My Garden

preserving peppers

Last post 25-08-2009 4:30 PM by ffroglet. 13 replies.

• 23/08/2009 07:12 PM
  Charlie Roberts Location: Newcastle Staffordshire Joined on: 10 Apr 2009 Posts: 19	Reply | Contact I have got an abundance of jalapeno and chilli peppers, whats the best way to preserve them for future use, can they be frozen or is there a better way to keep them Thanks Charlie x. Charlie x.

• 23/08/2009 07:52 PM

  In reply to

  Phot's-Moll Location: The sunny South coast. Joined on: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 3,347

  Reply | Contact  I've successfully dried small chillies. Pick them when fully ripe and retain a short piece of stalk. Spread on kitchen paper in a windowsill (not kitchen or bathroom as they might be too humid) Turn occasionally. When they are so crispy that you can snap them in half and find no trace of moisture, put them into jars and store in a dark, dry place. You can remove stems then, if you wish. Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.

• 23/08/2009 08:03 PM

  In reply to

  sue1002 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk Joined on: 06 Sep 2005 Posts: 5,200

  Reply | Contact  Chillies can be frozen whole, I haven't done it myself but I know someone who does. I dried a load of chillies last year on a tray on the bottom shelf of a very low oven for a few hours (I forgot they were in there!) and after they had cooled down, I put them in an airtight container in a cupboard.  When I use them, I crumble them into whatever I'm cooking and they are a lot hotter than the fresh ones were. sue1002

• 23/08/2009 08:05 PM	In reply to
  Phot's-Moll Location: The sunny South coast. Joined on: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 3,347	Reply | Contact  They seem to get hotter when they're frozen too. Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.

• 23/08/2009 08:06 PM	In reply to
  sue1002 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk Joined on: 06 Sep 2005 Posts: 5,200	Reply | Contact That's good to know Phot's, especially with the ones that are quite mild sue1002

• 23/08/2009 08:17 PM	In reply to
  Nigel Location: Paignton Joined on: 27 May 2008 Posts: 27	Reply | Contact  Charlie Dry or freeze either works well.Also Chilli oil, Chilli vinegar or Chilli vodka. This last can be particularly lethal. Just soak whole chillis in liquid of choice until colour/flavour suits then strain out the peppers. Do not trim green ends off unless in a hurry. Nigel

• 24/08/2009 09:32 AM	In reply to
  miranda Location: Oxfordshire Joined on: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 2,976	Reply | Contact I'm going to try making some hot sauces for the first time this year. This page was recommended: http://www.mexican-barbecue-recipes.com/tabasco-hot-sauce-recipes.html by an American who reckons the Tabasco sauce works out really well.

• 24/08/2009 10:48 AM	In reply to
  bogweevil Location: Joined on: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 2,043	Reply | Contact I dried mine indoors, but they are evil - some fiery and some very fiery indeed and you never can tell in advance - be aware that they must never be allowed to support any mould as moulds can produce some very harmful chemicals: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aflatoxin so dry them as smartly as you can.   Boggy Beware the bat-eared bogweevil

• 24/08/2009 12:12 PM	In reply to
  Susiq Location: Northumberland Joined on: 16 Feb 2008 Posts: 1,104	Reply | Contact Thanks for that link Miranda, very useful - I've got a mega-crop this year of different chillies, and er thanx also for the warning Boggy

• 24/08/2009 02:18 PM	In reply to
  sue1002 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk Joined on: 06 Sep 2005 Posts: 5,200	Reply | Contact bogweevil: I dried mine indoors, but they are evil -    The evil, the better Boggy, you don't need to use as many and they will last longer  sue1002

• 24/08/2009 05:37 PM	In reply to
  Phot's-Moll Location: The sunny South coast. Joined on: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 3,347	Reply | Contact Thanks for the recipes, Miranda. I might try one of those sauces. That mould warning of Boggy's applies to all fruit and veg, I believe, so only store produce that you're confident is OK.   Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.

• 24/08/2009 08:29 PM	In reply to
  Charlie Roberts Location: Newcastle Staffordshire Joined on: 10 Apr 2009 Posts: 19	Reply | Contact Thanks for all the idea's I think I'll freeze half and dry half, I may even be tempted with the chilli vodka. Charlie x.

• 24/08/2009 10:04 PM	In reply to
  Phot's-Moll Location: The sunny South coast. Joined on: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 3,347	Reply | Contact  The vodka is an interesting idea, but I'm not brave enough to try it! Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.

• 25/08/2009 04:30 PM

  In reply to

  ffroglet Location: Cambs Joined on: 19 Mar 2009 Posts: 16

  Reply | Contact I made chilli vodka last year. I'm not daft enough to drink it but it made smoke come out of my husband's ears - and he likes the hot stuff  At the end of the season last year I chopped my chilli-laden plants off just above the roots and hung them upside down in my cool and not-too-bright (N facing) kitchen window where they dried beautifully (had heard they dry best this way). Actually I've just left them there as they're not int he way but you could put them in a jar when fully dry.   x I wish I were a glow worm. A glow worm's never glum, How can you be unhappy, When the sun shines out your bum?!