Hot peppers, sweet peppers or jalapeno peppers — whatever the variety, they are currently in season. You can harvest and store peppers in the refrigerator safely for about 2 weeks. If you want to keep them longer you can try your hand at preserving them.
Freeze sweet peppers by washing, removing stems and seeds. Chop or cut into strips. Blanch for 3 minutes, cool, drain, package and freeze in a freezer-safe container.
Freeze hot peppers by washing and removing stems. Package, seal, and freeze in freezer-safe containers. (Caution: Wear food handling gloves while handling hot peppers.)
Pickled Bell Peppers
- 7 pounds firm bell peppers
- 3 ½ cups sugar
- 3 cups vinegar(5% acidity)
- 3 cups water
- 9 cloves garlic
- 4 ½ teaspoons canning or pickling salt
Makes 9 Pints.
Procedure: Wash peppers, cut into quarters, remove cores and seeds, and cut away any blemishes. Slice peppers in Strips. Boil sugar, vinegar, and water for 1 minute. Add peppers and bring to a boil. Place ½ clove of garlic and ¼ teaspoon salt in each hot sterile half-pint jar; double the amounts for pint jars. Add pepper strips and cover with hot vinegar mixture, leaving ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel. Adjust lids and process. Process in a boiling water bath canner for 5 minutes.
For more information on canning and freezing, visit: go.osu.edu/foodpreservation or call your local Extension office.
Sources:
USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning http://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/publications_usda.html
Ohio State University Extension, Ohioline Factsheet, Freezing Vegetables http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/5000/pdf/5333.pdf
Ohio State University Extension, Ohioline Factsheet, Selecting, Storing and Serving Ohio Peppers http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/5000/pdf/5528.pdf
Author: Linnette Goard, Field Specialist, Food Safety, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension.
