Whether you enjoy mild sweet peppers or the hotter ranges, they are easy to grow and protect. There are many pepper varieties that can be eaten fresh, dried, or used in pepper vinegars, salsas, and hot sauces. A few of my preferred ranges consist of:
* Jalapeno peppers
* Sweet bell peppers
* Sugary food and hot banana peppers
* Poblano peppers
* Habanero peppers
* Serrano chili peppers
* Cayenne peppers
* Tabasco peppers
* Gypsy hybrid peppers
* Cherry peppers
* Hungarian wax peppers
* Cubanelle peppers
The approach you select for preserving peppers depends mainly on the range. Normally, I maintain my harvest in one of these ways: by freezing, in sauces, in salsas, in vinegars, or by drying.
To freeze peppers, harvest fresh and crisp young peppers and clean them. Peppers will go limp rapidly, so choose them shortly before you prepare to freeze them. Cut the peppers in half and get rid of seeds. I dry the seeds, place them in little plastic storage bags, label, and save for next year's planting.
Slice peppers into rings or julienne slices. Boil water and blanch peppers for 2-3 minutes. Cool quickly in ice water and completely drain. Place in zippered freezer bags and seal. Label outside of bag with a permanent marker, consisting of the range and the date. Use the frozen peppers in prepared foods such as soups, stews, gumbos, chili, pasta dishes, spaghetti sauce, stir fries, and so on
. To make hot pepper vinegar, pack cleaned hot peppers into a glass jar or bottle. I use Tabasco peppers. I frequently blend green and red peppers together. Be sure it is glass designed to stand up to heat so it will not crack from the hot vinegar. I choose to use a bottle designed for pouring or sprinkling. Add salt if wanted for flavoring. Put hot vinegar over the peppers, leaving get more info a bit of head space. Seal firmly and let high for 4-5 weeks. Explore different types of vinegar such as white, cider, sherry, and other flavored vinegars. Hot pepper vinegar makes a nice gift. Give it a personal touch by including homemade material and a handmade present tag.
You can also make your own salsa. There are many recipes for homemade salsa. Your recipe choice depends largely on your taste. The choice of peppers depends on whether you want mild or hot salsa. When your salsa is made, ladle into Mason canning jars and process according to your home canner instructions. Be certain that each jar "pops" when cooling from the canning procedure. This shows that the jar has properly sealed. Unsealed canned foods are not safe.
You can dry peppers in an oven, in a food dehydrator, or you can just air dry them. I prefer the air drying method. I take a really strong needle and "sew" them together with very strong quilting thread. I leave space between peppers so air can flow. I suspend them in front of a warm window and allow them to completely dry, which usually takes numerous weeks. When fully dried, shop in zippered bags or plastic containers. I use these primarily in stir french fries, fried rice, and pasta dishes. Dried seeds, such as hot red pepper flakes, are great for seasoning foods like pizza and pasta. You can rehydrate dried peppers prior to use by soaking in water, if wanted.
Beware when managing hot peppers. The oils can burn you. I use thin latex gloves when dealing with hot peppers, and I prevent touching my skin, face, lips, and eyes. Be care of other items you deal with also throughout this process. When my child was young, I was in the midst of dealing with hot peppers and she wanted a kiwi. I peeled and sliced the kiwi, and she complained that it was a really hot kiwi. You can always remove your gloves and clean your hands if needed.