Snazzie,

Most peppers can be preserved several ways. Depends on what you want to do with them. If you have that many a ristra would be a great way to save, dry and display them. It is basically a hanging decoration that you make by stringing the peppers together and then hanging them until they dry. Once dry they can be crushed for use as a spice. I have done ristras using thick fishing wire or twine, but be careful not to tie the stem too hard or you will go clean through.

Another way to preserve is to bake and freeze. Place the cleaned peppers on an oiled piece of parchment paper and bake in the oven on a low temp until they are soft. They you can peel them and freeze them. Be careful with this because it will fill the air with a very potent smell and when you peel them you need to wear gloves, like Dr's laytex ones or you will burn you hands, same with any major handling of peppers. You can avoid the indoor smell by drilling them on the BBQ.

Also dry at least one for the seeds so you can have it again next year. Peppers can also be overwintered indoors if you want to keep the plant for next year. This is something I am just learning about so if you want more info, just email me.

Triss

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We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart.

Snazzie, are they the orange or red Hab's? I would like a few seeds!

Tracie,

Unfortuantely I did not make this ristra, my sister in law gave it to me. I wish I had grown that many peppers this year. But when I have made them, I did not put a hole in the pepper at all I just tied the stem, thought I suppose it would not hurt and you would want it as close to the top as possible so that the pepper could stick out more.

Hope that helps.
Triss

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We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart.

to make the rista, you can either tie the string around the stem or push a needle through the pepper just at the base of the stem, right where the pepper and stem meet, just not in the joint itself. (i used to use carpet/button thread, nice and heavey but not too thick and will wick the moisture out of the pepper) a little toward the top makes it easier to get the peppers off when you want to use them, a little bit into the crown of the pepper makes it sturdier for decoration. both work, done it both ways.

sit any plant you want to keep humid in a pan of water that has rocks or stones in it to keep the pot up out of the water. the evaporation will humidify the plant.

ummm..there is nothing better than habenero hot sauce!! personally, i cant get enough of these amazingly flavorful and powerful peppers!

some of the hot sauces i make are...

mango habenero
roasted apple habenero
carrot habenero
...well you get the point. soo easy...so fun..and soo darn tasty!

they all came at once for me, so i made up a whole bunch of jars..and i have them frozen..waiting for the winter when i need some HEAT.

enjoy!

(they are super easy to freeze fresh and raw..then use at will.)

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HAPPINESS is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony. ~ Ghandi

SnazzieT and Jiffymouse...

Thanks for the great information, I will be sure to let you both know how my wintering experiment works out. I already started converting a closet into an improvised greenhouse. I am really hoping that by next spring i have a habanero plant that is about two feet tall, bushy and ready to fruit a couple times next year.

Sidheblooms, those sound like some very tasty hot sauce recipes!

We got a bumper crop of bishop's crown and habanero this year too. i just rinse them off and let them drain on paper towels for 20 min. or so,pop them whole into ziplock freezer bags, squeeze most of the air out, and throw them in the deep freezer. then when i want one or more, i just remove what i need and run them under cool water for a minute till they thaw, and chop 'em up and "ole! mamacita... i love hot peppers!
the bigger bell peppers though, i will clean, chop, and pre-freeze on a cookie sheet for a day, then put them in the freezer bags, so when i need a handful of peppers to cook into something, it only takes a second to grab some and they don't stick together.
Pat

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