A variety of colorful bell peppers.
Photo credit: Adobe Firefly
How to Select and Prepare Peppers
- Sweet peppers should be fresh-looking, firm, thick-fleshed, and bright green or red, depending on the stage of maturity.
- Avoid peppers that are soft and dull-looking.
- To prepare peppers to stuff or bake, cut off tops and remove seeds and membrane from inside. Cook peppers in a small amount of boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain, stuff and bake as your recipe directs.
- When handling hot peppers, always wear plastic gloves or coat hands with fat to avoid burns.
How to Store Fresh Peppers for Optimal Freshness
- For optimal freshness, store peppers in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. The ideal storage temperature for fresh peppers is 45 °F, they will last about one week in a typical home refrigerator set at approximately 40 °F.
- To extend shelf life, ensure the peppers are dry, place in a paper bag or wrap them in paper towels to absorb moisture.
Creative Ways to Use Peppers in Your Cooking
- For a spicy side dish, sauté sliced peppers with minced fresh garlic in olive oil.
- Cut fresh green or red sweet peppers in quarters, remove seeds and membrane, and stuff each quarter with seasoned cream cheese for a colorful hors d’oeurve.
- Add ¼ cup finely chopped green pepper to 1 pound of ground beef for extra pep in hamburger or meatloaf.
- Sauté sliced peppers with fresh mushrooms and onions to top steak sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, subs, or any favorite sandwich.
- Raw pepper rings are delicious on sandwiches.
- Wrap crisp pepper strips in plastic to preserve their fresh taste and crisp texture and pack them into lunch bags for a healthful and delicious snack.
- Chop fresh sweet peppers into tuna or egg salad to add a bright color and terrific taste.
- Stir-fry sweet peppers with beef or chicken for quick and easy cooking.
Pickled peppers in a jar.
Photo credit: Adobe Firefly
How to Make Pickled Peppers (Hungarian, Banana, and More)
Makes about 8 pint jars
Wash 4 quarts of long red, green, or yellow peppers and drain. Cut 2 small slits in each pepper. Dissolve 1½ cups salt in 1 gallon water. Pour over peppers and let stand 12 to 18 hours in refrigerator. Drain peppers, rinse again and drain thoroughly.
Combine 2 tablespoons horseradish, 2 cloves garlic, 10 cups vinegar, 2 cups water and ¼ cup sugar; simmer 15 minutes. Remove garlic. Pack peppers into hot jars, leaving ½-inch headspace. Bring the liquid to a boil. Fill the jar to ½ inch from the top with boiling liquid. Remove air bubbles, wipe jar rims and adjust lids. Process 10 minutes in a boiling water bath at altitudes up to 1,000 feet. At altitudes between 1,001 and 6,000 feet, process for 15 minutes.
For more information on peppers, request HGIC 3440, Pickled Peppers, or HGIC 3300, Preserving Vegetables.
Source
Reynolds, Susan and Paulette Williams. So Easy to Preserve, Bulletin 989. The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service. Fourth edition revised by Elizabeth Andress and Judy Harrison, 1999.
Originally published 10/01
