How to store sweet peppers so that they do not wilt if they are picked green. Conditions

Friends, I recently reaped a rich harvest from my peppers (this year they bore fruit like never before). At that moment I started thinking: how to store bell peppers at home? To my surprise, I found several ways that I would like to share with you.

With proper storage, the beneficial properties of the vegetable remain unchanged.

How to store sweet peppers so that they do not wilt if they are picked green. Conditions

Where should it be stored?
At home, sweet bell peppers are best stored on an insulated balcony, in private houses - on the veranda, technically ripe for up to two months, biologically - up to two weeks. What is the correct way to store it? To preserve all the beneficial properties and taste characteristics, it is best to use small wooden boxes. We pre-pack the sweet pepper fruits, several pieces each, into thick plastic bags.

How to store sweet peppers so they don't wilt? To avoid spoilage of the product, we poke holes to allow air to enter. Also, each pepper can be wrapped in paper. The place should be dark, the sun's rays destroy the beneficial properties. You can use a wicker basket, which has very good air circulation, or canvas bags.

How to store bell peppers at home? An interesting way to store it at home is that before frost sets in, you can dig up the whole plant with peppers that are not ripe and plant it in a pot. On windowsills with sufficient sunlight, the fruits will ripen almost until the end of winter.

What are the optimal storage conditions?

In order for the peppers to ripen within 20–30 days without losing their appearance, it is necessary to maintain a stable temperature of +10 degrees, but the humidity should be high, about 95%.

After ripening, you can sharply lower the temperature to 0 degrees to increase shelf life by 2-3 months.

Collection and preparation of peppers for storage

Harvesting is completely easy. There are no nuances or subtleties here. But in order not to damage the fragile branches of the bush, it is recommended to remove the fruits carefully and slowly. For convenience you can use:

• pruner,
• knife,
• scissors.

To keep the vegetable longer, it is advisable to cut it off along with the stalk, leaving 2-3 cm along with the fruit. The main thing is to collect the entire harvest before the weather gets cold. Fruits affected by low temperatures are not stored for a long time. Already at a temperature of 15°C, the pepper bush stops growing, and at negative temperatures it dies.

Using scissors is convenient for harvesting peppers.

The collected vegetables do not need to be washed. It is enough to wipe them with a dry cloth, removing any remaining dirt and leaves. Next, you can give the vegetables a little “test drive”: leave them in a basket outside for a week, protected from direct sunlight. If after this time the fruits have retained their elasticity, shape and taste, then you can safely send the crop for long-term fresh storage.

Why don't peppers turn red in a greenhouse?

First of all, it is worth checking what type of pepper you have chosen. Perhaps ripe fruits should not be red at all, but green or lilac. Therefore, if the peppers have acquired not a red, but a yellow, orange or dark green hue, do not be surprised; perhaps this is a natural stage of development.

To get an early harvest, you need to choose the right variety. Residents of the middle zone and northern latitudes need to choose only early and very early varieties of hot and sweet peppers, while those who live in a milder climate will benefit from mid-season varieties. The best harvest is produced by hybrids: they are resistant to frost and disease, and have excellent taste. There are a huge number of varieties of both red hot and sweet peppers on the market, so it will not be difficult to choose the most suitable one, and growing peppers in a greenhouse will give excellent results.

Features of maturation

It must be said that there are two stages of pepper maturity - technical and biological. At the technical stage of ripeness, the fruits are still green and firm, but have stopped growing, and the seeds inside are fully ripe. Biological maturity occurs later, sometimes 20-30 days after technical maturity. By this time, the peppers have already acquired their final color and taste. Therefore, if the bell pepper has grown but does not change color, you just need to wait a little and it will reach the desired state.

Sweet peppers are harvested only at the stage of technical maturity, since fully ripened fruits are poorly stored and easily wrinkle. But unripe vegetables can be stored for a month, and it will not lose its beneficial properties. Everything is exactly the opposite with hot peppers: you can cut them from the bush only when they become completely red and hot. Thin pods of hot peppers dry out quickly and can easily lie on the shelf with seasonings for several months.

Pepper is very sensitive to changes in environmental conditions, and if something is wrong, it can completely shed its flowers and ovaries, refusing to bear fruit. Factors affecting pepper ripening:

• Soil acidity. The soil should not be acidic, the optimal balance is 6.0 -7.0. Pepper will not do well on clay soils, and where there is a lot of nitrogen in the soil;
• Temperature. The air during the day should be warmed up to 25-30 degrees, and at night the thermometer should not fall below 15 degrees, otherwise the flowers will begin to fall off. Overheating is also dangerous - when the temperature in the greenhouse is above 40 degrees, the plant withers. The plant will not appreciate drafts, so you can open the windows to ventilate the greenhouse only on one side;
• Humidity. It is very important to maintain a balance here, because the vegetable does not tolerate drought or excessive watering. The water should be warm and settled. It is advisable that water does not fall on the leaves when watering. Fruiting peppers are watered once every 2 weeks, and to prevent the moisture from drying out, the soil is loosened or mulched;
• Light. Paradoxically, too much light will even harm the plant. Pepper is a “short day” crop and produces the best yields when daylight hours last no more than 12 hours. But, at the same time, a sufficient amount of ultraviolet radiation must reach the leaves and fruits so that they form and ripen normally. If a vegetable grows in the shade and stretches out without releasing flowers, gardeners recommend installing reflective screens that will provide more light, or ultraviolet lamps;
• Fertilizers. Peppers really need potassium, so wood ash will help them grow and develop properly. This mineral will be useful for pepper at any stage of development, regardless of whether the pepper is growing in a greenhouse or in open ground.

Preparation for long-term storage

Fresh and ripe peppers are stored for only 2 weeks. Then they begin to wither, lose their taste and benefits. Outwardly they become not so attractive, the flesh loses its elasticity. Therefore, many gardeners prefer to pick peppers slightly unripe, so they can be stored much longer.

To extend the life of vegetables, wipe them with a paper towel, but do not wash them with water. Then they are laid out in one layer in a wooden box, covered with a layer of paper, and taken to a cool room.

The condition of the fruits is regularly checked; if traces of rot appear on one of them, it is removed. It is recommended to ventilate the boxes with peppers once a week.

How long can peppers last in the freezer? Shelf life

If you don’t have the strength to cook something immediately after coming from the store, then you can store any ground product in the refrigerator for several hours. The main question is exactly how long storage can last. Let's find out how long different types of minced meat are stored in the refrigerator or freezer.

Shelf life in the refrigerator at +4°C

Shelf life in freezer at -18°C

If you buy deep-chilled minced meat, you can store it in the refrigerator for a day without opening the packaging. In general, always pay attention to the production date of the product and the manufacturer’s recommendations. Spoiled meat gives off an unpleasant smell. A slight odor can be removed with the help of spicy seasonings, but if the odor is strong, it is better to throw away the ground meat.

Unpacked store-bought or home-cooked minced meat must be placed in cling film, parchment paper or a bag, placed on the refrigerator shelf and stored away from other products. It is not recommended to mix several types of minced meat before cooking, or add onions.

A whole piece of meat can be stored in the freezer for up to a year. So if you are not going to make cutlets in the next 2-3 months, freeze the meat as a whole without grinding. In the refrigerator, the shelf life will be 2 days if you wipe the top with lemon juice and place in a saucepan or bowl with a lid.

If you decide to freeze the product, then divide it into compact portions to prevent re-freezing. For large volumes, the packaging must be dated. In this case, you will know exactly until what day you need to use the product.

How to freeze at home

If the red pepper harvest turns out to be good, it is not at all necessary to dry all the pods. You can freeze some of it in the freezer, store it in the refrigerator, or marinate it. Freezing will help preserve the aroma and freshness of the vegetable.

The peppers are laid out on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and placed in the freezer for several hours. The frozen pods are removed from the freezer, transferred to a plastic container or vacuum bag, the packaging is tightly closed and put back into the freezer. In this form, this vegetable will not lose its freshness for 1 year.

What to do with green peppers. Green pepper: original preparations for the winter

The vegetable season provides thrifty housewives with enormous scope for preparations for the coming cold months. The same green pepper costs mere pennies at this time, and you can make many different goodies from it that will delight your family during the winter gloom. Many people limit themselves to adding bell peppers to salads or canned tomatoes. It closes on its own only in the form of a lecho. Meanwhile, this is not the only way to roll up green peppers for the winter. Recipes for delicious and interesting snacks are offered below.

Winter preparation: stuffed peppers

We will not describe how to cook the most primitive, for example, pickled vegetable. The process does not differ in any special secrets from marinating anything else. We are interested in unusual green peppers. The recipes, however, will require attention and effort, but the twist will be original and appetizing. A kilogram of peppers is washed and peeled so that they remain whole, with a hole on top. A quarter kilo of onion is crumbled into rings and browned. A little more carrots and one parsley root are cut into strips and stewed until medium cooked. 700 grams of peeled tomatoes are rubbed through a fine colander or sieve, the puree is boiled, and after a quarter of an hour of cooking, two tablespoons of salt, the same amount of vinegar, a spoonful of sugar and a little allspice and peas are added to it. Cooking continues for another ten minutes; During this time, the vegetables are combined, chopped parsley is added to them, and the minced meat is packed into peppers. They are laid out in liter jars, filled with hot puree and sterilized for an hour, after which they are sealed.

Green peppers for the winter: recipes of the Hungarian people

The main vegetable here will be surrounded by a company that is somewhat unusual for us. One kilogram of green pepper is cut into thick strips along the pod. Celery root with parsley and cauliflower (about 150 grams each) crumble into small pieces. All this is laid out, alternating, in jars, at the bottom of which whole garlic cloves are poured. They are placed on top, under the lid. Vegetables are sprinkled with pepper and pressed to release juice. The vessels are filled with hot marinade: per liter of water - half the amount of vinegar, bay leaf and two tablespoons of sugar and salt. After half a day, the marinade is drained, boiled and poured again. The containers are sterilized for a third of an hour and rolled up.

Italian appetizer

For it, green peppers are cut into longitudinal strips of arbitrary size (just not too narrow), dried, laid out on a baking sheet, salted and sprinkled with olive oil. The workpiece is baked for about 20 minutes (if you like it with scorch marks, then longer). Greens are washed - parsley, basil (at the rate of a couple of sprigs per half-liter jar), mint (five leaves per container). Garlic is cut into slices, hot pepper is cut into strips. Half of the spices are placed on the bottom, the baked green pepper is tamped (without kneading) on ​​top, the rest of the herbs and spices go to the very top. A quarter spoon of sea salt is poured into each jar and half of the same apple cider vinegar is poured. The vessel is filled with olive oil. It can be replaced with non-deodorized sunflower. The workpiece is sterilized for about seven minutes, rolled up, turned over and wrapped. After cooling, the jars are put away in a cool place.

Korean pepper

Vegetables according to the recipes of this country have long become popular among our people. Surely you will also like Korean green peppers for the winter. First of all, prepare the seasoning: mix salt with sugar and chopped/crushed garlic well (take a glass of everything). Ground pepper, cilantro and cumin, taken one teaspoon at a time, are also added here. You will have enough mass for six kilos of pepper. The gutted pods are generously smeared with it from the inside and left for 10 hours (if the kitchen is hot, put it in the refrigerator). The juice that is released during this time is carefully drained, and the peppers are tightly packed into sterilized jars. The juice is mixed with a liter of water and half a liter of vinegar and boiled. They fill the containers with it, close them (you can just use thick plastic lids) and put them away in the basement. If you also strive for beauty, combine green peppers with red and yellow pods - it will turn out bright and catchy.

Best varieties for storage

For long-term storage, varieties with good shelf life and transportability are used. Mid-season and late-season varieties are better preserved.

How to store peppers after harvesting. How to properly store bell peppers

Where to store bell peppers and what rules must be followed?

In the basement or cellar

This storage method is suitable only for vegetables that are technically ripe. The storage room must have the following conditions:

• air humidity - 90%;

• temperature range from +10 to +12 ºС;

• good ventilation and no direct sunlight.

Storage rules:

1. The bottom of the boxes or trays is covered with paper, on which the peppers are placed in one layer. Cover the top with sawdust or sand. In this way, no more than two or three layers are laid;
2. Plastic bags are also suitable for storage. Ripe vegetables are wrapped in paper and placed in a bag in several layers. Storage in this form lasts two months.

To preserve the harvest, carry out regular inspection of fruits and timely removal of spoiled ones. The beginning of wilting of peppers indicates low humidity in the room. If rot appears, it is necessary to improve ventilation. The appearance of dark green spots on the skin is a sign of low storage temperature, which must be raised to +12˚C.

On the balcony or loggia

How to properly store bell peppers here? A balcony or loggia is an excellent place to store fruits for 1.5-2 months. The peppers are placed in boxes, the bottom of which is covered with paper and covered with sawdust.

To preserve the fruits, it is necessary to maintain an optimal temperature of +8 to +12 ˚C, good ventilation, and the vegetables should not be exposed to direct sunlight. The top of the boxes is covered with burlap.

Fridge

How long do bell peppers last in the refrigerator? The lower vegetable compartment in the refrigerator will keep the peppers for 3-4 weeks. Unwashed fruits are wiped with a damp towel, placed in a plastic bag in which holes must first be made, tied and placed in the refrigerator.

Wrapping the fruit in paper will help prevent condensation. Some housewives rub vegetables with sunflower oil for better storage.

In the cellar and basement

How to properly store bell peppers for the winter in a basement or cellar?

Premises requirements

Before sending peppers to underground storage, it is necessary to prepare it in advance. Be sure to ventilate the room. Containers for storing peppers should be washed with a solution of copper sulfate . To remove excess moisture, use small boxes of coal or salt .

Optimal conditions are temperatures from +2 to +10 degrees, with moderate air humidity.

Hot green pepper turns red. Green hot pepper: features and applications

When it comes to hot peppers, most people think of red chilies. However, there is also a green version. Find out what it is, its beneficial properties and contraindications, as well as the most interesting recipes in this article.

Description and types

Green hot pepper is a well-known chili pepper that has not reached its biological maturity. However, this name is more often used in relation to red vegetables, while unripe ones are simply called “bitter” or “hot” green peppers. It is picked at a time when the necessary useful components have already accumulated in its composition, but it has not yet acquired a bright red hue.

Being not a separate species, but the same chili pepper, hot green peppers do not have their own varieties. However, chili has them and some varieties are especially successful when consumed unripe. In this regard, it is customary to distinguish (although this is not entirely true) the following types of green pepper.

Serrano

The vegetable is named after the Sierra Mountains, located in Mexico. It's easy to guess that serrano is a Mexican variety of chili. It is small in size (about 4 cm in length) and round in shape. The shape of the pepper resembles a bullet; the similarity is enhanced by the shiny skin of the vegetable.

It has thinner walls and fewer partitions inside, and therefore the taste of serrano is not very hot.

In addition, the taste has a piquant sourness. All this expands the possibilities of its use.

The plant is a small perennial subshrub. Peppers reach technical maturity 90 days after planting.

How to choose the right one

If it is not possible to grow your own pepper crop, then you buy them. The buyer needs a quality product, so you should know a few rules when choosing vegetables:

• the skin is smooth, without wrinkles or dents;
• the color is evenly distributed, this indicates the degree of maturity of the fruit;
• the tail is green, dense, springy;
• when you press on a vegetable, you hear a slight crunch;
• there should be no traces of disease, rot or other damage on the surface;
• The color can be red, yellow, green, purple.

It is important to monitor all the parameters when choosing vegetables, especially when purchasing large quantities to prepare for the winter. I want to get a quality product for my own money.

Preservation recipes

You can preserve sweet peppers for the winter without freezing - using canning. Housewives use their skills and create more and more new homemade recipes.

A purple variety, rare in Russia, has this color thanks to anthocyanins - substances that protect the plant from frost, and in humans increase immunity and visual acuity

Seasoning with salt

You can preserve bell peppers as a seasoning for various dishes: sauces, baby food, vegetable purees and cocktails.

Ingredients:

• 1 kg red pepper;
• 1 tbsp. l. salt without top.

Cooking process:

1. Twist the peeled and chopped peppers through a meat grinder.
2. Add salt, stir and leave for 10 minutes. brew.
3. Fill the prepared jars with the mixture.
4. Top each jar with 2 tbsp. l. vegetable oil to prevent mold from appearing.
5. Close with a nylon lid. Store in the refrigerator.

Canning

This method is suitable for storing damaged fruits. The vegetable can be added to vegetable salads for the winter or prepared separately.

Canned pepper pieces

Remove seeds from fruits. Cut into cubes. Place in layers in a jar, sprinkling with salt. Close the lid tightly. This preparation for first and second courses must be stored in the refrigerator. The shelf life of the product is 4–5 months.

Pepper puree

This preparation can be used as a seasoning for soups and main courses. For cooking, you need to select ripe fruits. Remove stalks and seeds from them. Cut into pieces and puree in a blender. Add salt to taste. Place the seasoning into small jars. Pour a spoonful of sunflower oil on top. Should be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 1 year.

Bell peppers are a flavorful addition to the winter diet. In addition to excellent taste, this product has beneficial properties that will strengthen the immune system during the cold season.