There are several options for long term storage, from freezing to drying or pickling the peppers in a jar. However, the longer you store the product, the poorer the quality. We recommend to not store the chillies for longer than a year.

Freezing the peppers

It is possible to freeze whole peppers. Wash the chillies and dry them well before you put them in the freezer. It is important to put the chillies in the freezer separately. So that they do not stick together and damage each other as soon as you take them out of the freezer. As soon as they are completely frozen you can store the chillies in an airtight freezer bag with a date sticker on it. If you need a chilli you can easily take it out. Rinse the pepper with lukewarm water. After this, the chillies can be used again as a fresh pepper. Keep in mind that they have a softer structure after freezing. During the freezing process, cells in the pepper crackle which gives the pepper a softer texture.

Freezing ground chillies

Another way is to grind the chillies first before storing them in the freezer. This can be done in a jar, but for example also in an ice lump form. Every time you need some chillies you take out one lump, wait for it to thaw and then it is ready for use.

Drying peppers

A completely different way is drying the peppers. You can easily do this yourself! Make a small incision in each fresh pepper with a knife. This way the pepper loses its moisture faster and you prevent it from becoming mouldy. Then put the chillies on a dry and warm place so they can dry. When you don’t have time to wait for your peppers to dry, you can also put them in the oven or microwave for a while. The dried chillies are best kept in a sealed jar or airtight container.

Pickling chillies

Pickling peppers is less commonly used than freezing and drying, but it is certainly no less good! If you are going to pickle peppers using vinegar, you have to leave them for at least three weeks before use. Of course you can buy a ready-made jar from the store, but in the end there is nothing more fun than making it yourself with some left overs, but how do you do that exactly? Very simple! You need the following ingredients:

• 1kg fresh peppers
• 250ml water
• 1 litre of vinegar
• 2 tbsp salt
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 bay leaves
• Pick one or more for flavoring options – Peppercorns / Garlic / Ginger / Cardamon / Dill seeds / Cinnamon sticks

Wash the peppers and remove the stalks. Cut the peppers into rings or pieces. Bring the water with vinegar, salt, sugar, bay leaves and spice of your choice to boil and leave to soak for 10 minutes. Put the sliced peppers in a weckpot / jar and pour over with the hot herb vinegar. Fill to the top, wipe the edges with a clean damp cloth and close the lid tightly. Place the jar upside down so that it is vacuum-tight and perfectly sealed. Wait for at least 3 weeks before use. Store in a cool and dark place. Once you open the jar we advise to eat within one month.