Preserving Scotch Bonnets?

L

Lazarus

Hi all...

Autumn is here in the Uk and have eight Scotch Bonnet plants all bearing fruit in various stages of ripeness. I'm going to try and overwinter the plants (this is their second year) again but am looking for tips to preserve the fruit I have. Was thinking about a very simple method of sticking them in a blender with white vinegar and sea salt & then putting the resultant mush into sterilised Kilner jars.

Has this method any pitfalls? Has anyone tried this? How much vinegar to fruit? How much salt? Is there a better way?

I think I'm looking to preserve the Scotch Bonnetness of them as much as I can without any other flavours so I can use them in other recipes during the winter. All tips much appreciated!

Laz :o)
 
Can't help you much with those questions, but I'm a big fan of dried peppers.
If you're too cheap to buy a dehydrator, 200-250F for 4 hours on the oven will do the trick.
Crush 'em and you've got yourself crushed peppers that don't smell like fish food (the supermarket kind).
 
charlesNYC said:
Can't help you much with those questions, but I'm a big fan of dried peppers.
If you're too cheap to buy a dehydrator, 200-250F for 4 hours on the oven will do the trick.
Crush 'em and you've got yourself crushed peppers that don't smell like fish food (the supermarket kind).
Click to expand...

Hmmm... 250F is under Gas Mark 1 which is the lowest my oven will go to. Maybe if i open the oven door a tad? Will have to do a little research. Thanks for the idea Charles.

Laz
 
Hi,fellow kentish man, or are you a man of Kent?
I have had success with simply chopping and pickling, or see my recipe for chilli Jelly (jam)
I also freeze quite a few to sprinkle onto Pizza.
I am working on a cheap drier design which I will post on here when I am finished. It will be easy to make so everyone can do it if they want.
 
You'd be best to get a pH meter or litmus paper to test the acidity of your sauce instead of relying on someone's recipe. As for salt, you don't really need any to preserve but it is a flavor enhancer so use what tastes good to you
If you're going to can/jar the pH'd sauce you'll want to heat the sauce and hot-pack it in sterilized jars and/or use a water bath or pressure canner
 
POTAWIE said:
You'd be best to get a pH meter or litmus paper to test the acidity of your sauce instead of relying on someone's recipe. As for salt, you don't really need any to preserve but it is a flavor enhancer so use what tastes good to you
If you're going to can/jar the pH'd sauce you'll want to heat the sauce and hot-pack it in sterilized jars and/or use a water bath or pressure canner
Click to expand...


What should the ph be?
 
To use a hot water/boiling water bath, pH should be less than 4.0. Anything over 4.0 requires pressure canner to process safely.

Simple options for saving peppers-
-Dry in oven, lowest setting, open door if necessary
-Freeze whole pods, take out one or two as you need them
-Blender pods with a little vinegar, maybe salt and if you do not know pH, use pressure canner (there are small size pressure canners, ask around of neighbors or family if you do not have one)
-Blender pods etc, and boiling water bath if you can confirm pH lower than 4.0

If you are using litmus papers to test pH, shoot for something around 3.5 to allow for a margin of error. And Hot Pack both BWB or pressure canner like Potawie said.


Also, if you have un-ripe or 1/2ripe pods, put them in a brown paper bag for a few days, they will ripen up just dandy.

Have Fun-
SL
 
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