How to Store Peppers
The bell pepper originates from Central America. Columbus introduced Europe to the bell pepper. Paprika is the sweet variety of red pepper. There are 8 different colors of peppers, each with a different flavor. But how to store peppers?
How to store peppers?
That can be done in different ways:
- It is best to store the peppers in foil outside the refrigerator. Preferably at 12 degrees in a dark cupboard or cellar.
- Never keep fresh peppers in the refrigerator.
- Keep chopped and leftover peppers in the fridge.
You can also roast peppers very well. This can be done in various ways. Check out our blog ‘ How to Roast Peppers? ‘ and try one of the methods.
How to Store Peppers?
Keep the fresh peppers out of the refrigerator but not near fruit or tomatoes. Fruit and tomatoes secrete the gas ethylene which is not good for the pepper. This will then get rotten spots. In addition, the taste changes, the bell pepper tastes bitter. In this way, the peppers will stay nice for a week.
Store Peppers in the Fridge
It is better not to keep a fresh bell pepper in the fridge. This disrupts the ripening process. However, a sliced bell pepper should be kept in the fridge. In a sealed container or in the foil. The bell pepper will then remain good for about 3 days.
Freezing peppers
You can also store the peppers in the freezer. You can freeze this in 2 ways:
- Cut open the bell pepper. Remove the seeds and stem from the peppers. Cut the bell pepper into strips or cubes. Place the bell pepper in a freezer bag and seal it airtight. If you are going to use the pepper, do not let the pepper thaw but add it frozen to the dish you are cooking. This keeps the peppers crispy.
- Clean the bell pepper and peel the outer layer of the bell pepper. Cut open the bell pepper and remove the seeds. Cut the bell pepper into strips or cubes. Boil the peppers for about 1 minute and rinse with cold water. This process is called blanching. Place the peppers in a freezer bag or container and seal. The peppers now remain good for about 6 months.
Cutting peppers
You can cut and clean the bell pepper in several ways. Always remove the seeds, as they taste bitter. You can cut the bell pepper into cubes, strips or slices. The video below shows how to properly clean a bell pepper and remove the seeds because pictures now speak much more than words!
Store Peppers in Oil
A laborious way of storage is in olive oil. Before you can do this, some actions are required. It is preferable to use several peppers.
Place the peppers in an oven dish and place the oven dish in the oven at 200 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove the peppers from the oven and place them in a plastic bag. Seal the bag. This creates vapor so that you can easily remove the sheets.
Remove the peel. Cut open the bell pepper and remove the seeds. Then cut the peppers into large pieces.
Place the peppers in a bowl. Now comes the fun part. You can add various spices to make different flavors. For example, add oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper. But you can also use any other herb you like.
Now mix two spoons of olive oil and vinegar and fold the peppers through this mixture.
Now transfer the peppers to a sterilized jar and toss in the vinegar/olive oil mixture. Fill the rest of the pot with oil. Store the jar in the refrigerator.
You can store the peppers in a closed jar for a month.
Fermenting peppers
You can ferment peppers very well. It takes some work, but the bell pepper has a very long shelf life. Fermentation is a natural process in which micro-organisms (such as fungi, yeasts, and bacteria) are used to make food. This requires moisture, air and heat. This changes the structure, taste, and smell of the product.
Cut the bell pepper into thin slices and place it in a large container. Add salt to taste. Let everything stand for about half an hour. Remove the bell pepper from the bowl and squeeze out some of the liquid. Place the bell pepper in the preserving jar and press the bell pepper onto the bottom. Fill the rest of the jar and close the lid. The jar must be 90% filled with paprika.
Now let the jar stand at room temperature for at least 3 days. Every day, vent the jar by opening the lid slightly. The fermentation is now starting. You can observe this by the formation of carbon dioxide bubbles. The process is complete after about a week. Now put the jar in the fridge to stop the fermentation process. The peppers have been good for a year now. An opened jar can be kept in the fridge for up to 6 days.
Store Pepper Dish
When you have processed the bell pepper in a dish, you can of course always store it in the fridge or freezer. Always do this in a closed, airtight bag or container with a lid. The shelf life depends on the other ingredients you used. But usually, you can keep it in the fridge for 5 days and in the freezer for 3 months.
Pepper No More Good
To know whether a bell pepper is no longer good, you have to use your senses. When the skin is wrinkled, the outside is damaged, or when the pepper is limp or moldy, there is only one thing you can do. Throw it away, because the bell pepper is no longer good.
Store Pepper Seeds
Which is great fun, and current today, to grow a bell pepper plant yourself. You can use seeds from the peppers you bought in the supermarket for this. These are very useful for growing your own plant.
Cut open the bell pepper and remove the seeds. Remove the seed from the seed lists. For example, put the seeds in a coffee filter or make a funnel from kitchen paper. Leave the seeds in a safe place for 4 to 5 days. This will dry out the seeds and any remaining peppers that may still be on them. You must do this to prevent mold.
Close the coffee filter or funnel and store the seeds in a dark, dry place.
When it’s time to plant the seeds, you can use them right away. Planting takes place around the end of April/beginning of May.
