keeping peppers

[phoebe]

I've got loads of red and yellow sweet peppers ready to pick right now and don't want to waste them. A few years back people here recommended roasting, peeling and seeding them, covering them with oil and then refridgerating them. How long will they last that way? What if I add some garlic? I won't be canning them, just putting them in a jar.

[liv4fud]

Originally Posted by phoebe

I've got loads of red and yellow sweet peppers ready to pick right now and don't want to waste them. A few years back people here recommended roasting, peeling and seeding them, covering them with oil and then refridgerating them. How long will they last that way? What if I add some garlic? I won't be canning them, just putting them in a jar.

we did something similar but pureed them and froze chunks in an ice tray

had gotten a whole case of peppers that the restaurant didn't want

[phatch]

Garlic and oil is asking for botulism. I'd roast 'em, and freeze em.

Checking my Ball Blue Book (yikes, that's almost a scary title) they have a recipe for canned green peppers. Should work for red and yellow? It's some work and some special equipment though.

1 pound sweet peppers per pint
salt
vinegar
water

Wash peppers, drain. Remove stems & seeds. Cut peppers in quarters. Boil 3 minutes. Only process in half pint or pint jars. Pack peppers hot from cooking in hot jars leaving 1 inch headspace. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 tablespoon viengar to each half-pint jar. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon vinegar to each pint jar. Ladle boiling water over peppers leaving 1 inch headspace Remove air bubbles. Adjust 2 piece caps. Process half pints and pints 35 minutes at 10 pounds pressure in a steam pressure canner.

There's a picked version that's just done in a boiling water bath, but the flavor will be different from the pickling.

Phil

[Suzanne]

I have to disagree with Phil -- As long as you keep the containers in the fridge, there is no need to go through the whole processing process; that's just if you want to keep them unrefrigerated. And as long as you wash everything carefully (ingredients and equipment) and prevent cross-contamination, you'll be fine.

I've been "putting up" peppers for years this way with no problems: I roast, peel, seed, and slice peppers, then marinate them with paper-thin slices of fresh garlic and chopped herbs (very well washed and dried if fresh) in olive oil and vinegar (balsamic and/or white wine). I mix back in the juices that come out in the process, too. Pack them in jars, get out all the air, and cover with a layer of more oil. I keep them this way for months and months. The only thing to be careful about is every time I takes some out, top up with oil to make sure they are completely covered. Store in the fridge, of course.

Another way I preserve them is to make piperade: slice them thin, then saute in a neutral with thinly sliced onion and garlic until everything is soft. Then I pack them with their juices in 8-ounce jars while they're still hot and put on the screw caps. The jars seal, and I keep them in the fridge. I find that one jar is just right when I'm making a stew or saute for the two of us. Sometimes I've frozen them in 8-ounce containers, but I prefer having them in the fridge, ready to go. And I don't like that the get mushy from the freezing.

If you have a Food Saver or similar vacuum packer, you could probably put your cooked peppers away that way. Again, keep them refrigerated. But I have no experience with that, so I don't know how long they would be good. (I guess if the bag starts to balloon, it's no longer good. )
(As you can imagine, there's not much room in my fridge for new stuff -- it's all taken up with condiments bought or made. Today or tomorrow I'm making a batch of salsa verde; hope I can find room for it!)

[KAYLINDA]

We always buy peppers by the case. We just clean, slice or chop and place in freezer bags. They are great for cooking this way...but since they will be soft when thawed you wouldn't want to use them in salads.

[redace1960]

wash, halve, slice into flat slabs and string them up in a hot breezy place until they turn into leather. then seal them in jars with a dessicant pak or seal-a-meal them. you can grate them up for spices or re-hydrate them a'la rick bayless.
if you have a food dehydrator, thats even better. a square drying chamber is best. excalibur makes a good food service level one in addition to the lighter duty home model that i use.

[MarkV]

Maybe you could make some homemade ground pepper?

Remove the seeds and stems and slice them.

Put them in a 200 degree oven when you get home from work and by morning they should be dry enough to grind.

Mark

[Suzanne]

Originally Posted by MarkV

Maybe you could make some homemade ground pepper?

Remove the seeds and stems and slice them.

Put them in a 200 degree oven when you get home from work and by morning they should be dry enough to grind.

Mark

Provided your oven doesn't turn itself off, as I discovered mine does when I left it on overnight to dry tomatoes!

But drying them is a great idea -- then you can use them to make flavored pasta dough, add them to breads, and use them to add flavor and color to sauces, other vegetables, and so on. Neat suggestion, Mark.

[phoebe]

Thank you everyone! These are all great suggestions. I have a couple more questions: is the vinegar necessary to help keep them safe? Would just keeping them covered in olive oil be enough? I'm hoping to just keep them a couple of months in the fridge. Unfortunately my freezer just burns everything no matter how well or in how many layers things are wrapped. I have to wash off ice cubes before putting them in drinks to get rid of the nasty freezer-burn taste.

[MarkV]

Thank you Suzanne.

[chrose]

Originally Posted by MarkV

Thank you Suzanne.

Hey whatta you doing here? I thought you were busy

[MarkV]

Chrose:

Got back from San Francisco on Wednesday.

Back to the usual grind.

sigh.

Mark

[nowIamone]

Every year the "family" flies 200+/- lbs. peppers up to me, one hundred less than when the kids lived at home. I fry them in olive oil with garlic cloves and Kosher Salt (use a lot, more tan you would think, it brings the flavor around) I can them using a water bath, 25 minutes for pints. They can freeze, but I don't enjoy the texture as much. Once they are fried they will keep for quite awhile in the refrig. There are some tricks to the process, rinse the peppers, break open, remove the centers, let dry for a few hours. I leave the skins on, & don't roast, these are family peppers, and this is mass production! After the frying stack them in a the center of a metal bowl, the oil that settles out can be used in the next batch but laddle it into a stainer so that the seeds and garlic cloves are stained out, they start burning and leave a bitter taste the second time around. For the same reason you empty the pans with each batch.and quick rinse with warm water, wipe with paper towels. Back to the stove, and you should use a heavy pan.
This is staple at our house, crusty french bread and pepper sandwiches; in the sauce with chicken, and best of all peppers and eggs.

[redace1960]

hey...i'm the clever sausage who suggested drying! i was, i was, i was!


......well, i was.


fresh peppers very gently heated in carapelli olive oil -or any nice fruity, sunny olive oil- until they are soft, then let to cool, will definitely keep in the refrigerator for a month in a well-sealed jar. they never last longer for me because i eat'em on sandwiches.
the oil will separate into darker and lighter stuff, juice will form, and a light colored cream of oil will cap the top. all nothing to worry about. when you worry is if it gets a yeasty, beerish smell, or a garbagy smell. then out it goes.

[phoebe]

Originally Posted by redace1960

hey...i'm the clever sausage who suggested drying! i was, i was, i was!


......well, i was.

Personally, I think you are the cleverist of all sausages and you were the first to suggest drying. thank you.

By the way, what's your growing season for peppers up there? And (off-topic, I know, but it's MY topic so I can do what I want ) what's your opinion of Bellingham?