Suitable grinder for dried chillies?

[Kristen]

Mine are dried in a vegetable drier - mesh trays with a fan blowing slightly warm air through them for 24 hours or so. They are definitely fine, for a year or so, in a zip-lock bag, but in a grinder, or a bag/container than I open regularly "to get a couple out", they get soft again.

Perhaps 24 hours was not dry after all, hadn't considered that. Next time I might try weighing some, and giving them an extra 24 hours and keeping going until they don't lose any weight. Might put myself in there too if it works!

I'm keen to grind & use, rather than to grind & store.

[elleme]

Yes, I should have said mine were stored whole. I ground up small amounts at a time when I wanted powder, but usually just used the dried ones chopped up roughly. I had a poor crop last year so didn't store any then, but I recall I left them hanging for about a week or so and they looked darker red and wrinkled when I put them in the jar. Since you have a gadget, maybe just try a bit longer than usual and see how it goes.

[Kristen]

usually just used the dried ones chopped up roughly.

I'm too lazy for that! Perhaps coupled with the fact that Mrs K doesn't like spicy food, so I tend to just grind some chilli onto my food - i.e. rather than the chilli being part of the cooking process itself.