The topic of this article is storing chili peppers in the winter.
Ok, we've reached the point where we've successfully planted and grown our chili peppers, but to our surprise, they're producing so much fruit that we don't know what to do with them. We personally use them in various dishes every day, but even for us, it's almost impossible to use them up before they go soft and go bad.
It's best to leave enough fresh peppers in the refrigerator and store the others while they're still fresh and crunchy, so we have hot peppers all winter long.
What to do to preserve your harvest ?
...experiment with all sorts of recipes and use LOTS of peppers in all sorts of ways - make sauces, pickles, olive oils, jams, and pepperoni.
. there is also option 2, but we do not recommend it – for example, you imagine that you want to make a brand for spicy products and you will make a lot of money – IT DOES NOT WORK
First, before we start, it's a good idea to stock up on seeds for the next harvest and save the seeds of your favorite species. How to do this - we take out and clean the seeds, put them on newspaper and put them in a nice, warm and airy place to dry. Then we put them in a jar or envelope, label them and put them in a warm and dry place to wait for their turn to be sown.
Important:
- It is very important to have information about the variety of pepper whose seeds you are going to save. It is good to know whether it is a hybrid or a direct variety. In one case, the plant is created to bear fruit only once, in the other - repeatedly.
- If we want to preserve the chili pepper variety, it is a good idea to grow it separately from other varieties to avoid crossbreeding. If such has occurred, it may not be reflected now, but it may become apparent next year in the next generation of peppers.
Here are some tips we can give from our many years of experience:
Drying the peppers removes all the moisture, allowing you to either rehydrate them later or grind them into powders and powder blends. We do both.
We grind them into pepper or then soak them in water and puree them.
Drying chili peppers
You can dry peppers in several ways:
. in the sun (but usually not abundant at this time of year)
. in a dehydrator (electric dryer) – they sell them in stores. Basic dryers cost about 50-60 BGN.
. oven – with the door open at about 50-60 degrees.
Tip: cut the peppers in half for faster dehydration.
Once dried, store in bags or jars, vacuum seal, store in a dry place, and keep away from moths.
If you don't have peppers or don't feel like it, you can buy them directly from us:
You can find dried chili peppers and spices here .
Freezing chili peppers
Freezing is one of the easiest methods for preserving your chili pepper harvest. Just make sure you have enough freezer space!
Take them out when you want to use them and let them thaw.
They usually lose their crunchiness, but there's no such thing as complete happiness. You can blend them, chop them, or add them to a simmering sauce.
Tip: It's a good idea to cut them in half so they defrost faster and the seeds don't rot. If possible, vacuum pack and shock freeze.
Pickling chili peppers
Pickling your peppers will keep them for quite a long time.
This basically involves preserving the peppers in a brine with vinegar and additional spices, so if you like pickled peppers in restaurants, now you can enjoy them at home too.
Chili peppers in olive oil
What's better than hot olive oil? It's unique on pizzas, pastas, and salads.
Canning your peppers in olive oil adds extra flavor and strength, depending on the type of chili peppers you use for canning.
You can add other spices and make a uniquely beautiful bottle.
Preparing and preserving purees
Another favorite method that we use often is to puree our favorite peppers.
Blend them and then boil them until the water evaporates. Add a little salt and vinegar for preservation and fill into jars. Sterilize for 15 minutes in boiling water, label and put in the pantry for the winter.
Canning chili peppers is a great pleasure, but it's even greater when we have our favorite chili peppers grown by ourselves all winter long in the cold.
Share your experiences and recipes with us for additional inspiration! We wish everyone success!
