Saving Melrose Pepper Seeds for Next Season

Can I save seeds from my Melrose peppers (especially the big ones) for spring planting? How do I dry and store them? Do they need refrigeration? Melrose peppers are hard to find in Illinois.

Pepper Seed Saving Protocol

Harvest seeds from fully ripe peppers. Spread in a brown paper bag in a dry location for 2 weeks. Shake to separate clean seeds. Place in zip-top bag inside a plastic container in the back of the refrigerator. After at least 3 months cold storage, plant after last frost. Pepper seeds remain viable 2+ years. This works for all pepper varieties, including hard-to-find heirlooms like Melrose.