There are several ways to store your peppers for a long time, from freezing to drying or pickling them in a jar. Keep in mind that for all these options, the longer you store them, the more the quality will decrease. We recommend never storing peppers for longer than a year.

Freezing whole peppers

You can totally freeze whole peppers! Just wash and dry them really well before popping them in the freezer. It's super important to freeze them individually first so they don't stick together and get damaged when you take them out. Once they're completely frozen, you can store them in an airtight freezer bag with a date label. When you need a pepper, just grab one, rinse it under lukewarm water, and it's ready to use like a fresh one. Just a heads-up, though: they'll have a softer texture after thawing. That's because the freezing process breaks down some cells in the pepper, making it a bit less firm.

Freezing ground peppers

You can also grind your peppers before freezing them. You can store them in a jar, or even in an ice cube tray! That way, whenever you need some peppers, just pop out a cube, let it thaw, and it's ready to go.

Drying Your Own Peppers

Another great way to preserve peppers is by drying them. This is perfect for keeping their flavor and making them last longer (up to a year). You can easily dry them yourself. There are a few ways to dry peppers, and the traditional method is air drying. You do this by slicing the peppers, then laying them in a dry, warm spot or stringing them up on a thread to hang. Just a heads-up, this process can take several weeks to months. For a quicker method, you can also dry your peppers in the oven or a food dehydrator. It's best to store your dried peppers in a sealed jar or airtight container.

Read here our blog for more info on drying your own peppers.

Pickling Peppers

Pickling peppers might not be as common as freezing or drying them, but it's definitely just as good! Pickled peppers usually need at least 24 hours to soak up all those flavors, but for the best taste, it's even better to let them sit for a few days, or even 1 to 3 weeks. The longer you wait, the more intense the flavors will get.

Sure, you can grab a ready-made jar from the store, but honestly, nothing beats making your own – it's way more fun and delicious! So, how do you do it? It's super simple! 

Ingredients:

• 1kg fresh peppers or bell peppers
• 250ml water
• 1 liter vinegar
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 bay leaves
• Feel free to add one or more of these flavor boosters of your choice – peppercorns / garlic / ginger / cardamom / dill seeds / cinnamon sticks

Preparation:

1. Wash the peppers and remove their stems. Cut the peppers into rings or pieces.
2. Bring the water to a boil with vinegar, salt, sugar, and any desired seasonings, then let it steep for 10 minutes.
3. Put the cut peppers into a clean preserving jar and pour the hot spiced vinegar over them. Fill it up to the brim, wipe the edges with a clean, damp cloth, and seal the lid tightly.
4. Place the jar upside down so it creates a vacuum seal and is perfectly closed.

Let it steep for at least 24 hours, or even better, 1 to 3 weeks before using. Store in a cool, dark place, and it'll keep for at least 1 year when sealed. Once opened, we recommend finishing the jar within 1 month.