Preserving Chillies

[maggienetball]

I have a hugh amount of chillis this year (grown in greenhouse). I want to preserve them without drying them as I still have a huge amount of dried and flaked chillies from last year.

I saw some for sale in oil. Is it as simple as that or do I have to skin them first (really don't fancy that there are so many and they are so small!!!)?

Does anyone have a good "recipe" for preserving chillis. Thought they may make good pressies too.

Also what about chilli oil?

[Millymollymandy]

In the past I have just put them in jars with vinegar and they kept for ages, lost a fair bit of the heat so they were quite nice to eat with chilli con carne or any kind of dish that you might have Jalapeno Peppers with. I didn't even heat the vinegar with pickling spices or anything like that, just bunged them in!

[red]

you can also chop them as you would for cooking and freeze them - then just break the quantity needed off for whatever you are cooking etc. dont take up much room in the freezer!

[Wombat]

Hey Maggienetball!

I got one of those strainers that look like a meat mincer, cooked up the chillies and then put them through it. The stuff that came through the other end was fire starter paste! It reduces the volume considerably but keeps the heat.

Nev

[maggienetball]

I wonder if I could chop up chillies and freeze them with water ready for use in an ice cube tray like you do for herbs?

Suggestions great. Personally I can't eat much vinegar so still after that oil recipe if anyone has one.

Thanks

[mrsflibble]

I chop then stick through my "spong" mincer, then freeze. no water though, i spread the minced chilli out on a tray, shove in freezer, wait 4 hours then decant into a bag. that way you can get a teaspoon of fresh chilli but not have to break anything off.

[Biscombe]

I don't do anything to mine, they are just fine whole chucked in the freezer, try this recipe though, the best chili recipe in the world!!!!!

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce


2 ounces (56.7g) fresh red chilies, roughly chopped (remove seeds if less heat is desired)
3/4 (170g) sugar
1 cup (227g) white vinegar
4 cups (113g) sultanas, chopped (white raisins)
1-2 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger
1/2-1 teaspoon salt (to taste)

1 1/1. Place chilies in a food processor with half the vinegar and process until the chilies are finely chopped.
2. Do not be concerned if the chili seeds remain whole.
3. Combine the chili and vinegar mixture with the remaining vinegar, and all other ingredients, in a small stainless steel saucepan (take care adding the salt- you can always add more later if you wish).
4. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves, bring to the boil briefly, then reduce temperature to allow the mixture to simmer gently until the chilies and sultanas are soft, about 15 to 20 minutes.
5. When cool, puree until almost smooth.
6. Pour into a suitably sized sterilised bottle and seal.

[maggienetball]

I watched Jamie at home this week and I was interested to hear from his gardener that if you treat the Chilli plants hard (less water, less food etc) they are hotter than those that are frequently fed and watered.

That will be a good experiment for my community allotment group next year!!

[mrsflibble]

in the past I've made chilli vodka... scary taste but really addictive after a while.

[frozenthunderbolt]

chilli sauce is probably the best way with small chillis.
If you grow larger ones, grill them whole reallly hot till the skin blackins and you can peel it off. then preserve in oil in the fridge.
If you want to to in vinegar im inclined to heat it all first - bottulisim, while unlikely, is defnitly NOT YOUR FRIEND.