If you love adding a spicy kick to your dishes with jalapenos, you might wonder how to store them for future use. Maybe you bought too many at the store, or you’ve just picked a whole bunch from your garden. Let’s talk about different ways you can keep jalapenos fresh and full of flavor for whenever you need a spicy boost.
To start, pick jalapenos that are in good shape. They should feel firm, look shiny, and have a deep green color. Soft, wrinkly, or damaged peppers won’t last as long.
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Method 1: Keep Jalapenos in the Fridge
Putting jalapenos in the fridge is the easiest way to store them.
Here’s how to do it:
- Pack the peppers in a bag with holes or in a container lined with paper towels to let air move around them.
- Put them in the fridge’s crisper drawer. It’s a bit more humid there, which is good for them.
- Don’t wash the peppers before you refrigerate them. Water can make them go bad faster.
Method 2: Freeze Your Jalapenos
If you have lots of jalapenos, freezing is great for keeping them for a long time.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to freezing jalapenos:
- Rinse and dry the peppers well.
- Cut them how you like, with or without seeds.
- Spread them out on a tray with parchment paper so they don’t stick together.
- Freeze them until they’re hard.
- Move the frozen peppers to a bag or container, get the air out, and seal it.
- Write the date on it and keep it in the freezer.
Method 3: Pickling Jalapenos
Pickled jalapenos last a long time and have a special tangy taste. They’re good in many dishes because of their unique flavor.
To pickle jalapenos, do this:
- Boil jars in water to make them germ-free.
- Make a mix of vinegar, water, salt, sugar, and spices in a pot and boil it.
- Put the peppers in the cleaned jars, leaving a bit of empty space at the top.
- Cover the peppers with the boiled mix.
- Close the jars and let them cool down.
- Keep them in a cool, shady place like your pantry.
Method 4: Drying Jalapenos
Dried jalapenos keep their spicy taste in a smaller, lighter form. You can let them dry out in the air or use a food dehydrator.
This is how to dry your jalapenos:
- Wash and dry them well.
- Slice them lengthwise or into rings, depending on what you like.
- If air-drying, place them on a rack and flip them occasionally.
- If using a dehydrator, spread them out on the trays.
- Set the dehydrator to a low heat and wait until the peppers are dry and brittle.
- Keep the dried peppers in a container that’s sealed tight in a cool, dark spot.
Making Jalapeno Powder
Jalapeno powder is great for adding a dash of heat to all sorts of meals like pizza, pasta, or even popcorn.
Make jalapeno powder like this:
- Take out the seeds and white parts from the peppers.
- Cut them into little pieces or thin rings.
- Lay them out on a tray and use the oven’s lowest setting to dry them until they’re crispy.
- Grind the dry jalapenos into powder with a blender or spice mill.
- Store the powder in a container that doesn’t let air in, in a place that’s cool and dark.
Tips for Keeping Jalapenos Longer
To make your jalapenos last as long as possible, remember these tips:
- Touch jalapenos with gloves or wash your hands well after because they can burn your skin or eyes.
- Throw away any peppers that are starting to go bad so they don’t spoil the others.
- Check on your jalapenos now and then and get rid of any that look or smell off.
- Using vacuum-sealed bags or containers can help them stay fresh even longer.
- Try out different ways to store jalapenos and see which one you like best for how you want to use them.
Conclusion
Now you know a bunch of ways to store jalapenos for a long time. Whether you decide to refrigerate, freeze, pickle, dry, or make powder, each method has its perks and lets you enjoy spicy flavors whenever you want. So go ahead, get yourself some jalapenos, and keep them ready for when it’s time to turn up the heat in your cooking!
