If you’ve taken good care of your plants, you’re probably looking at a massive chili harvest right about now. Since these little firecrackers pack a serious punch, you usually only need a tiny bit to spice up a dish. If you aren’t into drying them, freezing is a fantastic way to save that heat for later!
Freeze Fully Ripe Chilis
While you *can* freeze green chilis, they tend to lose a lot of their signature flavor in the freezer. For the best results, you really want to wait until they are fully ripe. If you have a bunch of green ones you need to deal with, drying them is usually a better bet.
You’ll know your chilis are ready when they’ve reached their final, vibrant color. Keep in mind that while many chilis are edible when they’re green, they aren’t “fully ripe” until they change color (usually to red, orange, or yellow depending on the variety). For the freezer, make sure there are no green spots left!
Preparing Your Chilis
When it’s time to prep, you want to work quickly but carefully. Pro tip: Always wear gloves, especially if you’re working with super-hots. Your eyes (and skin) will thank you later!
Here’s how to get them ready:
- Wash the chilis thoroughly.
- Pat them dry completely.
- Pop off the stems.
- Carefully slice them open.
- Scoop out the seeds.
- Cut the peppers into strips.
Once they’re prepped, portion them out into freezer-safe containers or bags. To keep them fresh long-term, make sure your freezer is set to a deep-freeze setting (at least three stars).
Shelf Life
Your frozen chilis will stay tasty for about a year. After that, you’ll start to see freezer burn and ice crystals, and the peppers will lose their moisture. If you need to preserve your harvest for longer than a year, you might want to try other methods, like canning or pickling. You can even whip up some spicy pastes and process them in jars—those can easily last well over a year.
How to Use Frozen Chilis
Here’s the secret: Don’t thaw them! If you let them defrost on the counter, they’ll get mushy and lose all that delicious juice and aroma. This is why slicing them into strips before freezing is so important—you can just grab what you need and toss them straight into the pot.
You don’t have to use the whole bag at once, either. Just scoop out a portion and put the rest back immediately. Try to be quick about it, though; every time you open the container, the remaining chilis thaw just a tiny bit, which can hurt the quality over time.
When cooking, start with a small amount. Add them directly to your simmering dishes, but give it a few minutes before you do a taste test. It takes a moment for the chilis to thaw in the heat and release their capsaicin. Remember: the hotter the chili, the less you’ll need to kick things up a notch!