After reading Mark’s chilli update post I thought I’d better take a look at my plants as I’ve been neglecting them, other than a quick watering and feed, for the other, more needy, veg on the plot.
On the greenhouse staging are the chillies (cayenne, cheyenne, scotch bonnet, apache), and peppers (bell boy, redskin, leteus, denver, etiuda). I’ve managed to fit most of the plants on the staging with only a few on the floor.
The Cayenne chillies are doing really well with one or two turning red now. I’m starting to use some whenever I cook a curry.
This is the usual pepper that you see in the supermarkets.
And I’m also growing the long pointed variety Anaheim.
I haven’t settled on the best way of preserving them yet having tried drying, freezing and in oil. What’s the best way you use to preserve your chillies and peppers? Last year I used some of the peppers in this lovely recipe.
Have a great weekend!
Harvesting on the plot – lettuce, rocket, radish, tomatoes, chillies, broad beans, french beans, mangetout, beetroot, spring onions, onions, shallots, cabbage, calabrese, potatoes
17 comments
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July 16, 2011 at 9:56 am
Rich
Damo
I’ve been growing chilies for around 16 years and use both drying and freezing to preserve them. My preference is freezing as it’s completely effort free and gives no problem. My wife literally chucks them in a plastic bag and that’s it. Last year I made some chilli oil which really is worth doing. There’s stacks of recipes on the net you can try.
Cheers
Rich (Vegpatchblog)
July 16, 2011 at 11:09 am
Damo
Thanks Rich that’s great advice from your many years of experience. Freezing certainly is trouble free so most of mine will go in there with a few strung up to dry as they also make a nice, rustic kitchen decoration. And chilli oil is a great idea I hadn’t thought of that.
July 16, 2011 at 10:04 am
Sue
We don’t grow chillies but we freeze our pepper chopped and ready for use.
July 16, 2011 at 11:03 am
Damo
Thanks Sue I’ve frozen some of mine in the past with good results.
July 16, 2011 at 10:06 am
the Idiot Gardener
Surely the best way of preserving chillis is to dry them? That’s what the Thais do, and if it’s good enough for them it would be good enough for me!
July 16, 2011 at 11:05 am
Damo
And they look quite attractive strung up around the kitchen, the sort of thing you’d pay a small fortune for in a deli. The Thais know their chillies so drying looks like a good way of preserving them..
July 17, 2011 at 6:02 am
Richard (Vegpatchblog)
The Thais have the massive benefit of wall to wall hot sun which is, of course, the ideal way to dry chillies. It’s also very time consuming in the UK unless you have a purpose built temperature controlled dryer. I’ve had success drying them in the oven at the lowest setting for around 3 – 4 hours. However, bagging them and chucking them in freezer is far easier and works just as well.
July 17, 2011 at 8:08 am
Damo
The freezer certainly suits my laid back approach thanks very much Richard.
July 16, 2011 at 10:35 am
Mark Willis
Damo, You say you have neglected your chillis, but they still look pretty good! We freeze our surplus chillis. They respond pretty well to this, as long as you slice them / de-seed them when they are still frozen, because frozen ones can go a bit floppy when they de-frost.
July 16, 2011 at 11:06 am
Damo
Thanks Mark that’s a good tip.
July 16, 2011 at 1:43 pm
Janet/Plantaliscious
Hi Damo. Benign neglect obviously works wonders! Your chillies look magnificent to me, but there again mine only have flowers as yet, fruit – and how to preserve them – are a mere gleam in the eye…
July 16, 2011 at 5:33 pm
Damo
Thanks very much Janet, I’m sure yours won’t be far behind.
July 17, 2011 at 10:04 am
Jo
You’re growing a good selection. I don’t grow chilis, and I’ve never yet had enough peppers to need to worry how to preserve them. I don’t think I’ll be having that problem this year either,
July 17, 2011 at 10:29 am
Damo
Thanks very much Jo. Hopefully the peppers will come in stages so we can enjoy them fresh but there’s so many chillies so I’ll be freezing these for winter use.
July 17, 2011 at 10:48 am
Greenfingersmum
My chillier seem to be slow this year. I’ve found the best way to preserve is to pickle in vinegar.
http://greenfingersmum.blogspot.com
July 17, 2011 at 5:37 pm
Damo
I’ve never tried them in vinegar, must give that a go.
December 28, 2011 at 11:26 am
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