Topic: Any advice on when to pick chillis and how to keep / dry them?

[TonyM]

Hi, recently posted on how to ensure my plants produced fruit and thanks for the advice and a mix of gentle shaking, brushing and leaving nature to take its course now have a good supply of green chilli which are beginning to turn red.

Do I pick them when red on the assumption they are 'ripe' and will not get much bigger?

Also, do I just attempt to dry them naturally?

Or is freezing an option?

Any advice welcomed.

Thanks
TonyM

[amphibian]

Hi, recently posted on how to ensure my plants produced fruit and thanks for the advice and a mix of gentle shaking, brushing and leaving nature to take its course now have a good supply of green chilli which are beginning to turn red.

Do I pick them when red on the assumption they are 'ripe' and will not get much bigger?

Also, do I just attempt to dry them naturally?

Or is freezing an option?

Any advice welcomed.

Thanks
TonyM

Pick them when they have turned red, you can dry them by threading them onto strings, or just bung them in the freezer whole.

They will continue to ripen after being picked, though, so it is not necessary to wait for them to completely redden.

[Georgie]

I concur with amphibian.  The only thing I would add is if you are growing the yellow variety, they will never turn red!   ;D   ::)   :P

G x

[heeby]

ive dried chillies on a string in a sunny window with plenty of airflow ,quite rapid and easy
mark ;D

[amphibian]

I concur with amphibian.  The only thing I would add is if you are growing the yellow variety, they will never turn red!   ;D   ::)   :P

G x

Nor purple ones.

[bison1947]

Being a newbie this is first year at growing Cayenne Cilli Peppers
they are green at the moment but will turn red eventually.
Anyway today i picked one just to try (we have all done havnt we)
anyway cut a bit off and a placed in the Gob & was that wrong
Mouth was on fire well we live and learn


Bill.......

[Mrs Ava]

;D @ Bill, in the nicest possible way of course!  ;D

Yes you can freeze them - I have frozen them hole, or chopped in ice cube trays, the choice is yours!  They dry nicely if laid in a warm place where the air flow is good and then you can crush them and store them in an airtight jar, or leave them whole to crush as you need - I leave whole as I do believe the flavour is better.  You can preserve them in the form of chilli jelly, which I have to make by the gallon for my darling to take into work for his colleagues.  I believe you can also preserve them in sherry or vodka, but being teetotal (ahem   :P) I really woudln't know!  ;)

[Hyacinth]

Added to freezing - if you freeze them whole, you can easily de-seed when frozen as needed - keeps the taste without quite so much heat :)

[amphibian]

I like to make chilli peaenut-butter, yummy.

Bill, I have made a similar error myself, if you bite of the tip it really isn't very hot, the next bite though  :o

[Biscombe]

I agree! freezing is the way to go!! easy to chop n deseed!!

[Merry Tiller]

You can preserve them in the form of chilli jelly

Got a recipe EJ?

[Mrs Ava]

Tis a vague one MT as it was one I made up as I went along.

I basically roughly chopped up a big pile of apples - cookers and eaters - whatever I had from my apple trees and a couple of lemons.  These all went into my preserving pan with just enough water to cover.  I also added a few roughly chopped chillis to start the heat.  This apple mix should be cooked slowely until you have a big pan of juicy mash.  This is then passed through a seive or jelly bag.  If you want it clear and sharp, through a jelly bag and don't squeeze, if you don't mind it with a bit more body, then give it a squeeze or a squidge.  ;D

I now measure the liquid and for every pint I use a pound of sugar.  The liquid and sugar goes into the preserving pan with as many chopped chillis as you see fit.  I use a selection of whatever I have and I chop them, seeds and all in my mini blitzer.  Slowely bring this up to the boil making sure all of the sugar has dissolved, then get boiling.  BE WARNED, the steam is chilli flavoured and MIGHT make your eyes sting. 

Once it reaches setting point, bottle into sterile jars.  I did some fancy by pushing a whole fresh 'pretty' chilli into the middle of the jelly.  I also did some with some smoked praprika added at the end of cooking time.  Made a lovely smokey chilli jelly.  The set really depends on the apples or the amount of lemons.  I had some which was really hard, perfect for adding to chillis or tom sauces, and some was softer, more jam like, perfect with cold meats or in jacket spuds, or smeared over pizza dough before adding the tom sauce.

YUM!

[sally_cinnamon]

Being a newbie this is first year at growing Cayenne Cilli Peppers
they are green at the moment but will turn red eventually.
Anyway today i picked one just to try (we have all done havnt we)
anyway cut a bit off and a placed in the Gob & was that wrong
Mouth was on fire well we live and learn

Hrmph - wish I'd read that before I did the exact same thing last night!!   :-X  ON FIRE!!   ;D

[Tora]

I like to make chilli peaenut-butter, yummy.

How do you make chilli peanut butter? I'd love to make one! :P

[Robert_Brenchley]

I just fill a jar with minced chillis, cover them with vinegar, and shove it in the fridge. It lasts for ages.

[jennym]

For using in fancy things, I cut then into rings with scissors (wearing rubber gloves, and with them submerged in a bowl of water) then tip this into colander and rinse the seeds out. Let them drain and then freeze for future use.

[Merry Tiller]

Ta V much EJ

[Belinda]

Hi TonyM,

Last year it quickly became apparent that we were going to have more chillis than we could use fresh. So, as an experiment I got a large-ish needle with fairly stout cotton (and a knot at the end of course  ::)) and as the chillis ripened I threaded each one onto the cotton through the thickest part of the stalk just above the chilli itself. This was hung in the kitchen and added to as and when. Some fell off, some got used, but eventually when the plant had stopped producing and all the chillis were well and truly dried out I put them in a Kilner type jar with a rubber seal. I've looked at them periodically since and not a single one has deteriorated.

[valmarg]

The following is a recipe from a Jamie Oliver cookbook:-

PICKLED CHILLIES

Pickled chillies are absolutely superb. They are brilliant because they can just sit in the fridge waiting to be used. I particularly like to use them in stir-frying or in broths or to eat them just as they are with some cheese and bread.

600g/1lb 5oz medium green chillies
15 black peppercorns
5 bay leaves
3 tablespoons coriander seeds
5 teaspoons salt
6 heaped tablespoons caster sugar
1 litre/1¾ pints white wine vinegar or rice vinegar

For this recipe you must use perfect green chillies without any blemishes (you can use red chillies, but they will be slightly hotter).

Carefully score from the stalk end to the tip on one side only and remove the seeds (use the handle of a teaspoon for this). Pour boiling water over the chillies, let them sit for 5 minutes, then drain. This will get rid of most of the seeds left behind.

Next put the black peppercorns, bay leaves, coriander, chillies and salt into a large jar, or other airtight container. Put the sugar and the vinegar into a pan and heat until the sugar is fully dissolved. When this is quite hot, but not boiling, pour it into the jar with the chillies. Allow to cool down and then put the lid on.

Put in the fridge and leave for a minimum of two weeks before using. They will keep in the fridge for at least four months.



Be very careful when deseeding the chillies. The tips of my fingers were quite painfully tingling for hours after.  Wearing gloves is advisable!!

We have kept them for longer than four months.

You can also open freeze them.

valmarg

[greyhound]

Surely pickles don't need to be kept in the fridge? ???