Tips For Freezing Hot Peppers

If you have more peppers on hand than you can possibly eat.

It’s a great problem to have. That’s because hot peppers freeze extremely well and usually come out of the freezer still somewhat crisp, so you can eat them raw or add them to a cooked dish later. One good tip before you start is to always wear rubber gloves when handling hot peppers and to make sure you don't touch your face.

Now that you’re ready, wash your peppers thoroughly and pat them dry.

You don’t even need to chop up or slice the peppers first. Next, grab a freezer bag you can seal tight. Heavy-duty freezer bags work well, but you can also vacuum-seal the bag or use an airtight container. The back of the freezer is the coldest, so try to put your peppers back there to retain as much flavor as possible. As with any similarly fresh-to-frozen food, hot peppers taste best if you eat them within about six to eight months.

If you’re planning to eat the peppers sooner than that, it’s not necessary, but you could blanch them first if you plan to freeze them for a longer period. For longer-term freezing, blanching helps retain some of the health benefits, such as vitamins and minerals. It’s a fairly quick process. Halve the peppers, and then drop them into boiling water for up to three minutes. Next, chill the peppers in ice water for a few minutes, pat them dry, and put them in freezer bags. When you’re ready to eat the peppers, you don’t even have to thaw them first if you’re planning to cut them up. Of course, you can always alternate between fresh hot peppers and other hot pepper products to give some variety to your meals.