The process is beautifully simple:
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Harvesting – Peppers are left on the plant until fully ripe, when they develop maximum color and sweetness.
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Drying – Traditionally, peppers are spread on racks and dried in the sun or in drying houses. For smoked paprika, they’re dried over smoldering oak fires.
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Stemming and Seeding – The stems and seeds are removed (though some commercial grades may include seeds).
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Grinding – The dried peppers are ground into a fine powder.
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Sifting – The powder is sifted to achieve a uniform texture.