Caring and Storing for Peppers 101

Hi Everyone,

As you know I have been growing a variety of peppers in my garden. They are doing amazingly. I am growing, Chili Peppers (aka Anaheim Peppers), Poblano Peppers, Serranos and of course Jalapeno Peppers. Now the question is how do I care for them? How do I get more peppers from my plant? I have the answers for you.

First things first, cutting the pepper. It is best to take pruners or scissors and cut the stem between the base of the pepper and the plant. You don’t want to cut it to close to the plant, because you don’t want to damage the plant. Also, if you cut the peppers before complete maturity, where they turn red and orange, you will get new peppers to grow. The more peppers you cut the more peppers you get. Here is where you cut the pepper.

Now storing the peppers. If you plain on using them within a week or two, store your peppers in a paper lunch bag in the vegetable crisper. They should last a week or two.

You can freeze peppers too, but not my favorite way for storage, since I think they lose flavor, but if you simply can’t use them all up, freeze them. To freeze you do the following:

Grill or broil your pepper until blackened.
Place in a bag to steam for about 30 minutes.
Peel the skin, de-seed them and cut into strips (do not run under water)
Place on a baking sheet and place in the freezer for 30 minutes.
Place the peppers in a freezer bag. They will last up to 6 months.

You can also store the peppers in olive oil in the refrigerator for up to a week. This makes a nice oil for adding to your favorite dishes. Here is a simple recipe: Just don’t add garlic to it.

Grill or broil your pepper until blackened.
Place in a bag to steam for about 30 minutes.
Peel the skin, de-seed them and cut into strips (do not run under water)
Place in a sterilized jar and cover with olive oil.
Refrigerate for up to a week. If the oil is harden, just let it come to room temperature.

You can also pickle the jalapenos. Here is my recipe link for Picked Jalapeno