They can be canned. They end up soft, but safe for soups, saute, etc. You'll need a pressure canner since they are low acid.

I'm not sure how you are drying them... but molding shouldn't be a problem if you are doing it right. Don't just let them sit on a counter or anything like that. Actively dry them. This can mean using a dehydrator, or low heat oven, or on screens out in the sun on a breezy day for solar dehydrating. Thinner walled peppers can often just be strung up whole to air dry, but a lot of sweet peppers are often too fleshy for this and can mold if they are just left to sit. Some people have success with slicing sweet peppers up for stringing and air drying, but that can really depend on where you live and where you are keeping your strings.

I've dried hundreds of pounds of peppers over many years, and never once had any mold.

Pickling is good too, and there are a heap of recipes out there for pretty much any flavor profile you can imagine with just a water bath canner so maybe it's a matter of finding the right kind or recipe.... though just straight canning is a different thing and needs a pressure canner.

Freezing is great, if you have the freezer space for it. And it's super easy to do as Dave has described.

I have a pressure canner but as I recall, they don't recommend canning, just drying and freezing. I live in a warm humid climate so anything I try to save dried, in the oven or not, will soon mold. I can't save herbs that way either. They turn black and have no flavor or aroma. I guess I'll keep freezing them. Thanks.

I meant using the oven to dry.

I had wonderful luck with a fermented salsa starter recipe. I used the Perfect Pickler gadget which fits on any wide mouth canning jar. But you don't use vinegar, it is a salt brine and the resulting product has to be refrigerated. We decided to put a dorm size fridge in the garage. Although the pepper mix is called salsa starter, I loved using it with scrambled eggs. I'm experimenting with other fermented veggies.

Well the idea of fermentation does bring up a possibility even though you said no one would eat them pickled. The fermented peppers I made last year were not nearly as sour to taste as the Ball Blue Book recipe. The Ball recipe is so vinegary I could only eat the peppers chopped up into a dense salad like tuna, chicken, potato, or pasta which would dampen the vinegar impact. Or I could eat them sliced thinly on a cheese sandwhich. The fermented peppers were milder and could be eaten alone if I wanted.

my recipe for fermented salsa starter does not use vinegar just brine. Also there isn't any tomatoes. To make salsa, I add fresh tomatoes.

I dehydrate peppers all the time though I use a dehydrator not an oven. I have never had mold, not even once. Maybe you aren't drying them fully before storing. I slice them in strips and put them in an old canning jar once they are out of the dehydrator. When it's time to use I just finely chop each strips. I've always canned them in red pepper jelly and pickled them, but I do prefer the dehydrated. It's perfect for soups, in eggs, pasta. They are easy to store and take up less space.

Thanks. I don't have a dehydrator. I'll freeze what I have space for. This site is the pits to sign into. I had to create another account to get here.

Can someone tell me how to get help because I can only post to this thread. If I try to look at other Garden threads, I have to sign in and can't. All I get are errors when I try to reach help.

I read above that you don't have a dehydrator, I was just pointing out that I used one, but you can still use an oven for it. You're just not drying them well enough is the reason you are getting mold. They should be crisp like a chip, no sign of moisture at all. They will not mold if you dry them completely and place them in your container when cooled down. If you do it when still hot you'll likely be adding condensation to the bag or jar which can also cause mold. Here's a link in how to do it in the oven in case other people are looking for how to do it.

http://www.ehow.com/how_8062350_use-oven-dehydrate-peppers.html

I haven't had any issues with login or posting, sorry I can't help you on that one.

I read what you said about living in a warm, moist environment. My area is pretty humid too. I can certainly understand why even properly dried peppers could mold. However, if you dry them fully, then bag and store in the freezer you can solve this problem. You simply need to keep them from absorbing moisture from the air after drying. Many, MANY peppers can be stored in one gallon ziploc bag after drying. Good luck!

Deanna

Not trying to push the drying, but just thinking of solutions should you ever decide to give drying another go. Another thing that you could do is grab some of those little packet that come in some food packaging that prevent moisture. It's the same stuff they use in dried flower making so you could also make your own as well. It wouldn't be in place of peppers being dried properly, but to help with humid weather.