There are many ways to preserve sweet and spicy peppers.You can freeze or dry the peppers if you plan on using them in a recipe.A more involved canning process is required.If you don't own a pressure canner or dial gauge, follow the canning instructions in full to make sure the peppers are safe to eat.
Step 1: Peppers can be frozen to retain their flavor, but not their texture.
Pepper can be roasted or frozen.The peppers are usually good for eight or nine months.This method is best suited for peppers that will be diced.Peppers do not need to be blanched to maintain their quality.It's easier to preserve vegetables with this method.
Step 2: If the peppers are hot, wear gloves.
A skin rash can be caused by hot peppers.Don't touch sensitive areas of your body, such as your face, while handling hot peppers and wear rubber gloves.Before using anything that comes into contact with peppers, wash it with soap and warm water.There is anecdotal evidence that latex gloves may not be able to prevent burning from long-term contact with hot peppers.
Step 3: Take the peppers and wash them.
Cut the peppers in half and scoop out the seeds.You can either slice the peppers into strips or dice them into small pieces.The roasted red peppers are optional.It is possible to cut hot peppers before freezing.
Step 4: The peppers need to be frozen on a baking sheet.
The cut peppers should be spread out in a single layer so they don't stick together.When the peppers are frozen firm, put the tray in the freezer.The best way to prevent peppers from falling is to use a baking sheet with sides.Wrap each pepper in wax paper or another freezer-safe material to keep them separate.The next step is to move on.
Step 5: Attach the peppers to the container.
The peppers won't stick together into a lump in the freezer once they've been tray frozen.They can be put in sealed plastic containers or zip locked bags at this point.Before closing bags, remove as much air as possible.For long-term preservation, keep your freezer at a low temperature.The containers should be labeled with the variety of pepper or the general description.
Step 6: The peppers are dry
Peppers can be dried without any special equipment.Peppers can be kept for several months if they are properly stored.They can be crumbled in a blender to make a spicy topping or soaked in water for 20 minutes to regain their taste.
Step 7: The pepper can be dried in an oven or food dehydrator.
Green peppers and bell peppers may take longer than red chili peppers, but these methods can be used for any pepper.Cut into thin strips or cubes for the fastest results after removing seeds and membranes.The best way to avoid burning is to keep the oven temperature at the lowest setting.Depending on the type of chili, strips or cubes can take anywhere from 4 to 10 hours to become completely dry.Due to the less consistent temperature, check every couple hours or every hour for an oven.It is possible to preserve roasted peppers this way.Place the un roasted side face-down on the oven or dehydrator rack after roasting until the outer skin blisters.
Step 8: Chili peppers should be dried in full sun.
You can dry hot peppers outdoors if the daytime temperature is above 85oF (30oC).Cut the peppers into strips or dice them after removing the seeds.They should be put on a mesh tray or cookie sheet for a few days.If the temperature drops low enough, bring them indoors.Bell peppers are too thick and moist to be sun-dried.Try the instructions in the oven or dehydrator.
Step 9: You can hang red chili peppers up to dry.
Creating a string hung with produce, or a ristra, can provide decoration while you dry, and doesn't require anything other than a dry room with good ventilation.Thread a heavy needle with fishing line or twine, pierce the top stem of a chile, and loop the line around it.Hang the whole line up to dry if you repeat with each chile.The method only works for hot red peppers with thin skins.Green peppers and bell peppers are likely to grow mold before they finish drying.A more decorative braided ristra can be created by tying clumps of two or three chiles together.
Step 10: For up to two years, follow the process for preserving peppers.
All types of pepper are considered a "low acid" food and cannot be preserved with water-bath canning unless an acid is added to the peppers.Many people enjoy the flavor created by the vinegar's pickling effect.One of the best ways to retain the pepper's texture is by using this method.Before you start, you should read all the instructions.This will be easier with a water-bath canner.If you have a pressure canner, there are tips for preserving peppers.
Step 11: Caning jars and lids can be washed and heat conditioned.
Put sturdy, undamaged canning jars and lids through a hot dishwasher or place them in a pot of water and cook them on the stove.When boiling water is poured into jars, this helps keep them clean and prevents them from shattering.tongs are needed to remove jars from hot water.
Step 12: The peppers should be washed and prepared.
Peppers should be prepared for preservation by washing them, removing the stems and seeds, and cutting them to the size you want.
Step 13: You can fill a clean canning jar with 500 mL of peppers.
This recipe may be unsafe if you use larger jars or non-canning jars.The head space at the top of each jar should be 1/3 of an inch.Each jar requires about 1 lbs of peppers.
Step 14: Make sure to pick a strong vinegar.
If the correct type of vinegar is used, it can be used as a preserving fluid for peppers.Try to use a high-quality vinegar with at least a 5% acetic acid content.If you can't be certain that homemade vinegar meets this level of acidity, it's not worth using it.The original color of the pepper can be preserved with clear liquors, while cider and wine can also be used to lighten the peppers.
Step 15: Add optional ingredients.
A typical canning bath batches of nine jars need at least 9 cups of solution.The other ingredients are up to your taste, but at least 1/3 of the solution should be vinegar to preserve the pickles.If you want to use bell peppers, use 3 cups (700 mL) of water, 1/3 of a cup of sugar, and a small amount of vinegar.Unless you want to make a low-sodium version, add canning or pickling salt for flavor.9 cloves of garlic can be added for flavor.If you want to make hot peppers or a mix of hot and sweet peppers, try 5 cups of vinegar, 1 cup of water, and 2 grams of sugar.Add 2 cloves of garlic and canning or pickling salt.
Step 16: The mixture needs to be boiled.
Transfer the solution to a large pot.Wait for the mixture to reach a rolling boil, then remove it from the heat.Pasteurized peppers can be contaminated by germs andMicrobes if they are not boiled.If you accidentally leave the solution boiling for more than a few minutes, you may want to add a little more water and bring it to a boil again.acetic acid is the main preservative and can be destroyed by over-boiling.
Step 17: The peppers should be submerged in the hot mixture.
When the peppers are fully covered by liquid, put your hot mixture of water, sugar, and vinegar into each container.You can leave a bit of space at the top of the jar or container.
Step 18: The jars should be cleaned and sealed.
To remove air bubbles, run a knife around the rim of the jar.To clean the inner rim of each jar, use a damp cloth.If you want to seal the jar according to the manufacturer's instructions, place the lid on top and screw the rim over it.
Step 19: Place the jars in the water.
A large pot with a metal rack on the bottom is a good place to fill a water-bath canner.When it is almost boiling, lower the sealed jars onto the rack.Move the jars so they don't touch each other or the sides of the container.The jars must be covered with at least 1–2 inches of water.
Step 20: Understand how long it takes to boil the jars.
To create a safe environment for preservation, the jars must be boiled for a certain amount of time.When the water begins to boil, start timing the peppers.Timing must begin from the beginning if the boiling is interrupted.Add an additional 2 minutes per 1,000 ft above sea level if you are at a high altitude.The hot peppers should be boiled for at least 15 minutes in jars.Sweet peppers or bell peppers can be boiled for 10 minutes in jars.The safe boiling times for larger jars have not been established.There is a recommended boiling time for 1 quart (1 L) jars.
Step 21: Allow to cool off.
It's best to store your peppers in a dark place that isn't warm.The peppers can last for a couple of years under these conditions.When you open the jar, keep it in the fridge.If the peppers have turned brown or black, do not eat them from a jar with a rounded or bulging lid.