Picking peppers?

[ckill1]

Ive got a question for all you hot pepper guys...I planted 12 Hot Hungarian Wax, & 4 each of Cayenne, Jalapeno, & Habanero peppers this year. Now Ive had the Hungarian Wax for years, and am comfortable with the jalapenos, but what Im not sure of is when to pick the habaneros & cayenne peppers. Im pretty sure I wait til the habaneros are kinda orangeish, right? What about the chiles? Are cayenne & chile peppers the same? Do I pick them green or wait til they are red on the vine? they are quite long right now, maybe 2 1/2 to 3 inches in length...thanks in advance for any answers!

Chris

[jack404]

from "the mountain traveler"

the sites gone now.. sad.. great cooking and preserving info i downloaded most of it

Pickled Peppers
2 pounds Hungarian or banana peppers*
2 pounds sweet peppers (in strips)*
1 pound cherry peppers*
1 Jalapeno per jar (if desired for hotness)
1 clove garlic per jar
6 cups vinegar
2 cups water
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pickling salt
1 tablespoon sugar, if desired
*Note: May use a variety of peppers to equal 5 pounds (4 quarts).

Yield: Makes 7 to 8 pints

Procedure: Wash peppers. Small peppers may be left whole with two small slits in each pepper. Core and cut large peppers into strips. Pack one clove garlic and a variety of peppers tightly into clean, hot, sterilized jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Combine vinegar, water, salt and sugar. Bring to boil and reduce to simmer. Pour hot pickling solution over peppers, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Readjust headspace to 1/4 inch. Wipe jar rims. Add pre-treated lids and process in boiling water bath. For best flavor, store jars five to six weeks before opening.



Hot Peppers Marinated in Oil
3 pounds hot peppers (Jalapenos or other varieties)
7 to 14 cloves garlic
7 tablespoons dried oregano
5 cups vinegar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pickling salt
3/4 cup vegetable or olive oil
Yield: Makes 7 to 8 pints

Note: Improper procedures when canning vegetables in oil can result in risk of botulism. Read the section on oil and follow exactly the recommended procedures and tested recipe below.

Procedure: Wear rubber gloves when handling hot chilies. Do not touch the eyes or face.Wash peppers. Make two small slits in each whole pepper. Pack one or two garlic cloves and one tablespoon oregano into each clean, hot, sterilized pint jar. Pack peppers tightly into jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Combine vinegar, water, salt and oil and bring to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes. Pour hot solution over peppers, leaving 1-inch headspace. Make sure oil is equally distributed across jars. There should be no more than two tablespoons of oil per pint. Carefully wipe the jar lip so it is free of all oil. Add pretreated lids. Process in boiling water bath. For best flavor, store jars five to six weeks before opening.


i've done both a few times and had excellent results

i've used that base and used my own variations of peppers as well and thats worked well too

cheers

[ckill1]

Thanks for the info Jack! Im always looking for new recipes...however, what I need is specific info on when to PICK them!

[Bobitis]

I can't grow them here so I've no first hand advice.

I'd suggest going to a market and look at what they have to offer.
Pick yours when they look like market material.

[NRA_guy]

I grow all of them. I don't care for jalapenos---too thick skinned and way too variable on heat from one to another.

When to pick them depends on what you plan to do with them.

If you just want to chomp on them with your meal, pick all of them green.

If you plan to dry them wait until the cayenne is red and until the habanero is orange like a little pumpkin.

If you plan to make what southeners call "pepper sauce", which is just vinegar over them (you use it on field peas and turnip greens), you can pick them any time. Mixed green and red/orange is pretty in a bottle.

If you want something that is HOT, let the habaenros all turn orange. Then spread them out on a cookie sheet and put it on the dash of your truck parked in the sun with the windows rolled up for a few days.

They will get crispy.

Crush them down using a rolling pin or something.

Then get a cheap little coffee grinder and run the crushed pepper through it. It will make a very fine powder.

Put it in a salt shaker and use it VERY LIGHTLY on pizza or whatever.

Oh, you need to wear rubber gloves and a dust mask. Seriously. Ask me how I know.

You can do the same thing with cayenne but it's not nearly as hot.

One other thing: you won't be able to drive your truck for several days without the windows rolled down.

[Bobitis]

We need more smileys.