Introduction: Toaster Oven Roasted Chilies
About: I'm studying engineering and like to expand my knowledge about pretty much anything.
In my first instructable, I will show how I roast chilies in a toaster oven, apartment style. After the roasting process, the chilies can be used to make all sorts of dishes (my favorite being hamburger and chili) or frozen to be used at a later date.
Materials:
1) Toaster oven
2) Chilies - amount depends on you.
3) Aluminum Foil (optional)
4) Cutting board
5) Knife
6) Ziptop bag
*WARNING: Handling chilies with your bare hands gets the oils (capsaicin) onto your hands, and it can stay there after a couple of washings. Be careful not to touch your face/nose/eyes (I learned the when I was quite a bit younger), it will burn and not feel pleasant. If you want to avoid this, wear gloves....unless you're training yourself to withstand pepper spray for some reason.*
For the first step, you need to acquire the chilies that you would like to roast (big jims, hatch, habenero, anahiem etc). For this instructable, I used hatch chilies and a couple of jalapenos for some extra kick.
Once you have your chilies rinsed and your cutting area all set up, preheat your toaster oven to 375-400 degrees F and if possible have the rack on the top most position (if your oven has a broil setting, that's what we're going to be using). Now just cut the chilies into manageable sizes, mine were about 1"x2" rectangles. (I removed the seeds and the main vein (the placenta) onto which the seeds are attached; this isn't necessary and this actually takes away from the "heat"...but I'm not a fan of seeds, and it's easier to remove the placenta with the seeds attached than to pick off the tiny seeds by hand).
Materials:
1) Toaster oven
2) Chilies - amount depends on you.
3) Aluminum Foil (optional)
4) Cutting board
5) Knife
6) Ziptop bag
*WARNING: Handling chilies with your bare hands gets the oils (capsaicin) onto your hands, and it can stay there after a couple of washings. Be careful not to touch your face/nose/eyes (I learned the when I was quite a bit younger), it will burn and not feel pleasant. If you want to avoid this, wear gloves....unless you're training yourself to withstand pepper spray for some reason.*
For the first step, you need to acquire the chilies that you would like to roast (big jims, hatch, habenero, anahiem etc). For this instructable, I used hatch chilies and a couple of jalapenos for some extra kick.
Once you have your chilies rinsed and your cutting area all set up, preheat your toaster oven to 375-400 degrees F and if possible have the rack on the top most position (if your oven has a broil setting, that's what we're going to be using). Now just cut the chilies into manageable sizes, mine were about 1"x2" rectangles. (I removed the seeds and the main vein (the placenta) onto which the seeds are attached; this isn't necessary and this actually takes away from the "heat"...but I'm not a fan of seeds, and it's easier to remove the placenta with the seeds attached than to pick off the tiny seeds by hand).
Step 1:
Now we are going to line small baking pan with aluminum foil (not necessary, but makes clean up easier). Place the chili bits with the skin side up so they can get nice and toasted.
Once the oven is at the desired temperature, place the pan onto the rack and wait for the roasting goodness to take place. You'll start to see the skin bubble and may hear some hissing, this is good. If you see uneven cooking, rotate the pan every so often.
Once the oven is at the desired temperature, place the pan onto the rack and wait for the roasting goodness to take place. You'll start to see the skin bubble and may hear some hissing, this is good. If you see uneven cooking, rotate the pan every so often.
Step 2: Finishing the Process
Now, keep checking on the chilies, it wont take long for them to get a good color on them. You'll want to pull them out (or pull off the ones that are done) when they start turning a medium to dark brown (careful, if you aren't paying too close attention, they can quickly go from roasted goodness to burnt trash fodder).
When the are removed from oven, place then in your preferred ziptop bag for freezing. I like to use the foil as a funnel so I don't get the oils from the chilies on my hands (touching your face/nose/eyes after handling chilies is not a fun experience...as I've stated before).
*EDIT: As a suggestion, you can let the chilies cool before packaging just in case the remaining heat causes the packaging to release any toxins.*
When the are removed from oven, place then in your preferred ziptop bag for freezing. I like to use the foil as a funnel so I don't get the oils from the chilies on my hands (touching your face/nose/eyes after handling chilies is not a fun experience...as I've stated before).
*EDIT: As a suggestion, you can let the chilies cool before packaging just in case the remaining heat causes the packaging to release any toxins.*
Step 3: Freezing
Once the chili is in the ziptop bag, carefully push the remaining air out and seal it. Now place it in the freezer for future use.
Some people like to take off the charred skin before they use the chilies, but I usually just keep it on. If you do want to take the skin off, it is easier to do when it is semi-frozen (just rub it between your fingers and thumb and it should slough off).
Hopefully I have imparted some of my knowledge onto you, and if you have any suggestions or constructive criticism, I would love to hear it in the suggestions. Oh, and I apologize that I don't have a lot of pictures of each step...I got distracted making sure they didn't burn.
Some people like to take off the charred skin before they use the chilies, but I usually just keep it on. If you do want to take the skin off, it is easier to do when it is semi-frozen (just rub it between your fingers and thumb and it should slough off).
Hopefully I have imparted some of my knowledge onto you, and if you have any suggestions or constructive criticism, I would love to hear it in the suggestions. Oh, and I apologize that I don't have a lot of pictures of each step...I got distracted making sure they didn't burn.
