Preserving Peppers

Preserving Peppers

Peppers have grown in popularity in recent years. Native to the Americas, most varieties belong to the belong to the Capsicum annuum  species.  Peppers range in pungency from the sweet bell to the fiery habanero.  The chemical substance that makes some peppers hot is capsaicin. 

It is a common misconception that the hotter the pepper, the acidic it is. The hotness of a pepper depends on the amount of capsaicin it contains and not the level of acidity.  All peppers are classified as low-acid foods and have a pH of 4.8 to 6.0 depending on maturity and variety.

There are many ways to preserve peppers, including drying pepper rings, freezing sweet bell peppers or hot peppers, or pickling peppers (bell peppers, hot peppers, jalapeño rings, or yellow pepper rings).  These recipes are provided by the National Home Food Preservation Center. 

To store fresh peppers, the ideal storage temperature is 45 degrees F, but they will last about one week in a typical home refrigerator (which should be kept at 40 degrees F.) Fresh, whole peppers will last longer if they are kept dry.

Like most fruits and vegetables, peppers should be washed just prior to consuming or preserving.  To wash, rinse well under clean, cold water, gently rubbing to remove dirt or soil.  Cut or chop on a clean surface using a clean knife.  Any cut fruits and vegetables should be stored in the refrigerator if not used within two hours.