What to do with these peppers

P

Psychographic

This year I decided to expand my selection of peppers to grow and wanted to see what the best use of them would be. Do I cook with them, make salsa, sauce, dry and grind or what? I thought I would ask the experts what they would do. Here's my list off what I'm growing and what I use them for or the reason I chose to grow them.
 
Carolina Reaper - I normally just chop and add to fajitas, chili etc. This year I plan to make powder or flakes also.
 
Red Caribbean Habenaro -  Same as the Reaper
 
Alleppo - I bought these for stuffing
 
Brazilian Starfish - ?
 
Red Rocotto - another bought for making stuffed peppers
 
Biker Billy Jalapeno - Mainly salsa and all around cooking, I really don't care for Jalapenos pickled.
 
Hot Lemon - ?
 
Giant Thai - ?
 
Italian Pepperoncini - I love these pickled
 
Gigantic Chocolate SR 7 Pot - ?
 
Venezuelan Tiger - ?
 
Pasilla de Oaxaca - ?
 
PI 543208 - ?
 
 
Thanks for any and all suggestions.
 
I freeze a lot of varieties. When it's time to make a dish, I just grab and use. I have a freezer full from last year. When this years peppers start coming in, I'll dehydrate and make powder. They seem to dry quicker if you freeze them first. I make powder out of Thai's for seasoning. You could do the same with all the peppers you've just listed. Use the powder as a seasoning. Definitely keep some frozen for meals. Nothing like a chopped up super in a omelette. You could dry whole. I usually don't. I don't like the consistency once you hydrate. Unless it's for making hot sauce. And in that case, all of those peppers can be used for sauce. I make a lot of sauce with my pods.

Hope that rambling helps.

Good luck.
 
Eat them fresh. It's great during the growing season to graze the garden. I got a couple of cooks that trade with me for fresh vegetables during the warm weather and dried during the cold.
 
Vicious Vex said:
A lot of the more fruity/citrus varieties tend to make really good Jelly.   
 
Pepper Jelly might sound weird, but you can use it for Glazing, base for a wing sauce, stir fry, over rice when heated.  
 
I really love pepper Jelly.  lol. 
Click to expand...
Four times a year there is a small engine show with a flea market near me. One of the vendors at the flea market is a hot sauce place that sells a ghost pepper jelly that I love. I never thought to use it as a glaze. Now I need to learn how to make jelly!
 
Vicious Vex said:
A lot of the more fruity/citrus varieties tend to make really good Jelly.   
 
Pepper Jelly might sound weird, but you can use it for Glazing, base for a wing sauce, stir fry, over rice when heated.  
 
I really love pepper Jelly.  lol. 
Click to expand...
 
 
 
     I have been using my 7pot burgundy/cherry jelly as a glaze lately on ribs. I boil some with butter and spoon it on like barbecue sauce. It soaks into the bark and turns into Jesus.

Psychographic said:
Four times a year there is a small engine show with a flea market near me. One of the vendors at the flea market is a hot sauce place that sells a ghost pepper jelly that I love. I never thought to use it as a glaze. Now I need to learn how to make jelly!
Click to expand...
 
 
     This recipe is killer. I use it as a base recipe and swap in cherries instead of cranberries and all kinds of different chinenses for the habs. 
 
http://thehotpepper.com/topic/43989-cranberry-habanero-jelly/?hl=%20cranberry%20%20habanero%20%20jelly
 
Not an 'expert' by any stretch of the imagination, but I make a few sauces with fresh pods, dehydrate and flake/powder the rest.
 
Yes Jellies are awesome. Pick any kind of jelly you want and follow the canning recipe for it and just add in a couple peppers of your choosing. I've made dehydrated fruit roll ups that were awesome, again pick a flavour and toss in a couple peppers. Hot sauce, fermented hot sauce, pickled peppers, pickled cucs with a spicy pepper tossed in, salsa, dehydrate for powder to make rubs, mix with sugar, cinnamon, pepper powder, and toss with some baked or roasted nuts use a glaze, marinades for meats, jerky, dehydrate some to use in soups stews chillies or pesto, freeze to use for cooking also.
 
Basically any recipe you can make, you can add peppers to it. Hell one time I made a chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting and sprinkled some devils brain powder in place of sprinkles. It was hella awesome! 
 
Psychographic said:
Four times a year there is a small engine show with a flea market near me. One of the vendors at the flea market is a hot sauce place that sells a ghost pepper jelly that I love. I never thought to use it as a glaze. Now I need to learn how to make jelly!
Click to expand...
Jelly is really simple to make.   Best part is most of them can be canned using what you have on hand at home.   
 
I made a bacon bourbon jelly last year with red 7pot.   I ran out of those 9 jars in about a month during bbq season.   I used it as a glaze on ham, ribs, chicken.    
 
 
The possibilities are endless.   I hope you delve into the wonderful world of Jellies. 
 
Vicious Vex said:
Jelly is really simple to make.   Best part is most of them can be canned using what you have on hand at home.   
 
I made a bacon bourbon jelly last year with red 7pot.   I ran out of those 9 jars in about a month during bbq season.   I used it as a glaze on ham, ribs, chicken.    
 
 
The possibilities are endless.   I hope you delve into the wonderful world of Jellies. 
Click to expand...
Could you share the recipe for this one?  It has all the food groups I love!  Curious if it is shelf stable if you used real bacon.. 
 
Bumper said:
Could you share the recipe for this one?  It has all the food groups I love!  Curious if it is shelf stable if you used real bacon.. 
Click to expand...
I would think it would have to be pressure canned in that it is meat. Hot water canning just does not get hot enough.
 
 

Bumper said:
Could you share the recipe for this one?  It has all the food groups I love!  Curious if it is shelf stable if you used real bacon.. 
Click to expand...
 
I used bacon flavoring, unfortunately after multiple attempts of pressure canning real bacon in the jam the heat wouldn't allow the jelling process to occur.  
 
The below recipe is an adaptation of a recipe online.  I found theirs to be missing key flavors, and not be preservable. 
 
Recipe: 
 
Ingredients: 
  • 1-1/2 Cups Finely chopped sweet onion
  • 1-1/2 Cups Shallots
  • 4 Cloves of Roasted Garlic (Individual, Not bulb)  
  • 3/4 Cup Bourbon
  • 3/4 Cup Maple Syrup
  • Bacon Flavoring (by taste or weight depending on your flavoring)
  • 1/3 cup Balsamic Vinegar
  • 2/3 cup Brown Sugar
  • You choice of Hot pepper - I used 4 decent sized red 7-pot
  • Here if you want a more "spiced" flavor instead of heat you can use several mild peppers + smoke paprika.   
 
I recommend using a pepper slightly hotter than you would think as the acidity and sugar/flavors really mute the heat. 
 
  1. Caramelize the onions and shallots in a pan. 
  2. Combine roasted garlic, caramelized shallots and onions into a food processor. 
  3. Process in the food processor until the mixture is a puree. (may take a couple minutes)
  4. Add, as you run the food processor: maple syrup, bacon flavoring, and Balsamic Vinegar
  5. Add water as necessary to maintain the consistency of a mildly soupy puree
  6. Add in your Hot Pepper(s) of choice.  You can deseed if you want, it really won't effect the jelly besides heat
 
After your Jam base has been completed, put it into a pan and allow the flavors to meld and reduce the water content of the mixture, over a medium flavor.  Stirring near constantly to avoid scorching.
 
Note:  You can use real bacon previously, but your mixture will only keep for 2 weeks at most if kept in a refrigerator.  . This above mixture will keep for around 3 weeks.  
 
Now if you want to process this follow the below steps.  
 
  1. Measure your Jelly Mixture, this is important, but it doesn't need to be exact. 
  2. Add slightly less water than the measurement of the "mixture" you create into a stock pot. 
    - The less water you add will increase the density of the Jelly, too dense won't allow the product to Jelly, too much water will create a flavorless Jelly.  I found that around 80% the volume of Mixture to Water ratio works pretty well.  YMMV
  3. Heat the water until steam starts to rise, and then add equal part sugar. 
  4. Stir until Dissolved. 
  5. Add your mixture to the stock pot, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. 
  6. Add your pectin of choice, once a boil has been achieved, 
     - I prefer to use liquid pectin with dense recipes to prevent clumps from sticking to solid ingredients. 
 
Process into Jars and via Water Bath as you would any fruit jelly.  
 
Note: If there is REAL BACON in your mixture you must pressure can your product in order to properly preserve it.   Do not use the water bath method to preserve this.  The temperatures will not get high enough (242F) to kill off all the bad nasties. 
 
 
 
CAPCOM said:
I would think it would have to be pressure canned in that it is meat. Hot water canning just does not get hot enough.
Click to expand...
 
Yeah - I tried pressure canning and it didn't work - The ingredients combined with the heat I don't think allowed for the mixture to jell properly.  I am still working on this one, and I'll attempt to get it right, and when/if I do i'll share it here. 
 
I plan on pickling my Brazilian Starfish whole. They're small enough to work and they look cool.
 
This will be my first year attempting my own hot sauces, and making sea salt blends.
 
Vicious Vex said:
 
 

 
I used bacon flavoring, unfortunately after multiple attempts of pressure canning real bacon in the jam the heat wouldn't allow the jelling process to occur.  
 
The below recipe is an adaptation of a recipe online.  I found theirs to be missing key flavors, and not be preservable. 
 
Recipe: 
 
Ingredients: 
  • 1-1/2 Cups Finely chopped sweet onion
  • 1-1/2 Cups Shallots
  • 4 Cloves of Roasted Garlic (Individual, Not bulb)  
  • 3/4 Cup Bourbon
  • 3/4 Cup Maple Syrup
  • Bacon Flavoring (by taste or weight depending on your flavoring)
  • 1/3 cup Balsamic Vinegar
  • 2/3 cup Brown Sugar
  • You choice of Hot pepper - I used 4 decent sized red 7-pot
  • Here if you want a more "spiced" flavor instead of heat you can use several mild peppers + smoke paprika.   
 
I recommend using a pepper slightly hotter than you would think as the acidity and sugar/flavors really mute the heat. 
 
  1. Caramelize the onions and shallots in a pan. 
  2. Combine roasted garlic, caramelized shallots and onions into a food processor. 
  3. Process in the food processor until the mixture is a puree. (may take a couple minutes)
  4. Add, as you run the food processor: maple syrup, bacon flavoring, and Balsamic Vinegar
  5. Add water as necessary to maintain the consistency of a mildly soupy puree
  6. Add in your Hot Pepper(s) of choice.  You can deseed if you want, it really won't effect the jelly besides heat
 
After your Jam base has been completed, put it into a pan and allow the flavors to meld and reduce the water content of the mixture, over a medium flavor.  Stirring near constantly to avoid scorching.
 
Note:  You can use real bacon previously, but your mixture will only keep for 2 weeks at most if kept in a refrigerator.  . This above mixture will keep for around 3 weeks.  
 
Now if you want to process this follow the below steps.  
 
  1. Measure your Jelly Mixture, this is important, but it doesn't need to be exact. 
  2. Add slightly less water than the measurement of the "mixture" you create into a stock pot. 
    - The less water you add will increase the density of the Jelly, too dense won't allow the product to Jelly, too much water will create a flavorless Jelly.  I found that around 80% the volume of Mixture to Water ratio works pretty well.  YMMV
  3. Heat the water until steam starts to rise, and then add equal part sugar. 
  4. Stir until Dissolved. 
  5. Add your mixture to the stock pot, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. 
  6. Add your pectin of choice, once a boil has been achieved, 
     - I prefer to use liquid pectin with dense recipes to prevent clumps from sticking to solid ingredients. 
 
Process into Jars and via Water Bath as you would any fruit jelly.  
 
Note: If there is REAL BACON in your mixture you must pressure can your product in order to properly preserve it.   Do not use the water bath method to preserve this.  The temperatures will not get high enough (242F) to kill off all the bad nasties. 
 
 

 
Click to expand...
Thanks for taking time to share this, most appreciated.  
 
I have a very simple recipe, keeps well and goes into uses
 
Just grind the peppers of your choices with any mixture of herbs of your choices (your imagination/preferences)
In my case I like to use peppers/garlic/lemongrass/shallots- blend them together and cook it in hot oil initially (like 5 min) then simmer in oil for an hour or so.
Just bf ready I add chicken salt seasoning/salt/sugar.  Store in jar and keeps forever.  Use it as sauces over noodles/spaghetti;  over stir fries etc
Act just like a sauce

Vicious Vex said:
 
 

 
I used bacon flavoring, unfortunately after multiple attempts of pressure canning real bacon in the jam the heat wouldn't allow the jelling process to occur.  
 
The below recipe is an adaptation of a recipe online.  I found theirs to be missing key flavors, and not be preservable. 
 
Recipe: 
 
Ingredients: 
  • 1-1/2 Cups Finely chopped sweet onion
  • 1-1/2 Cups Shallots
  • 4 Cloves of Roasted Garlic (Individual, Not bulb)  
  • 3/4 Cup Bourbon
  • 3/4 Cup Maple Syrup
  • Bacon Flavoring (by taste or weight depending on your flavoring)
  • 1/3 cup Balsamic Vinegar
  • 2/3 cup Brown Sugar
  • You choice of Hot pepper - I used 4 decent sized red 7-pot
  • Here if you want a more "spiced" flavor instead of heat you can use several mild peppers + smoke paprika.   
 
I recommend using a pepper slightly hotter than you would think as the acidity and sugar/flavors really mute the heat. 
 
  1. Caramelize the onions and shallots in a pan. 
  2. Combine roasted garlic, caramelized shallots and onions into a food processor. 
  3. Process in the food processor until the mixture is a puree. (may take a couple minutes)
  4. Add, as you run the food processor: maple syrup, bacon flavoring, and Balsamic Vinegar
  5. Add water as necessary to maintain the consistency of a mildly soupy puree
  6. Add in your Hot Pepper(s) of choice.  You can deseed if you want, it really won't effect the jelly besides heat
 
After your Jam base has been completed, put it into a pan and allow the flavors to meld and reduce the water content of the mixture, over a medium flavor.  Stirring near constantly to avoid scorching.
 
Note:  You can use real bacon previously, but your mixture will only keep for 2 weeks at most if kept in a refrigerator.  . This above mixture will keep for around 3 weeks.  
 
Now if you want to process this follow the below steps.  
 
  1. Measure your Jelly Mixture, this is important, but it doesn't need to be exact. 
  2. Add slightly less water than the measurement of the "mixture" you create into a stock pot. 
    - The less water you add will increase the density of the Jelly, too dense won't allow the product to Jelly, too much water will create a flavorless Jelly.  I found that around 80% the volume of Mixture to Water ratio works pretty well.  YMMV
  3. Heat the water until steam starts to rise, and then add equal part sugar. 
  4. Stir until Dissolved. 
  5. Add your mixture to the stock pot, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. 
  6. Add your pectin of choice, once a boil has been achieved, 
     - I prefer to use liquid pectin with dense recipes to prevent clumps from sticking to solid ingredients. 
 
Process into Jars and via Water Bath as you would any fruit jelly.  
 
Note: If there is REAL BACON in your mixture you must pressure can your product in order to properly preserve it.   Do not use the water bath method to preserve this.  The temperatures will not get high enough (242F) to kill off all the bad nasties. 
 
 

 
Click to expand...
This sounds interesting and yummy :)
 
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