Pepper harvests - Page 2

drew51 · September 17, 2014

The raspberries are coming on strong with a great fall crop!

Daily harvests have been good, over 60 a day!

I still have a little bit of sauce to make with the tomatoes...

Good job on the habs!! I have been getting into the Scotch Bonnets. I want to grow more of them next year. I'm thinking of overwintering some pepper plants, but not sure which ones yet? I have a month or so to decide.

Hermitian · September 17, 2014

Thanks Drew. Yes, my raspberry plant has been going nuts too. Been fighting logistics and hot weather to finish my planter beds and irrigation. Temperatures here have been 15 degrees F above normal for the last two weeks.

drew51 · September 18, 2014

I'm getting ready for the winter. It's been a busy year so in a way I'm looking forward to a break from gardening. I powdered most of my peppers. Dried some whole. I guess I should freeze some too. I have to figure out a good way to do it. Prepping for drying is work! I recently did this harvest. Aji-lemon drop, Fish, Brazilian starfish, and yellow scotch bonnets. I still have hundreds on the plants.

Tomorrow I'm making Tex-Mex Cheese enchiladas. So I made my own chile powder. I used 3 NuMex Heritage 6-4 red ripened peppers 3 Guajillo Peppers red, dried of course. For the cayenne I used Uyababa peppers (three of them) 2 tbsp cumin seeds roasted, 2 tbsp garlic powder, and 2 tsp ground oregano. Next year I'm going to grow a Mexican Oregano plant. make it more authentic. btw it's not really an oregano plant, but a type of succulent. These are the peppers I had on hand. Often Pablanos (Ancho chiles) are used with new Mexican chiles, but I didn't grow any this year.

Hermitian · September 18, 2014

I bought this compact vacuum sealer to store vegies in the refrigerator and freezer. For peppers. no need to dehydrate before freezing, although larger peppers last longer if you slice them first.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002FWIVCA/

drew51 · September 18, 2014

Yeah I meant freeze some also, not freeze the dyhydrated ones. They are in a jar on the counter

I have enough powder and dyhydrated peppers to last a few years! I'll probably freeze the powder to keep it fresh. Next year I want to grow more sweet peppers.

bower · September 18, 2014

Beautiful harvest, guys! I envy you the warm temperatures this year, my Mexican peppers had a tough time this season, but I'm still pretty happy with what I got - although still waiting on Early Jalapenos - wow they are late this year.

I freeze a lot of peppers for the winter, they keep really well frozen whole and just popped into ziplocks with most of the air squeezed out. I don't have a vacuum sealer, so my experiments with freezing chopped peppers didn't end well - they lost moisture and quality much faster than whole ones. It's really easy to chop up frozen peppers, and I like to do that immediately on taking them out, because they thaw really quickly and start to drip and mush. But they are a great substitute for fresh in almost any cooked dish. In the frozen north here, we have even enjoyed a rather wet 'fresh' uncooked salsa made from frozen peppers and tomatoes. And gazpacho is awesome from frozen. You really appreciate the sweetness and unique flavours of home grown tomatoes and peps, after a couple of months without fresh ones.....

drew51 · September 18, 2014

Thanks guys for the info. Yes, I think I'm going to freeze the rest. i was thinking of doing the place on a tray, freeze, then add to zip lock. So they do not stick to one another, and I can pull out as many or as few as I need.

bower · September 18, 2014

drew, I've never had uncut peppers stick together at all.

Then again, I don't have the massive quantities that you have to deal with!

drew51 · September 18, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by bower

drew, I've never had uncut peppers stick together at all.

Then again, I don't have the massive quantities that you have to deal with!

OK, well i never froze them before, i figured they would stick, but maybe not?
My raspberries do not, but my strawberries do. Well the raspberries stick a touch, easy to break apart.

Father'sDaughter · September 18, 2014

I also dry and powder the Aji Limons -- they give food a very unique flavor. Red Cayenne's are split between powdered and flaked. This year I had one Scotch Bonnet plant this year that I started on a whim, and it produced a quart of peppers! Right now I'm thinking Jerk Sauce because I read it keeps "forever" in the refrigerator.

greenthumbomaha · October 1, 2014

I've frozen peppers whole too. This summer they went straight from vine to freezer bag. Why cut first ? Is it primarily to remove seeds?

- L.

Hermitian · October 1, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenthumbomaha

I've frozen peppers whole too. This summer they went straight from vine to freezer bag. Why cut first ? Is it primarily to remove seeds?

- L.

Didn't cut mine. Must be for the faint of heart.

greenthumbomaha · October 1, 2014

Nice berries, Drew. It's been a frustrating blackberry/raspberry year for me. I look a them on the vine and think just one more day and they'll be at peak sweetness, but alas the birds or japanese beetles have their fill when I'm not looking.

-L.

drew51 · October 1, 2014

I have Japanese beetles here, I battle them daily. Not so bad they go for the fruit though.
I am lucky as others deal with the SWD fruit fly, and have maggots. The only pest is the occasional Yellow Jacket feeding on half a raspberry.

Hermitian · October 3, 2014

I'm still on a mission to utilize my huge habanero harvest. Over the weekend I designed and tested this BBQ sauce. For those who think spicy chicken wings are too hot, then cut the number of peppers by half or a quarter. Makes about 1/2 gallon.

Habanero BBQ Hot Sauce
-----
Puree:
* 2.5 lb fresh tomato
* 1.5 cups sliced peaches
* 1 cup crushed pineapple
* 1 cup onion
* 1/2 cup blueberries
* 1/4 cup tomato paste
* 12 habanero peppers
* 5 cloves garlic
* 1 TBS fresh rosemary

Blend or Whisk With:
* 1 cup cider vinegar
* 1 cup Oban 14 whiskey
* 1 cup molasses
* 1/4 cup arrowroot flour
* 1/4 cup brown sugar
* 1/4 cup oil or melted butter
* 1/4 cup lemon juice
* 2 TBS black pepper
* 1 TBS salt
* 1 TBS grated ginger
* 1/2 TBS ground cumin
* 1/2 TBS mustard powder
* 1 tsp ground allspice

Cure At Room Temperature 2-4 Hours.
Reblend.
Slow Cook In Vented Non-Stick Pot At 210-215F For 8 Hours, Stirring Occasionally.
Refrigerate Overnight.
-----

September 17, 2014	#17
Hermitian BANNED Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Vista, CA Posts: 1,112	Thanks Drew. Yes, my raspberry plant has been going nuts too. Been fighting logistics and hot weather to finish my planter beds and irrigation. Temperatures here have been 15 degrees F above normal for the last two weeks. __________________ Richard _<\|\|>_

September 18, 2014	#18
drew51 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Sterling Heights, MI Zone 6a/5b Posts: 1,302	I'm getting ready for the winter. It's been a busy year so in a way I'm looking forward to a break from gardening. I powdered most of my peppers. Dried some whole. I guess I should freeze some too. I have to figure out a good way to do it. Prepping for drying is work! I recently did this harvest. Aji-lemon drop, Fish, Brazilian starfish, and yellow scotch bonnets. I still have hundreds on the plants. Tomorrow I'm making Tex-Mex Cheese enchiladas. So I made my own chile powder. I used 3 NuMex Heritage 6-4 red ripened peppers 3 Guajillo Peppers red, dried of course. For the cayenne I used Uyababa peppers (three of them) 2 tbsp cumin seeds roasted, 2 tbsp garlic powder, and 2 tsp ground oregano. Next year I'm going to grow a Mexican Oregano plant. make it more authentic. btw it's not really an oregano plant, but a type of succulent. These are the peppers I had on hand. Often Pablanos (Ancho chiles) are used with new Mexican chiles, but I didn't grow any this year. Last edited by drew51; September 18, 2014 at 01:08 AM.

September 18, 2014	#19
Hermitian BANNED Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Vista, CA Posts: 1,112	I bought this compact vacuum sealer to store vegies in the refrigerator and freezer. For peppers. no need to dehydrate before freezing, although larger peppers last longer if you slice them first. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002FWIVCA/ __________________ Richard _<\|\|>_

October 3, 2014	#30
Hermitian BANNED Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Vista, CA Posts: 1,112	I'm still on a mission to utilize my huge habanero harvest. Over the weekend I designed and tested this BBQ sauce. For those who think spicy chicken wings are too hot, then cut the number of peppers by half or a quarter. Makes about 1/2 gallon. Habanero BBQ Hot Sauce ----- Puree: * 2.5 lb fresh tomato * 1.5 cups sliced peaches * 1 cup crushed pineapple * 1 cup onion * 1/2 cup blueberries * 1/4 cup tomato paste * 12 habanero peppers * 5 cloves garlic * 1 TBS fresh rosemary Blend or Whisk With: * 1 cup cider vinegar * 1 cup Oban 14 whiskey * 1 cup molasses * 1/4 cup arrowroot flour * 1/4 cup brown sugar * 1/4 cup oil or melted butter * 1/4 cup lemon juice * 2 TBS black pepper * 1 TBS salt * 1 TBS grated ginger * 1/2 TBS ground cumin * 1/2 TBS mustard powder * 1 tsp ground allspice Cure At Room Temperature 2-4 Hours. Reblend. Slow Cook In Vented Non-Stick Pot At 210-215F For 8 Hours, Stirring Occasionally. Refrigerate Overnight. ----- __________________ Richard _<\|\|>_

September 18, 2014	#21
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,793	Beautiful harvest, guys! I envy you the warm temperatures this year, my Mexican peppers had a tough time this season, but I'm still pretty happy with what I got - although still waiting on Early Jalapenos - wow they are late this year. I freeze a lot of peppers for the winter, they keep really well frozen whole and just popped into ziplocks with most of the air squeezed out. I don't have a vacuum sealer, so my experiments with freezing chopped peppers didn't end well - they lost moisture and quality much faster than whole ones. It's really easy to chop up frozen peppers, and I like to do that immediately on taking them out, because they thaw really quickly and start to drip and mush. But they are a great substitute for fresh in almost any cooked dish. In the frozen north here, we have even enjoyed a rather wet 'fresh' uncooked salsa made from frozen peppers and tomatoes. And gazpacho is awesome from frozen. You really appreciate the sweetness and unique flavours of home grown tomatoes and peps, after a couple of months without fresh ones.....

September 18, 2014	#25
Father'sDaughter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: MA/NH Border Posts: 4,917	I also dry and powder the Aji Limons -- they give food a very unique flavor. Red Cayenne's are split between powdered and flaked. This year I had one Scotch Bonnet plant this year that I started on a whim, and it produced a quart of peppers! Right now I'm thinking Jerk Sauce because I read it keeps "forever" in the refrigerator.

October 1, 2014	#26
greenthumbomaha Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Omaha Zone 5 Posts: 2,514	I've frozen peppers whole too. This summer they went straight from vine to freezer bag. Why cut first ? Is it primarily to remove seeds? - L.