making chili oil with crushed red pepper flakes

[Anonymous]

Many recipes call for warming crushed red pepper flakes in evoo to make a chili oil.

Every time I try this, even with my gas burner set to the lowest heat, the pepper flakes turn black (and bitter) before flavoring the oil. Alison Roman's version calls for warming the chili flakes in the oil until it turns orange - my pepper flakes turn black before even a hint of orange enters the evoo.

What can I do? Higher quality chili flakes? Heat in microwave instead of stovetop?

Thanks for your tips!

[Anonymous]

I wouldn’t heat it. Just get a separate bottle and combine olive oil and chilis.

[Anonymous]

This was bugging me so I tried it on the date of your post (4/26) -- macerate the dried chili flakes in a jar of oil. It's now 5/2 and the oil is orange and nicely spicy!

[Anonymous]

When Inlived in Italy for many years, this was a common table condiment at a lot of casual mom and pop places. It was house made--just oil and heaps of pepper flakes and some salt too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When Inlived in Italy for many years, this was a common table condiment at a lot of casual mom and pop places. It was house made--just oil and heaps of pepper flakes and some salt too.

This is a staple in my house and we use it on everything. I have never warmed the chili flakes though. When you first make it, it does take several days to "steep" and turn the oil reddish-orange and get the heat going.

[Anonymous]

Thanks all, from OP. I do like making infused oils (and vodkas ☺️) and agree steeping is best so long as you plan ahead.

I’m still perplexed how various recipes including those on nyt food call for making chili oil on the stovetop, I just can’t get it to work - even if I go so low and slow, the chili flakes start turning brown/black/bitter before it infuses the oil.

[Anonymous]

Just buy it at the Asian grocery store. So easy and tastes fine.