Homemade Ground Cayenne Pepper

A quick guide to making your own ground cayenne peppers!

• Cut the stem end from the cayenne peppers and remove seeds. Place them on a rimmed baking dish in a 350F oven until completely dried out. Keep an eye on them to ensure they don't burn! Remove from the oven and let cool completely. With a mortar and pestal, combine the dried cayenne with a small amount of salt - this helps the grinding process. Once ground to your taste, place in an airtight jar and store in a dark cupboard.

• If you wish to simply have the dried cayenne (or red chilis) on hand, follow the above recipe and skip the grinding process. You can even leave the seeds and create your own red chili flakes by grinding with the mortar and pestle until flaked instead of ground.