chinense Shelf Life of Orange Habaneros? Shelf Life of other Peppers?

Tardis

Tardis

I've noticed that the orange Habaneros at my supermarket have a lot with mold or holes or dark spots.  I find I really need to be careful picking through them to ensure I get mold free habaneros.  I planted some seeds from a nice Habanero from the supermarket in November and have some vigorous plants now among the purchased seeds with several small green hab pods. What is the shelf life once these are ripe and I pick them?  I am planning making hot sauce from youtube videos I saw as well as dehydrate for powders, but if I pick them and leave them on my counter or put them in the fridge, how long can I expect them to last before I have to throw them out?
 
Also what are some known shelf lives for other strains of peppers you have grown? Which of your peppers has the shortest and longest shelf life?
 
Not sure exactly how long but if you don't want to use them immediately peppers freeze well. The texture does change a bit when they are frozen and defrosted but this isn't an issue if you plan on drying them for powder or making them into sauce. I've had frozen ones still be fine after a good year in the freezer.
 
If you plan on stuffing them or eating them straight it's best to use them fresh and they should stay good at least a week or so on the counter or in the fridge.
 
I've had a large Lawrey's seasoning container full of hab flakes and powder. It was still good 7 years later. The heat was a bit lower, but fine. It's gone now though.
 
The ones in the store are not the healthiest unless its a store that supports local reputable growers. When the stem is missing the peppers are susceptible to mold. My home grown ones Ive had on the counter and tried out and no mold. So their are lots of factors, when I by store bought, I dehydrate them as soon as I can.
 
peppers will last about a week fresh picked on the counter. In the fridge a little longer. Obviously other environmental factors can come into play. 
 
You'll probably find the thicker the walls, the longer they'll last in the fridge. I wouldn't bother just leaving them on the counter. I can usually get close to a month with fresh chocolate habs in the fridge without going soft. Might need a really good fridge to get that kind of life span.
 
Last year my habs would last about a week or two on the counter. Near the end of the second week they'd get a little softer, as peppers do. If you wind up with an excess, I'd recommend drying them out and grinding them like others have suggested above me. I've got a big shaker of hab flakes (or Holy Butts) as we refer to it in my pantry that will probably last me another year. Awesome on pizza and pasta.
 
Last year I had about 40 Choc Habanero peppers left over after I made all the powder, sauce, and jellies that I wanted.  So I froze them for later use.  I have been doing this for a couple years and I see no issues with flavor after being in the freezer for over a year.  
 
One tip though:  Have them defrost in the bowl you will be using to transfer to the blender, and transfer any liquids you will be adding to the sauce through the bowl. 
 
The reason for this being, as the peppers were frozen the cell walls were damaged, and when they were damaged they allowed that wonderful capsaicin oil to come out of the pepper.  Running your liquids through the bowl will help retrieve that oil.  
 
Cheers.  
 
P.S. someone correct me if I am wrong, as this would save me some steps and would be much appreciated! 
 
Yes I noticed my chocolate habs and fatalii peppers last year I picked lasted much longer that their yellow and red counterparts.
 
SavinaRed said:
Yes I noticed my chocolate habs and fatalii peppers last year I picked lasted much longer that their yellow and red counterparts.
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Agreed.  I love chocolate peppers.  My favorite variety with everything except 7pot is choc.  7pot is burgundy.  
 
Vicious Vex said:
Agreed.  I love chocolate peppers.  My favorite variety with everything except 7pot is choc.  7pot is burgundy.  
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Besides some ornamentals, Aji's, Bahamian Goats and MOA's I'm growing mostly chocolate varieties this year and the 7 Pot Burgundy. Chocolates this year are Ghosts, Bhuts, Bhutlah, Moruga, Fatalii, Habs, Bonnets. I'm still hoping I get one of my 3 Jamaican Hot Chocolates seeds to germinate. Its been a month and no luck yet.
 
Last year my pepper which had the greatest shelf life were easily 7 Pot Jonah, I would pick them when they turned red and I swear I could leave them for weeks before they would start to rot.  They would also get an even deeper red just letting them sit around, I let a large batch sit around until they were super red and ripe looking and dehydrated into powder and man that stuff is the bomb!  
 
I took some to sell at local flea market and I sold every bit of the Jonah, everyone loved the smell. 
 
SavinaRed said:
Besides some ornamentals, Aji's, Bahamian Goats and MOA's I'm growing mostly chocolate varieties this year and the 7 Pot Burgundy. Chocolates this year are Ghosts, Bhuts, Bhutlah, Moruga, Fatalii, Habs, Bonnets. I'm still hoping I get one of my 3 Jamaican Hot Chocolates seeds to germinate. Its been a month and no luck yet.
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If you end up having no luck, I have 4 seedlings that are germinated and growing.  I'll put another one in for you.  You might have gotten some bad seed stock.  The ones I have germinated in 5 days. I'll put one in right now and let you know how it is going.  
 
How long is your growing season? 
 
Vicious Vex said:
If you end up having no luck, I have 4 seedlings that are germinated and growing.  I'll put another one in for you.  You might have gotten some bad seed stock.  The ones I have germinated in 5 days. I'll put one in right now and let you know how it is going.  
 
How long is your growing season?
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until November
 
Genetikx said:
I can usually get close to a month with fresh chocolate habs in the fridge without going soft.
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Yeah fresh off the plant to the fridge (don't rinse them) I get close to a month and my fridge isn't that great lol
 
Vicious Vex said:
One tip though:  Have them defrost in the bowl you will be using to transfer to the blender, and transfer any liquids you will be adding to the sauce through the bowl. 
 
The reason for this being, as the peppers were frozen the cell walls were damaged, and when they were damaged they allowed that wonderful capsaicin oil to come out of the pepper.  Running your liquids through the bowl will help retrieve that oil.  
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Great Tip!
 
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