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harvesting Harvesting Cayenne Question

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Elizabeth

Hello - I have a question, and I am hoping someone can help me.

When my cayenne peppers are ready to be harvested - I will typically get 6 or so per day. I want to save them up to make hot sauce at the end of the season - in one great big batch.

What can I do with the peppers while I await the rest to mature? Can I freeze them, if so, do I need to do anything to them first? Or can I freeze them whole?

Thank you for your input!

-Elizabeth
 
Just freeze them whole, or dry them/dehydrate them. If you are planning a sauce, than I would say freeze them. But be careful, once you defrost them, you have to use them right then and there, they won't freeze well a second time ;)
 
I googled this...

"Unwashed peppers will keep in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in a cool, dry spot for up to 2 weeks. Store peppers whole rather than sliced.

If blanched or roasted and peeled, peppers will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months. Dried peppers will keep for up to 1 year. "

I have the same issue with my cayennes and am trying to find the same information.....good post Elizabeth
 
Not to question your post, but I've had things last alot longer. You don't want to keep the peppers in a bag in the refridgerator, it's will only last a week at that point. Instead, put them on a plate in the very back of the refriderator and keep them decently spread out. I've had pepeprs last at least a month without going bad that way.

Dried peppers, if done properally will last forever. The heat and flavor will degrade after time, yes, but they won't rot and will be still eddible.
 
The wife wraps bell pepper, lettuce and other things in moist paper towels, puts them in a ziploc gallon freezer bag, presses the air out and zips the bag...we have had peppers and lettuce last a month this way without getting all nasty and slimy...
 
if you're just saving the pods until you have enough for making some hot sauce.
I'd just wash the pods & cut them open to make sure they're bug free or get rid of bad pods, & then just throw them into the freezer for the short couple months at most. & when the time comes to make the hot sauce just thaw the pods out & do what ya gotta do.
but remember once you've frozen chile pods they're all soft & pretty much only good for hot sauces or in cooked meals.

I do this, save pods throughout the season until the end of season to make hot sauce, well some go to drying.
 
Thank you!

Thank you all for replying. It's good to know I can keep some in the fridge, but for my purposes, even better to learn that I can freeze them for a bit too!

Last year, I dehydrated a bunch, and coarsly ground them to put into a shaker. I still have a little left, but have really enjoyed them. Their heat is so much more intense than store bought crushed peppers - and the color is much redder, too.


I also made a micro-batch of sauce that yielded 3 precious bottles. We consumed it over the winter and loved it! This year, I hope to be able to make more.

I remember that the sauce I made literally took my breath away (and everyone else's in the house too) while it was being cooked. I'm glad to learn that I can save the peppers and make the sauce on one day instead of multiple micro batches.

Again - thank you for answering! This site rocks!
 
AlabamaJack said:
The wife wraps bell pepper, lettuce and other things in moist paper towels, puts them in a ziploc gallon freezer bag, presses the air out and zips the bag...we have had peppers and lettuce last a month this way without getting all nasty and slimy...
Click to expand...

AJ,

Last year, I dehydrated carrots and cabbage to make - cole slaw. When rehydrated, it is not quite as crisp as fresh from the garden, but the taste was there.

Mike
 
I dehydrate a lot of things and then use my "Food-Saver" vacuum machine prior to putting them in the freezer. I found a bag of dried Datils that I forgot from two years ago and when I opened them, they were just as good as any I had just dehydrated. That food-saver is one useful tool. Dried stuff feels like it's as hard as a brick when you vacuum it.
 
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