I was wondering if anyone has tried drying green bell peppers to preserve
them. I getting very tired of the ridiculous prices for these in winter.
I've got a high vacuum pump and a bell jar and can completely desiccate
them. Just would like to know if the drying method has worked okay for
anyone else before I start.

Thanks,
Garrett Fulton



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Garrett Fulton wrote:

> I was wondering if anyone has tried drying green bell peppers to preserve
> them. I getting very tired of the ridiculous prices for these in winter.
> I've got a high vacuum pump and a bell jar and can completely desiccate
> them. Just would like to know if the drying method has worked okay for
> anyone else before I start.
>
> Thanks,
> Garrett Fulton
>


I dried a bunch of green peppers from my garden last fall -- not bells,
but similar. I diced them, blanched them, then dried them with a
dehydrator. It's rather alarming how much they shrink. I have never
tried it using just a vacuum pump and a bell jar; it sounds very
inefficient considering how much moisture the peppers contain.

Best regards,
Bob

zxcvbob wrote:

> I dried a bunch of green peppers from my garden last fall -- not bells,
> but similar. I diced them, blanched them, then dried them with a
> dehydrator. It's rather alarming how much they shrink.

i once dehydrated a case of green bells and a case of red ones... each
one fit into a liter jar when i was done if i remember

b/

"Garrett Fulton" > wrote in message
...
>I was wondering if anyone has tried drying green bell peppers to preserve
> them. I getting very tired of the ridiculous prices for these in winter.
> I've got a high vacuum pump and a bell jar and can completely desiccate
> them. Just would like to know if the drying method has worked okay for
> anyone else before I start.
>
> Thanks,
> Garrett Fulton
>
>
Green peppers freeze quite well. Cut them into 1" (25 mm) squares, or
whatever. Freeze them on a cookie sheet then pack them away. They don't
clump together this way.

And dehydrating in a convection oven at 140 or 150 F works, but you end up
with shrivelled up chunks, high in flavour, but with a dark colour. The
texture is "leathery".

What's your end use? In a soup or a chili the frozen chunks have always
worked well for me and they don't have to be rehydrated.

Ribitt wrote:
>
> And dehydrating in a convection oven at 140 or 150 F works, but you end up
> with shrivelled up chunks, high in flavour, but with a dark colour. The
> texture is "leathery".
>

Blanching first fixes that problem. I don't know why.

Best regards,
Bob

zxcvbob wrote:
> Ribitt wrote:
> >
> > And dehydrating in a convection oven at 140 or 150 F works, but you
end up
> > with shrivelled up chunks, high in flavour, but with a dark colour.
The
> > texture is "leathery".
> >
>
> Blanching first fixes that problem. I don't know why.
>
> Best regards,
> Bob

I know the term blanching, but have never seen it done first hand.
(Unless it involves a streetcar or a tin roof.) DO you get water
boiling first, and then dunk the food in the water, perhaps with a
perforated pot insert? Or else held above the water with a steamer
basket? And for how long? I have a dehydrator that I usee only
occasionally, but when the instructions call for blanching I am still
clueless.

Meantime I agree -- freezing peppers works fine; my dehydrated
attempts (peppers) were useless after.

wrote:
> zxcvbob wrote:
>
>>Ribitt wrote:
>>
>>>And dehydrating in a convection oven at 140 or 150 F works, but you
>
> end up
>
>>>with shrivelled up chunks, high in flavour, but with a dark colour.
>
> The
>
>>>texture is "leathery".
>>>
>>
>>Blanching first fixes that problem. I don't know why.
>>
>>Best regards,
>>Bob
>
>
> I know the term blanching, but have never seen it done first hand.
> (Unless it involves a streetcar or a tin roof.) DO you get water
> boiling first, and then dunk the food in the water, perhaps with a
> perforated pot insert? Or else held above the water with a steamer
> basket? And for how long? I have a dehydrator that I usee only
> occasionally, but when the instructions call for blanching I am still
> clueless.
>
> Meantime I agree -- freezing peppers works fine; my dehydrated
> attempts (peppers) were useless after.
>

I have a perforated pan insert for steaming vegetables. I steamed the
peppers in that for, I dunno, 3 minutes. Then I rinsed them briefly
with cold water so they wouldn't overcook in their own heat.

Best regards,
Bob

In article .com>,
wrote:

> I know the term blanching, but have never seen it done first hand.
> (Unless it involves a streetcar or a tin roof.) DO you get water
> boiling first, and then dunk the food in the water, perhaps with a
> perforated pot insert?

I've always done it that way, Jim. Submerge in boiling water for x
minutes and chill in ice water for at least 2x minutes. I use a
collapsible wire basket thingy.

Here's the poop from the NCHFP -- they say chill in ice water for the
same amount of time as the streetcar -- er-r-r, the blanch.

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/freeze/blanching.html

> Or else held above the water with a steamer
> basket?

That's covered, too. Steam-blanching looks fussier to me - have to
arrange stuff in one layer only vs. dumping into large quantity of
boiling water.

>And for how long?

For however long the blanching instructions state.

> I have a dehydrator that I usee only
> occasionally, but when the instructions call for blanching I am still
> clueless.

You're a man. (Oh, stop! I'm KIDDING!")

> Meantime I agree -- freezing peppers works fine; my dehydrated
> attempts (peppers) were useless after.

-Barb, desiring to help
--
-Barb, <www.jamlady.eboard.com> Sweet Potato Follies added 2/24/05.
"I read recipes the way I read science fiction: I get to the end and
say,'Well, that's not going to happen.'" - Comedian Rita Rudner,
performance at New York, New York, January 10, 2005.

Thanks, Barb, for the tips.

That inspired me to get creative yesterday, Sat. afternoon. Has a
recipe for a lentil soup with lentils (duh), ham chunks, (and
everything following from my dehydrated stores) onion, green pepper,
mushrooms, plum tomatoes, celery, and assorted herbs and spices.

Slowly simmered all afternoon.

Tasted, fooled with a bit more, simmered a bit more, added some other
veggies.
Tasted again.

Then decided to throw it all out.

Why did I buy that fancy dehydrator?

Or, I just decide to give up on doing anything with lentils.

Made dinner from a box of tuna helper.

"Ribitt" > wrote in message
...
> What's your end use? In a soup or a chili the frozen chunks have always
> worked well for me and they don't have to be rehydrated.
>
>

That's it. Chili and soup mostly. I'll try your freezing method when I get
a batch this year. I never figured they'd freeze worth anything, so never
tried. Thanks.

Garrett



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In article >, "Garrett Fulton"
> wrote:

> "Ribitt" > wrote in message
> ...
> > What's your end use? In a soup or a chili the frozen chunks have always
> > worked well for me and they don't have to be rehydrated.

> That's it. Chili and soup mostly. I'll try your freezing method
> when I get a batch this year. I never figured they'd freeze worth
> anything, so never tried. Thanks.
>
> Garrett

Freeze the dice flat on a cookie sheet and then store long term loose in
a bag. Easy to get just as many as you want for anything

Also, it's been years since I've done this, but even freezer larger
chunks (1x1" squares?) was okay for a stir fry from a frozen state if
you didn't give them very much time at all in the skillet. Not perfect
but acceptable in my sight.
--
-Barb
<www.jamlady.eboard.com>; Sam pics added 2-7-05
"I got the motive, which is money; and the body, which is dead!" - Rod
Steiger as Sheriff Gillespie, "In the Heat of the Night," 1967.

"Melba's Jammin'" wrote in message >
> Freeze the dice flat on a cookie sheet and then store long term loose in
> a bag. Easy to get just as many as you want for anything
>
> Also, it's been years since I've done this, but even freezer larger
> chunks (1x1" squares?) was okay for a stir fry from a frozen state if
> you didn't give them very much time at all in the skillet. Not perfect
> but acceptable in my sight.
> --
> -Barb

Another way - we grow them in the garden, so I freeze "the glut", too -
works out great. After prepping, I cut them into slices about 1/4" - 1/3"
and freeze. If I need dice, I'll chop the frozen slices. Unless I need
squares in a recipe, they also work in stir fries. I find that the
red/yellow/orange varieties are expensive in the supermarket, so stock up
on mixed bags from Costco and freeze them the same way. Just don't try
using any of them if you need a crisp, fresh pepper, though.

Dora

"Melba's Jammin'" wrote in message >
> Freeze the dice flat on a cookie sheet and then store long term loose in
> a bag. Easy to get just as many as you want for anything
>
> Also, it's been years since I've done this, but even freezer larger
> chunks (1x1" squares?) was okay for a stir fry from a frozen state if
> you didn't give them very much time at all in the skillet. Not perfect
> but acceptable in my sight.
> --
> -Barb

Another way - we grow them in the garden, so I freeze "the glut", too -
works out great. After prepping, I cut them into slices about 1/4" - 1/3"
and freeze. If I need dice, I'll chop the frozen slices. Unless I need
squares in a recipe, they also work in stir fries. I find that the
red/yellow/orange varieties are expensive in the supermarket, so stock up
on mixed bags from Costco and freeze them the same way. Just don't try
using any of them if you need a crisp, fresh pepper, though.

Dora

In article >, "Garrett Fulton"
> wrote:

> "Ribitt" > wrote in message
> ...
> > What's your end use? In a soup or a chili the frozen chunks have always
> > worked well for me and they don't have to be rehydrated.

> That's it. Chili and soup mostly. I'll try your freezing method
> when I get a batch this year. I never figured they'd freeze worth
> anything, so never tried. Thanks.
>
> Garrett

Freeze the dice flat on a cookie sheet and then store long term loose in
a bag. Easy to get just as many as you want for anything

Also, it's been years since I've done this, but even freezer larger
chunks (1x1" squares?) was okay for a stir fry from a frozen state if
you didn't give them very much time at all in the skillet. Not perfect
but acceptable in my sight.
--
-Barb
<www.jamlady.eboard.com>; Sam pics added 2-7-05
"I got the motive, which is money; and the body, which is dead!" - Rod
Steiger as Sheriff Gillespie, "In the Heat of the Night," 1967.

Ribitt wrote:

> "Garrett Fulton" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>I was wondering if anyone has tried drying green bell peppers to preserve
>>them. I getting very tired of the ridiculous prices for these in winter.
>>I've got a high vacuum pump and a bell jar and can completely desiccate
>>them. Just would like to know if the drying method has worked okay for
>>anyone else before I start.
>>
>>Thanks,
>>Garrett Fulton
>>
>>
>
> Green peppers freeze quite well. Cut them into 1" (25 mm) squares, or
> whatever. Freeze them on a cookie sheet then pack them away. They don't
> clump together this way.

I both dry and freeze peppers. Frozen green peppers have a fresher
taste, IMO.
>
> And dehydrating in a convection oven at 140 or 150 F works, but you end up
> with shrivelled up chunks, high in flavour, but with a dark colour. The
> texture is "leathery".
>
> What's your end use? In a soup or a chili the frozen chunks have always
> worked well for me and they don't have to be rehydrated.
>
>

i have been freezing green yellow red bell peppers etc for years.
take a fresh pepper. fresher the better. if it is wilted then why would
freezing it improve it.
here is my twist, and a simple test
wash the green peppper very lightly.only with cold water.
then put in a bag whole.
put the juice of a lime in the bag.
and freeze it quickly
when it is well frozen, bring it out and tap it to remove the lime juice
put it back in the bag
and give it a good whack on the floor
now you have a bag of bite sized pieces of peppers.
the stem seeds and pulp are easy removed

works great on pizza and such
if you want to use in a salad, put the bits in out of the bag frozen.
do not thaw
personally i like it.

"Serendipity" > wrote in message
...
> Ribitt wrote:
>
>> "Garrett Fulton" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>
>>>I was wondering if anyone has tried drying green bell peppers to preserve
>>>them. I getting very tired of the ridiculous prices for these in winter.
>>>I've got a high vacuum pump and a bell jar and can completely desiccate
>>>them. Just would like to know if the drying method has worked okay for
>>>anyone else before I start.
>>>
>>>Thanks,
>>>Garrett Fulton
>>>
>>>
>>
>> Green peppers freeze quite well. Cut them into 1" (25 mm) squares, or
>> whatever. Freeze them on a cookie sheet then pack them away. They don't
>> clump together this way.
>
> I both dry and freeze peppers. Frozen green peppers have a fresher taste,
> IMO.
>>
>> And dehydrating in a convection oven at 140 or 150 F works, but you end
>> up with shrivelled up chunks, high in flavour, but with a dark colour.
>> The texture is "leathery".
>>
>> What's your end use? In a soup or a chili the frozen chunks have always
>> worked well for me and they don't have to be rehydrated.
>>
>>
>

i have been freezing green yellow red bell peppers etc for years.
take a fresh pepper. fresher the better. if it is wilted then why would
freezing it improve it.
here is my twist, and a simple test
wash the green peppper very lightly.only with cold water.
then put in a bag whole.
put the juice of a lime in the bag.
and freeze it quickly
when it is well frozen, bring it out and tap it to remove the lime juice
put it back in the bag
and give it a good whack on the floor
now you have a bag of bite sized pieces of peppers.
the stem seeds and pulp are easy removed

works great on pizza and such
if you want to use in a salad, put the bits in out of the bag frozen.
do not thaw
personally i like it.

"Serendipity" > wrote in message
...
> Ribitt wrote:
>
>> "Garrett Fulton" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>
>>>I was wondering if anyone has tried drying green bell peppers to preserve
>>>them. I getting very tired of the ridiculous prices for these in winter.
>>>I've got a high vacuum pump and a bell jar and can completely desiccate
>>>them. Just would like to know if the drying method has worked okay for
>>>anyone else before I start.
>>>
>>>Thanks,
>>>Garrett Fulton
>>>
>>>
>>
>> Green peppers freeze quite well. Cut them into 1" (25 mm) squares, or
>> whatever. Freeze them on a cookie sheet then pack them away. They don't
>> clump together this way.
>
> I both dry and freeze peppers. Frozen green peppers have a fresher taste,
> IMO.
>>
>> And dehydrating in a convection oven at 140 or 150 F works, but you end
>> up with shrivelled up chunks, high in flavour, but with a dark colour.
>> The texture is "leathery".
>>
>> What's your end use? In a soup or a chili the frozen chunks have always
>> worked well for me and they don't have to be rehydrated.
>>
>>
>