Well this was my first time growing anything and id say Im going to have a decent decent harvest. I count close to 100 peppers on 5 potted plants. Not bad for a city boy! Anyways, since they are all not ripening at the same time, I was wondering how to keep the peppers fresh as I wait for the others. I want to make powdered pepper and I want to do them all together. Can I just put them in plastic containers and refrigerate them? Or do I have to freeze them?
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How Do I Keep Peppers Fresh?
- Thread starter misterbrownstone06
- Start date
You're gonna find different answers from different people on here. SOme like to freeze them, as long as they are going to dry them afterwards. If not, then freezing them doesn't really keep them "fresh." They'll still be good for cooking and what not. Depending on how long you want to keep them, I would say find a really good tupperware container and just refrigerate them. I like the green containers, personally. I can usually keep peppers, and all veggies, fresh for a good 3-4 weeks. After that, they get soft and start to mold.
What if I use some type of cling wrap to block oxygen and then store them in the tupperware?
you make powdered peppers from dry peppers
i would think to dry them if you want to make powder
what use is the freezing and refrigerating before drying?
i know i have to dry them. but some are ripe on the plant and some are still green. i want to dry them all at the SAME time so i want to keep the ones im picking off the plant FRESH until the others ripen. i need to know how to keep them fresh until the others are ready. any help?
i just had a carribean red and my nose is runny
Fresh is fresh, until they rot. Anything else is not fresh. Frozen is not fresh.
You want to make powder? Dehydrate them!
You want to make powder? Dehydrate them!
Dry the ones that are picked, what's the big deal?i know i have to dry them. but some are ripe on the plant and some are still green. i want to dry them all at the SAME time so i want to keep the ones im picking off the plant FRESH until the others ripen. i need to know how to keep them fresh until the others are ready. any help?
i just had a carribean red and my nose is runny
Topic moved. Please post in the correct forum.
freezing the peppers ruptures the cell structure thus making the peppers soft...and IMO, I hate soft peppers...they are OK to cook with I suppose but other than that, I have no use for frozen peppers...
you can simply tie a string on them and hang them in the house to air dry (make a ristra) until you get enough to make powder out of...or...as has already been said...dehydrate right away...either way works for powder...IMO you are going to need to dehydrate them to their final "crispness" for making powder...
another added point...you are going to lose 90-95% of your fresh weight when dehydrating to make powder so if you have a pound of peppers you will only get about an ounce of powder...
you can simply tie a string on them and hang them in the house to air dry (make a ristra) until you get enough to make powder out of...or...as has already been said...dehydrate right away...either way works for powder...IMO you are going to need to dehydrate them to their final "crispness" for making powder...
another added point...you are going to lose 90-95% of your fresh weight when dehydrating to make powder so if you have a pound of peppers you will only get about an ounce of powder...
Pickle then powder? I'm sure you missed that he wants powder but this could be interesting for a tangy powder reminiscent of hot sauce. Pickle with the flavors you want, then dehydrate. Hmmm. Experimentation time. Definitely not advisable for pure powder though.
he's wanting to make powder...
+1 on PG
I have a freezer full of superhots, cook with them all the time. They're not as good as ripe off the vine, but I like the flavor over the powder. I made 1-1/2 gallons of powder last season, carry it around everywhere…wouldn't be caught without it!! My wife and I are going to play around with sauces this season.
Always looking for new ways, good luck!!
I have a freezer full of superhots, cook with them all the time. They're not as good as ripe off the vine, but I like the flavor over the powder. I made 1-1/2 gallons of powder last season, carry it around everywhere…wouldn't be caught without it!! My wife and I are going to play around with sauces this season.
Always looking for new ways, good luck!!
MB, keep in mind, you don't have to grind them after you dehydrate them. Dehydrated pods are the ultimate storage, so no need to freeze, that's just an unneeded step.
Dehydrate as they ripen and store. Grind in one large batch. Done.
Dehydrate as they ripen and store. Grind in one large batch. Done.
salsalady
Business Member
Hi MrB~
If you use plain tupperware or plastic containers, the pods will rot fairly fast. I'm not familiar with the green containers Hot Pooper referred to, but I've had really good luck with "veggie fresh" produce bags. The ones I have are 10+ years old, can't remember where I got them, but I think someone said Walmart has them. It has something to do with allowing the gas to escape.
Also, another trick is to pick the pods as soon as they show a little color and put them in a brown paper bag, leave them on the counter for a few days. We ripened and dehydrated probably 3 dehydrator-fulls last fall using those two tricks. If you can leave the pods on the plants until fully ripe, that's the best, but we were dealing with bad fall weather, a short season and looming freezes, and tons of pods still on the plants.
And +1 on just dehydrating and storing the pods until you're ready to make powder.
Good Luck,
SL
If you use plain tupperware or plastic containers, the pods will rot fairly fast. I'm not familiar with the green containers Hot Pooper referred to, but I've had really good luck with "veggie fresh" produce bags. The ones I have are 10+ years old, can't remember where I got them, but I think someone said Walmart has them. It has something to do with allowing the gas to escape.
Also, another trick is to pick the pods as soon as they show a little color and put them in a brown paper bag, leave them on the counter for a few days. We ripened and dehydrated probably 3 dehydrator-fulls last fall using those two tricks. If you can leave the pods on the plants until fully ripe, that's the best, but we were dealing with bad fall weather, a short season and looming freezes, and tons of pods still on the plants.
And +1 on just dehydrating and storing the pods until you're ready to make powder.
Good Luck,
SL
I take it that you dont want to turn on the dehydrator for just a couple of chillies. Not much you can do except refrigerate them. If your lucky you can probably get 2 weeks in the fridge until they start to go soft. Also to make the most of turning it on why not just fill it up with other stuff? eg. Apple,jerky etc?
I haven't heard of people freezing them and then dehydrating. As the cells rupture when being frozen what sort of end product do you get? I would've thought that it would just go to mush as dehydrating and loose it's shape??? Has anyone done this and what was the result?
I haven't heard of people freezing them and then dehydrating. As the cells rupture when being frozen what sort of end product do you get? I would've thought that it would just go to mush as dehydrating and loose it's shape??? Has anyone done this and what was the result?
