At our farm we grow a variety of sweet and hot peppers including Bell Peppers (green, purple, red and orange), Italian Roasting Peppers (red and orange), Hot Peppers (Jalapenos, Poblanos, Hot Wax and Habanero) plus a few speciality types each year.

We use hoop houses and row covers to extend the season as long as possible and usually expect to have peppers July through October with green peppers beginning a little earlier and hot peppers staying a little later (usually ending with the first cold frost), production of red and orange colored peppers and specialty hot peppers peaks in August and September.

What we grow 

At our farm we grow a variety of sweet and hot peppers including Bell Peppers (green, purple, red and orange), Italian Roasting Peppers (red and orange), Hot Peppers (Jalapenos, Poblanos, Hot Wax and Habanero) plus a few speciality types each year.

Storage tips 

Do not wash peppers until you’re ready to use them. Store them in your fridge, ideally in the produce drawer. These are one of the few vegetables that don’t fare as well in a plastic bag. They will grow slimy quicker if kept in a bag for a long time so store them loose and expect to be able to use them for 1-2 weeks. These are an ideal vegetable to prep each week and store in a tupperware for snacking or cooking with too! 

Longer-term storage

During the summer, peppers come on strong and abundant, and though many of us love utilizing both sweet and hot peppers throughout the year, the bounty of ripe peppers in summer can be a bit much for day-to-day use or you kay want to order a 5lb or 10lb case to enjoy them in winter. . We love storing peppers in a variety of ways for quick use over the next few weeks or longer-term use throughout the year!

Refrigerator Pickled Peppers

Recipe by Fork in the Road

This is the best simple way to pickle peppers (no canning required) and works for sweet or hot peppers or a mixture. 

INGREDIENTS: 

 1 pound (450 g) peppers

 ¼ cup cilantro, or other herbs

 2 tablespoons mustard seeds

 2 garlic cloves, sliced thin

 ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

 2 cups (475 ml) water

 1 cup (235 ml) vinegar

 1 tablespoon salt

 1 tablespoon sugar

PREPARE: 

1. Prep the peppers: Wash peppers and slice into ¼” thick slices, if desired.
2. Prepare the pickling jar: Add cut peppers to a tall jar and add cilantro or other desired herbs, mustard seeds, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
3. Prepare and add the brine: In a medium saucepan bring the water, vinegar, salt, and sugar to a boil. Once boiling, pour into the jar until the liquid completely submerges the peppers. Close the lid on the jar tightly.
4. Pickling instructions: Let the jar cool on the counter until it reaches room temperature. Once cooled, put the jar into the refrigerator and let the peppers pickle for at least 4 hours before serving, but for best results serve after at least 24 hours. Quick pickled peppers are good for up to 2-3 months in the refrigerator.

Freezing peppers

There is perhaps no easier vegetable to freeze than a pepper. It requires no blanching and a very small amount of dicing. This is the way to go if you’re short on time but long on peppers. 

Our method requires a sharp knife, a cutting board, a few sheet pans, and some ziploc freezer bags. To freeze, simply remove the seeds from the peppers and cut into whatever form you like. We usually do a combination of diced peppers and pepper strips (for dishes like fajitas) for sweet peppers, and just diced peppers for hot peppers. Place prepared peppers on a sheet tray and freeze each type of pepper on a separate sheet tray (or in its own distinct area). Freeze for 2-4 hours until solid and then pack into well-labeled freezer bags. They will easily store for a year this way.

There’s no need to thaw before use. Just toss them frozen into soups, stews, pasta, rice dishes, and whatever else you fancy all year round. 

Any-Chile Hot Sauce 

Recipe and instructions from Put ‘Em Up: A Comprehensive Home Preserving Guide for the Creative Cook from Drying and Freezing to Canning and Pickling

INGREDIENTS: 

1 pound mixed chili peppers, green or red

2 cups distilled white vinegar

1 tablespoon salt

PREPARE: 

1. Wearing gloves, stem the chilies and, for a milder sauce, remove the seeds and ribs. Puree the chilies in a blender with the vinegar and salt.

PRESERVE: 

Transfer to pint jars. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks. 

Drying hot peppers

Instructions from Bounty From the Box: The CSA Farm Cookbook

Drying is a very popular method of preserving hot peppers. Using string and wire, tie quantities of whole, fresh, unblemished peppers into a long, layered bunch, and hang it up to dry in a cool, well-ventilated spot away from heat, humidity, and sunlight.

Peppers also dry well in a food dehydrator. Simply wash them, slice them into desired lengths, and dry them on the dehydrator shelves until they turn brittle. Then package the dried chiles into plastic bags or glass jars for later use, or crumble them into a powder (but beware of the dust produced in the process, which can severely irritate eyes and throats). 

Other preservation ideas:

• Roasted Peppers Three Ways: our favorite resource for roasting peppers. They share three different methods so you can roast no matter your kitchen set-up.
• Preserved Peppers: take roasted peppers and preserve them for a taste of summer all year-round. A canning kettle is required.
• Hot Pepper Jelly: this one requires a bit more work since it asks you to bring out the canning kettle, but it is well-worth the effort. If the jelly doesn’t set up well (which has happened to me before), don’t worry. Just use it as a substitute for thai chili sauce or condiment for pretty much any Asian noodle dish.

And, in case it is helpful, here are some great, general resources for canning peppers.

Our favorite fresh pepper recipes

Sheet Pan Sweet Pepper and Tomato Sauce/Spread 

This is perfect on pasta, on bread with cheese hot or cooled and used as a sweet seasonal spread from the fridge on toast. 

INGREDIENTS: 

3 bell or other sweet peppers (such as Italian roasters, snack peppers, or mini bells)

1 hot pepper (such as poblano), optional

1 large sweet onion

4 pints (2 quarts) cherry tomatoes or approx. 2 lbs roma or other meaty tomatoes

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided

PREPARE:

1. Slice bell peppers into strips about 1/2 inch inch width. For small peppers, halve or quarter. 
2. Cut onion into similar sized strips. 
3. Rinse and remove stems of cherry tomatoes or dice larger tomatoes to a “cherry tomato size”.
4. In a bowl, combine peppers and onions with 1 tablespoon olive oil and half the garlic. Spread on a sheet pan and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper.
5. On a second sheet pan, combine cherry tomatoes with remaining olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. 
6. Roast all for 30-45 minutes until aromatic. You can keep peppers and onions in until they brown if desired. Remove from the oven and combine. Or, for a finer sauce, pulse in a food processor until slightly chunky. 

Roasted Corn & Red Pepper Salad

Recipe by Food & Wine

This recipe from Food & Wine is always popular with CSA members in August and September. Cilantro haters can use parsley or basil instead.

Yield: 20 servings
Time: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS:

3 red bell peppers, cored and seeded but left whole

15 ears of corn, husked

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 small red onion, halved and sliced thinly 

1/3 cup fresh lime juice 

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

2 cups chopped cilantro

PREPARE: 

1. Light a grill. Roast the peppers over a hot fire, turning, until charred all over, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let steam for 10 minutes. Peel the peppers and cut them into 1/4-inch strips.
2. Brush the corn with 1/4 cup of the olive oil and grill over moderately high heat, turning, until charred in spots but still slightly crisp, about 7 minutes. Let cool slightly. Working in a large bowl, cut the kernels from the cobs.
3. Add the peppers and red onion to the corn. Stir in the lime juice and the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil. Add the cilantro and toss well. Season with salt and pepper and toss again, then serve.

Stuffed Peppers (version 1)

Recipe by From Asparagus to Zucchini

Yield: 4-6 servings
Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

A little oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 onions, chopped

3 cups raw brown rice

6 cups water, chicken, or vegetable stock

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 cup almonds, chopped

1 cup chopped tomatoes

3/4 pound cheddar cheese, grated

Salt and pepper

9 large peppers, tops cut off, seeds removed

PREPARE: 

1. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add and saute garlic and onions. Add rice and brown for about 5 minutes. Add desired liquid and allspice.
2. Cover and cook until rice is done, about 40 minutes. Toast almonds in a dry0 skillet or hot oven several minutes, tossing often. 
3. Stir in tomatoes, cheese, almonds, and salt and pepper to taste. 
4. Cook peppers in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and stuff peppers with rice mixture. 
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. 

Stuffed Peppers (version 2)

Recipe by From Asparagus to Zucchini

Yield: 4-6 servings
Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon oil

3 tablespoons chopped onion

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/2 pound bulk Italian sausage

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 cup tomato sauce

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

3 cups cooked white or brown rice

1 egg

8 short, squat sweet peppers

1/3 cup grated Parmesan

PREPARE: 

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add onions and saute until opaque. Add garlic; saute 30 seconds.
2. Add and brown sausage. Stir in tomato paste, tomato sauce, parsley, basil, oregano, and salt and pepper. Cook for about 8 minutes. Stir in rice. Beat egg and stir into rice mix.
3. Slice off the tops of peppers; remove seeds and cut away membranes. Fill with sausage and rice stuffing.