Freezing peppers is the best way to ensure the product has a long shelf life.
In addition, when frozen, it not only preserves its taste and aroma, but also increases the amount of useful microelements.
We will tell you further how to freeze bell peppers, chili and black peppercorns for the winter.
Can it be frozen in the freezer for the winter?
Freezing pepper, oddly enough, only affects its properties for the better. But at the same time, the product will delight in taste, juiciness and aroma only if freezing is done correctly.
First of all, when storing a product for a long time, you want to preserve its benefits for the body. But an equally important indicator during the freezing process remains the question: is the delicious taste of the pepper lost, and does this storage method affect the shape.
There is no need to worry about this, because when storing peppers in the freezer, all the beneficial substances are preserved . These are vitamins A, groups B, E, P, C, K. And also mineral salts, carbohydrates and fiber. And what is characteristic is that the entire range of useful components is contained in all varieties of this amazing crop, which tolerates freezing well.
In addition, it should be noted that:
- the method allows you to keep the product suitable for up to one and a half years;
- taste and smell are fully preserved after defrosting;
- Even the color and shape of the vegetable remains unchanged, which cannot be expected from drying and canning.
Unlike other types of preparation for the winter, it is when frozen in maximum quantities that all the beneficial properties of the vegetable are preserved. Whereas during pickling and other types of preservation, which necessarily involve long-term heat treatment, they are practically destroyed. At the same time, the taste of the product that you so want to preserve also changes.
Having appreciated all the positive aspects of freezing the product, you should give preference to this method of preparing for the winter. The fact that the procedure is easy to perform, as well as saving time, also speaks in favor.
Freezing Roasted Bell Peppers
My favorite option!
Everything is quite simple here. We take the baked pepper, carefully place it flat in 2-3 layers in vacuum or silicone bags, expel the air from the bags, close it and put it in the freezer.
Here I already wrote how to marinate baked bell peppers. If you don't know how to do this yet, check it out.
I freeze roasted peppers quite a lot. It is this pepper that reveals all its natural sweetness. I love that it's versatile. I love adding peppers to casseroles, making sauces, adding to pasta (the combination of tomatoes and roasted red peppers is delicious!)
This pepper is also ideal for pizza.
Frying red peppers on the grill (if not possible, then in the oven under the grill) is an excellent way of cooking so that these red, fleshy beauties delight you in the winter with their taste and smoky aroma.
Just imagine: you will have tender, sweet, deliciously aromatic peppers with notes of smoke, which you can enjoy endlessly all year long. These peppers add extra flavor and texture to many dishes and sauces, as I mentioned above.
How to freeze?
There are two main ways to freeze pods for the winter - whole or sliced. In turn, slicing allows several options:
- straws,
- in slices,
- cubes,
- rings.
The use of each method depends on the type of fruit and the purpose for further use of the product.
Bulgarian
This variety can be frozen in any way , since in the future whole peppers can be used for stuffing, and chopped with all the options mentioned, added to salads, stir-fries, and as a side dish for main dishes.
Fresh for stuffing
To prepare bell peppers for the winter, you should select whole, elastic and strong fruits that are not damaged by spoilage. They can be different in color and size.
The preparation procedure for storage is as follows:
Wash the vegetables thoroughly in cold water, preferably running.- Place in a colander to drain the remaining water.
You can lay it out on a towel and let it dry. Dry pods will retain their shape throughout the storage period, while wet pods stick to each other and are damaged when defrosted. - Carefully cut off the caps with the stalk and remove the seeds.
- Then, to save space in the freezer, we stack the peppers on top of each other in a pyramid. That is, we insert a smaller specimen into the largest pepper, and so on until the length is no more than the width of a plastic bag. We put each pyramid in a separate bag, release the air from it, wrap it tightly and put it in the freezer.
Vegetables prepared using this method will not stick together, lose their shape, or lose their color and taste. If desired, you can also freeze the peppers seasoned with minced meat. The disadvantage is that they take up a lot of space.
Pieces
Bell pepper differs from other varieties in that it is eaten in different forms. Therefore, it makes sense to freeze the vegetable in chopped form.
For such a preparation, pods of any size, irregular shape, or those that will have to be removed due to a damaged piece are suitable.
Further actions:
- We cut pre-washed and dried vegetables, from which the stalk and seeds have been removed, in any way. All types of cuts are suitable for salads. You can even use large slices. For soups, it is better to use straws or cubes. For pizza you can cut into rings or half rings.
- It is important that the cut pieces do not stick together when frozen, so first put them in a bag and load them into the freezer for 20 minutes.
- Then we put the slightly frozen pieces into a plastic container and put them in the freezer for storage.
The shape of the cut is not significant and does not in any way affect the taste and properties of bell pepper. Its purpose is to decorate prepared dishes. But the main advantage of freezing in pieces is saving space in the freezer. Bulgarian peppers, harvested in pieces, are easier to peel from grains if you first cut them in half.
2 ways to freeze peppers for the winter - in the video:
Chile
This type of pepper is spicy. It's very hot. Therefore, it is recommended to wear gloves when working with chili peppers. There are two freezing methods you can use: cut into pieces and freeze whole.
Whole pods
Using this method eliminates the possibility of being burned by hot chili peppers during slicing.
The method also has its advantages over drying the pods. During the drying process, chili loses its shape and may lose color . This will not happen if you freeze the pods.
This is the simplest and easiest option for long-term storage of chili. Thoroughly washed and well-dried peppers are placed in a storage container. This can be a plastic container or a plastic bag with a zip fastener.
Fast
This is the most common and most popular method. To this end:
- chili peppers are cut into strips or rings;
- laid out in one layer on a tray, baking sheet or cutting board;
- place in the freezer to freeze for 30 minutes;
- then the frozen product is put into a bag with a clasp.
In this state, hot chili pepper retains its beneficial properties for a year to a year and a half. That is, until the new harvest, you can consume a healthy product while preserving all the substances.
This video will tell you about freezing chili peppers for the winter:
Leguminous
Freezing hot capsicums is also possible only for later addition to meat or fish dishes. Due to its exceptional sharpness and not too large volume, it will not be possible to stuff it. But like other varieties of pepper, you can freeze them whole or by cutting them into pieces.
The algorithm of actions is practically no different from the procedures described above. Namely:
- Select for freezing only ripened and good quality pods - without spots, inclusions and with uniform color.
- Wash well under running cold water and dry with a towel.
- The fruits can be left with the seeds, which contain capsaicin, which gives hot peppers their heat, or they can be removed.
It is advisable to freeze hot peppers in portions so as not to expose the entire prepared product to heat. The cutting and freezing methods and storage containers are similar to the methods described above.
Be sure to wear gloves to avoid skin burns when touching hot capsicums. And also beware of getting juice on mucous surfaces.
Black peas
Theoretically, this procedure is quite feasible . The main difficulty is to buy high-quality raw materials on the market.
The remaining manipulations will be no different from freezing other varieties of vegetables. This eliminates the need for pre-rinsing and drying.
However, it should be noted that it is impossible to grind frozen black pepper; it grinds well only in dried form. As for adding whole peas to dishes, there are no problems.
How long can I store in the freezer?
A delicate, tasty and fragrant product, unfortunately, even in the refrigerator it quickly deteriorates. Almost the only method that can preserve all the beneficial properties, taste, color and aroma of the fruit is freezing.
In the freezer, if all recommendations for preparing the product for long-term storage are followed, the shelf life of the vegetable reaches from 12 to 15 months . But it is quite enough to use frozen products from autumn until the new harvest.
An amazing fact: when frozen, the beneficial properties of pepper are not only preserved, but also increased.
What's the best way to use frozen vegetables?
The use of frozen peppers is limited only by the imagination of housewives and taste preferences.
Stuffed pods remain a favorite dish , for which only sweet bell peppers are suitable. As for peppers of all mentioned varieties, they are used for salads, added to soups, vegetable stews, and pizza.
The main thing is to properly defrost the prepared products. For stuffing and salads - with preliminary defrosting in the refrigerator. For hot dishes, you can add it straight from the freezer.
Preparing Peppers Before Freezing
- Before freezing, thoroughly rinse the whole fruit, and then wipe it dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. Dry vegetables retain their shape better when frozen, while wet vegetables quickly freeze into a lump, which is then difficult to break.
- Then cut off the cap of the pepper along with the stalk, shake the seeds out of the fruit, but do not throw it away. I’ll tell you a secret later on how you can use them more.
- We remove the stalk from the cut off cap; we don’t need it. We will use the rest of the hat later. You can remove the stalk immediately using a special device for removing the core of peppers.
Adviсe
By following simple tips, you can properly prepare peppers for long-term storage. Here are important recommendations:
To prevent frozen pieces and whole fruits from sticking to each other, do not forget to lightly freeze them first, placing them on a tray, and only then put them in bags or containers.- For freezing, you should select only fresh vegetables with a high juice content, which contains the most vitamins and nutrients.
- Having bought fresh peppers, you should not postpone the freezing procedure so that the products do not lose their properties.
- For storage in pieces, it is advisable to select thick-walled fruits. And for stuffing - with walls of medium thickness.
- Spoiled or bruised vegetables will change the taste and appearance of the finished dish for the worse.
Following the advice is the key to quality storage of the product. Ignoring them will not allow you to enjoy a tasty and healthy vegetable.
What utensils will you need?
You can freeze in the following containers:
- A bag made of thick polyethylene is the most versatile option. The bag perfectly stores fruits both in pieces and whole.
- Plastic containers with lids. It is advisable to use rectangular shapes, which can be placed one on one and thereby save space.
- Plastic bottles are also suitable for peppers. Pay attention to containers with a large neck.
- Glass and metal containers are not suitable for freezing. These materials react very strongly to temperature changes.
