Homemade Paprika Recipe You Can EASILY Make At Home In Your Oven!
Homemade paprika has such a great flavor with a fresh taste to it.
There is no need to have a dehydrator in order to make your own spices. A food processor is recommended, but not needed. All you need is your oven, some finely chopped sweet peppers, and a spice grinder to make your own paprika!
Ingredients:
10 red bell peppers
6 mini sweet red peppers
Tools needed:
Food processor
Sharp knife
Cutting board
Rubber spatula
Parchment paper
Baking sheet
Mesh Strainer
Small bowl
Mason jar with lid
How to make it:
Rinse the peppers under cold running water and let air dry.
Make sure to cut the peppers with a sharp knife.
Stand the peppers upright and cut the pepper into sections going around the stem, seeds and placenta.
Place the cut pepper pieces into your food processor and pulse a few times to break down into a mince consistency (I call this a mash). You may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your food processor.
Preheat your oven to a low setting around 180-190 F. The cooler the oven, the better. If you set the temperature too high, it will slightly brown the peppers.
This liquid has a beautiful flavor. It is great for cooking rice in and adds a nice flavor to sauces.
Strain the liquid from the pepper mash reserving for other purposes. (check out my chicken paprikash recipe I used this in). The reason I strain the liquid is that it helps dry the mash out faster.
Spread the mash thinly so it dries quickly.
Spread the mash flat on your parchment paper lined baking sheet using a rubber spatula in a thin layer. You may need to distribute the mash between 2 baking sheets. Place in your oven and set a timer for 1-1/2 hours. When that time is up, rotate the pan and give the mash a mix if your mash is drying quicker in certain places on the baking sheet. Place back in the oven for another 1-2 hours or until the mash is completely dried. Keep an eye on it as your time may take less or more time. I check on it every 30 minutes after the first 1-1/2 hours to see its progress. The mash is to be crisp like a chip when cooled to room temperature in order for it to grind up into a powder.
The dried mash will snap in half when bent.
When the mash is dried and cooled, add it to your spice grinder. This may need to be done a few times depending on the grinder size and amount of dried pepper mash.
Store in a mason jar with a good sealing lid. Label and date. This will stay good for a long time, but it is best when used up within 3-4 months.
Enjoy!
Logan
