking.

Spiced vinegar

Adding some crushed chilli to a bottle of vinegar not only keeps it preserved, it also gives you a powerful condiment for lifting the flavour of dishes. It works best with white or apple cider vinegar, but you could experiment with whichever types you choose.

Add a splash of chilli vinegar near the end of cooking to provide a powerful sharp and spicy tone to your food. It can completely transform a dish that's otherwise lacking in flavour.

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