Preparing Habanero Peppers

With habanero peppers, or any pepper in general, preservation methods can vary for each individual. Canning, drying, roasting, pickling, and freezing, are a few of the many options available to you. Depending on how much you harvest, and how long you plan on preserving the peppers, the method you choose will vary. These are some of the simple methods to consider for preserving habanero peppers, and maintaining the longest span for safe consumption, even when they’re out of season for the year.

Drying Habanero Peppers for Year-Round Consumption

Drying peppers is a great way to preserve them for an extensive period of time. This process will begin by washing the habanero peppers to remove dirt and debris. You’ll want to allow them to sit to dry completely once cleaned. You’ll then place the peppers on a plate or wire rack for drying. The peppers should be placed in a well-vented room for the best results. Alternatively, you can hang dry the habanero peppers. If you choose this method, you’ll need to be in warmer climates, and it can take days, or up to weeks, for the peppers to dry.

For interior purposes, you can use either an oven or a dehydrator to dry the habanero peppers and prepare them for preservation. With a dehydrator, simply turn on the system and choose the setting for the amount of peppers you’re drying. With a traditional oven, a good temperature range is between 140 to 175 degrees F. You don’t want to scald or cook the peppers. You simply want to make sure they create a hard coating, in order for them to shrink down to size for canning.

Utilizing this preservation method, you can expect to extend the consumable life of your habanero peppers from three to six months after they are canned. Depending on the region you live, temperatures, and other external factors, these timeframes may be a little longer or shorter as well, so pay attention to external forces and factors in determining how long to keep preserved, dried habanero peppers.

Freezing Habanero Peppers to Preserve Them

This is possibly the easiest method to preserve habanero peppers, or any pepper for that matter. Similarly with the drying method, you’ll begin with washing the peppers and allowing them to dry completely before you begin the process. Once dried you will

• Skin or peel the peppers
• Remove the seeds from the habanero peppers
• Cut them into strips or cubes
• Place them in ziploc bags, alternatively in airtight containers or boxes for storage
• Some people also use tinfoil to wrap the habanero peppers for freezing purposes

When freezing habanero peppers, the smaller they are, and more even they are, the quicker they’ll freeze. Furthermore, you’ll want to make sure that you seal bags or plastic storage boxes completely, to prevent air from entering. This will help prevent frostbite and interior ice from forming on the peppers, as well as inside of the bags you are using to freeze them for an extended period of time.

Freezing is a great preservation method, as it greatly extends the consumable life of your habanero peppers once you allow them to thaw. In fact, you can expect these peppers to last for up to 12 months in the freezer, and still safely consume them. The longer they do remain frozen, the less potent they will become, so keep this in mind. If you plan on using them past the 9 or 10 month mark, consider using the peppers in a puree or other dishes, rather than consuming them raw. This will ensure the best taste and enjoyment, as the peppers might not be as crisp or fresh in taste, if you keep them in the freezer for such a long period of time.

Pickling Habanero Peppers for Preservation

With pickling and canning, you’re going to start in the same manner as the first two approaches. You’ll wash and let the peppers dry completely. With this method, you’re also going to want to have sterilized jars in place. So, you can boil the canning jars and lids while allowing your peppers to dry, to ensure everything’s ready to go at the same time.

With pickled habaneros, you can add a number of ingredients. Vinegar is one of the most used ingredients, since it helps extend the consumable life of the peppers. Some people add honey, olive oil, and other peppers to the mix when pickling. This is a personal preference, and depends on how you plan on consuming/enjoying the peppers, when you ultimately do consume them. Pickling salt, spices, and vinegar, however, are three ingredients which will help to enhance the taste, and will also help extend the time you can preserve the habanero peppers when using this method to preserve them.

Once the ingredients are cooked, you will want to allow them to cool for a few minutes before you do can them. It is a good idea for you to pickle the peppers and other ingredients while the mix is still warm. This will help ensure the seal, or the pop, when you do close the jar for canning purposes. With pickled peppers, you can expect the longest consumable life of these three methods. If you leave the jar unopened, and in the proper temperature in your refrigerator, it can be saved for up to 2 years safely. If, however, you open and consume the pickled peppers, the mix can last safely for up to 1 year in most cases.

Although these aren’t the only three methods for you to preserve your habanero peppers, they are three of the easiest methods, and require little to no work on your behalf in order to preserve the peppers. No matter what time of year it is, you can enjoy the great taste of habanero peppers. It is important however, that you take the right approach to preservation to ensure safe consumption. When the season for habanero peppers is ending for the year, consider these three methods to preserve peppers for year-round consumption, and for three unique tastes and dishes you can enjoy, until the next harvest season arrives.

Be sure to also check out our guide on sealing canning jars without boiling water!