How
to choose fresh chili
Choose
fresh chili peppers that have vivid, deep colors and glossy, firm
and taut skins. Their stems should seem hardy and fresh. With the
exception of jalapeños, peppers should not have any cracks near the
stem end. Avoid those that are wrinkled or have soft areas or black
spots.
When
purchasing dried chili peppers look for ones that are still vivid in
color. If they've lost their color, they've probably lost their
flavor as well. Both fresh and dried chili peppers are available
throughout the year in most areas.
How
to store your chili in a freezer
For
this you will need good quality freezer bags, a small ice chest, dry
ice, and a final resting space in your freezer.
You
can put as many as you want in them, but keep in mind that you'll
probably only want to defrost small portions at a time. To prepare
the chilies, puncture the side with a sharp knife. This will assure
that there won't be any exploding peppers in the freezing process.
Place the desired amount of chilies inside and get out as much air
as possible. If you have a countertop vacuum sealer, this would be a
perfect use for it.
Chilies
have water in their membranes, and as they slowly freeze, it forms
jagged ice crystals that pierce and puncture the membrane, so that
when you defrost it, you're left with a leaky and
"tenderized" result. The solution to this problem is easy
… faster freezing. If the water doesn't have time to form jagged
ice, you won't have a mushy membrane.
The
next step starts with your small ice chest. The ideal size is just
big enough for your bags of chilies and your dry ice, and nothing
more. If you don't already have a small ice chest, a disposable
styrofoam a good alternative. A regular size ice chest is too big,
and won't get cold enough to efficiently freeze your chilies.
Place
a layer of dry ice at the bottom of your ice chest. Then, put in a
layer of your bags of chilies, making sure not to overlap them too
much. You want as much contact with the dry ice as possible. Repeat
another layer of dry ice followed by another layer of chilies, and
continue until you fill up the chest. Make sure you end with a layer
of dry ice, and again, ensure proper and even freezing by not
overlapping the bags of chilies too much. Place the lid on the ice
chest and walk away.
The
amount of time it will take to freeze your chilies will vary
depending on size, but don't open the lid before thirty minutes have
gone by. After thirty minutes, check to see how they're doing. If
they're still a little soft, let them go a little longer. If they're
hard and have no give when you squeeze them, they're done. Carefully
remove the bags and place them in your freezer. You can reuse the
dry ice for faster freezing, or you can keep the lid off the ice
chest and let it evaporate outside.
The
chilies will stay good in your freezer for several months, they can
stay tasty for eight to ten months. Simply leave a frozen bag out on
your counter to thaw, or defrost them in your microwave for a minute
to a minute and a half.
Fresh
peppers can also be hung in the sunlight to dry. Once dried, they
can be used to make freshly ground chili powder. Dried peppers and
chili powders should be kept in a tightly sealed jar, away from
sunlight.

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© 2007 RedChiliRecipe.com
all rights reserved.
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