Storing chillies

Hi all, we have a load of chillies this year, anyone think of good ways to store them?

 

Thinking of pickled chillies, anyone got a good recipe?

 

Arun, look up the recipe topic (above non gardening discussion), they are there.

 

I buy a huge bag of chillies from our local chilli farm every few months and I put them in a plastic bag and freeze them just as they are. Then when I want to use one I take it out and chop it/cook it whilst still frozen. They don't alter in taste or appearance at all.

 

We hang some of ours up to dry and freeze the rest. I fancy they are a bit more potent after being frozen

 

I normally just dry them, they dry very quickly then they go in a jar.

 

I usually dry mine too, they keep really well - not tried freezing but will have a go. Freezing works really well for ginger roots too - just whip it out & grate as much as you need then pop it back in the freezer.

 

Blimey, thats a good idea Bayleaf - my gingers always going off at the bottom of the fridge

 

Ta Marge!
Also good is slicing up a lemon & keeping it in freezer bags (I always used to buy them & not use them all up so they'd go the same way as your ginger!)- just pop a slice in a glass of whatever you fancy or use in your cooking of course.... - you can also grate the rind to keep in this way

 

Ive done that before with lemons in icecubes - very handy at Christmas when youve had a few - thats when the lemon slices are more wedges and include a large slice of my finger :rolleyes: :D

 

Like the others I have frozen my excess chillies, and I find this to be the best method of storing them. I did once fill a jam jar with Habaneros and top up with Olive Oil, then placed them in an oven at 100 degrees for half an hour. This produced a wonderful oil to add to your cooking, in very, VERY, small amounts.
Next year I am going to try growing a Dorset Naga plant http://www.dorsetnaga.com/ purely for the novelty value. I'm not sure if I would store this one in oil as it could be classed as a chemical weapon.