I planted two chili pepper plants, and got LOTS of peppers. I have quite a few red, ripe ones. I also have quite a few green and partially green-maroon (which they turn before they turn red). It's supposed to freeze tonight or tomorrow, so I pulled up the plants, roots and all, and they're in the garage. I need to know what to do with them.

Should I leave them on the plant for awhile to see if they ripen more? Should I dry them green? Should I pickle and can them? (My brother said he's willing to give them a try -- he likes canned jalapenos). What about the red ripe ones -- are they good for pickling? I was planning on drying those, but a mix of green and red ones, canned, might be quite attractive.

If I can them, should I use cider vinegar or white? I think white would give the prettiest color, but would the cider vinegar give a better taste? I don't want to make salsa for him, because [1] his step-daughters already made him a bunch, and [2] I would have to buy the tomatoes, because mine are DONE!

I should mention that I have no intention of eating them -- I don't like hot peppers. I grew them for my parrot (and to see if I could do it). She will eat them fresh, but also eats them dried, so I will have to dry some of them. But I have plenty and am wondering what to do with the others.

Thanks!

-- Joy F [in So. Wisconsin] (CatFlunky@excite.com), October 05, 2001

Answers

I can'tell from your post if you're talking about green chiles or jalepenos. They are entirely different and treated different. I will tell you how I handle both.

Jalepenos: I boil them (whole) for just a few minutes till they are a duller green. Then I drain, cool and freeze. I then thaw, cut off the stem and use in homemade salsa.

Green Chile: I put them on a cookie sheet under the broiler (or you can do this outside directly on the grill). When the skin blackens, I turn them over and do the other side. Then I wrap them up in a damp towel and let steam and cool. Hold under cool running water and the skins just slip off. You can then freeze them and use just like canned green chiles.

If you have questions, feel free to email me.

-- connie in nm (connieandkarrel@msn.com), October 05, 2001.

Some of my long red ones I string with a needle through part of the stem and hang to dry in a ristra. The green ones don't seem to keep as well that way, though if you're only doing it for decorations they might be ok. The next year, I take any dried ones I don't use for enchilada sauce, break them apart and remove seeds and the white membrane (wear gloves--I use the disposable surgical type) and grind them up for chili powder.

Big meaty ones I roast on the barbecue, turning them with tongs until blackened, cool them all in a big paper bag, and then scrape the blackened skins off, remove seeds and membranes (again, wear gloves!) and freeze them individually on a cookie sheet then transfer to bags. I chop them into chili, soups, eggs, or casseroles or put them on sandwiches all winter long.

I don't can very many of mine any more but canning them, I use white vinegar and cut slits into the sides so the liquid can penetrate the entire pepper, or can jalapenos in slices. You can also smoke jalapenos (I use the barbecue and prunings from the fruit trees). Then you have chipotles, which can also be ground into powder, stored dried and added to soups, etc. (especially good in crockpot beans-- you don't eat the chipotle, but it adds a smoky spiciness), or canned in adobo sauce (tomato & vinegar based).

-- Sadge (in Northern Nevada) (firesignfarm@hotmail.com), October 05, 2001.

If green chile, I broil (some do it on the grill), cool and freeze. I do not peel them until I take them out to use.

-- DW (djwallace@ctos.com), October 05, 2001.

The label on the plants just says Chili Pepper. They are long shape, about the size of a little finger (with lots of variation in size). To me, they look just like the red peppers that are strung into ristras. I'm not sure it's dry enough here to string and hang them to dry -- that's probably risky in this area of the country.

I'm particularly interested in canning, because I believe I can then pawn them off on my brother.

-- Joy F [in So. Wisconsin] (CatFlunky@excite.com), October 06, 2001.

Here's the Pickled Pepper recipe from the Ball Blue Book:

4 qts long peppers, 1 1/2 cups salt, 4 qts water, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tbl prepared horseradish, 2 cloves garlic, 10 cups vinegar, 2 cups water

Wear rubber gloves to prevent burning hands. Cut two small slits in each pepper. Dissolve salt in 4 qts water. Pour over peppers and let stand 12 to 18 hours in a cool place. Drain; rinse and drain thoroughly. Combine remaining ingredients in a large sauce pot. Simmer 15 minutes. Remove garlic. Pack peppers into hot jars, leaving a 1/4" head space. Bring pickling liquid to a boil. Pour hot liquid over peppers, leaving 1/4" head space. Remove air bubbles. Adjust caps. Process half pints and pints 10 minutes in boiling water bath. Yield: about 8 pints.

-- Cindy in NY (cjpopeck@worldnet.att.net), October 07, 2001.

OK, from your description it sounds like you have cayenne peppers, not green chiles. Green chiles are much bigger than your little finger. Just pick them when they are red and dry them. String on a wire and bend wire and you have a pretty wreath. They are hotter than green chile.

-- connie in nm (karrelandconnie@msn.com), October 07, 2001.