What to do with big amounts of chilli peppers?
It’s still relatively warm here, the sun is shining almost every day, market stalls still sell hot and sweet peppers and my balcony chillies still keep on yielding new fruits. I’ve been adding them gradually to different dishes, but the recent weeks’ harvest was surprisingly big and I still have about 1/2 kg of ripening peppers to pick, so my mind is set on preserving.
Obviously, I could dry or freeze all the chillies (and I do this with some of them), but preserving them in pickles, sauces and jellies is much more creative and rewarding. Whether your are one of those lucky real garden owners with a huge harvest of ripe chillies or a chilli enthusiast back from a farmers’ market shopping spree or a tiny space gardener, like me, here are some ideas you might find useful:
You know I LOVE this post! Black olive chilies. Thanks for posting a picture because I was quite curious when you first mentioned them. They are really pretty and I bet that when the bush has the black and red chilies it’s quite beautiful. Love those aji lemon chilies as well. Just yesterday I did a batch of olive brine peppers. Looking forward to using them. I’ll be going to the market next week to pickup more so thanks for listing your wonderful methods for preserving! Fantastic post!
Dear MJ, thank you so much for all the compliments! I’m so glad you liked this post! I should update the photo of the black olive chillies because now they are red ! (they grow very slowly and started to mature only now). I must say that aji lemon chillies are the best discovery of all my gardening “career”! They are so unique, aromatic, delicious, crunchy… We both agree with my husband I will grow them every year.
You’re very innovative.
It’s not an issue I’ve ever had to deal with. 🙂
Thank you, A_Boleyn!
I’m so jealous that it’s still warm over there, we’ve had to turn the heat on lately, it’s gotten so cold. Your chilies look gorgeous. Sadly my herbs have bolted and I’m thinking about putting them away for the winter. Great lineup of recipes.
Thank you so much, Eva! Actually the chillies still grow and keep on maturing… I thought I’d get rid of them after I wrote this post, but I cannot… it’s too warm yet!
i love chillies! and i love all the fab ways you have used them. our neighbour grows them and keeps me supplied. fascinating about the black ones. cheers sherry
Thank you so much, Sherry! You are lucky to have a chilli growing neighbour!
These are all fabulous ideas! I actually dehydrate mine. They last forever in the freezer in sealable bags. but I love your ideas, too!
Thank you, Mimi! I dry lots of chillies too, it’s the easiest way to manage big harvests.
Those are all wonderful ideas. I usually freeze them, and then in a year or two throw them out 🙁
Thank you, Jeff! I also often forget about my freezer’s content, but not about frozen chillies! Too important in my diet 🙂
Seeing a post like this makes me wish I still had a garden. What a great selection.
Thank you, Karen! (I also wish I had a garden!)