Freezing Peppers

All laid out

Remember several years ago when peppers were recalled from grocery stores and restaurant food suppliers? That was the year Mr. Big Food and I discovered it is possible to freeze fresh peppers. Naturally, they lose their crispness, but if you cook with a lot of peppers, as we do, they'll do just fine. So much better than store bought!

Most years I harvest enough to keep us in peppers until the fresh ones come in from the garden. I recommend growing your own because of the sheer variety you can have. But buying fresh from your local Farmers' Market would do.

Instructions below.

 

Rinse and pat dry. Remove stem end. Slice lengthwise. Remove core and seeds (as you can see, this doesn't have to be done perfectly). Lay out on a cookie sheet. Put the cookie sheet in the freezer and freeze for about 24 hours. Throw them in a freezer bag or Food Saver container, removing as much air as possible. Return to freezer. 

Freezing before putting them in the freezer bag allows you to take out as many as you need when you need them. If you omit this step you will have one big block of peppers.

One note-- Mr. Big Food has discovered that freezing large bell pepper halves eliminates the need to blanch peppers before stuffing. We love our stuffed peppers on a cold winter night!