Roasting peppers at home is surprisingly easy. They are great in sandwiches, Mexican dishes, and even pasta. I use roasted bell peppers and jalapeños pretty frequently in cooking. They seem to hold up best since they have a nice thick flesh. If you have an abundance of peppers and you are unable to use them all before they spoil, roasting and freezing them is a great way to preserve them. This is what I did with my crop of jalapeños at the end of the summer. They will last in the freezer for 3–6 months depending on how you store them. I love always having them on hand ready for whatever flavorful dish I’m cooking up next!
INGREDIENTS
any type of pepper, washed and dried
STEPS FOR ROASTING PEPPERS
- Put your oven’s rack on the highest rung possible and turn on the oven broiler.
- If roasting small peppers, such as jalapeños, place them on a skewer for easy handling.
- Place the peppers on a foil lined baking sheet.
- Broil the peppers for 10–12 minutes or until the skin is blackened.
- Flip the peppers over and broil for another 10 minutes.
- Remove the peppers from the oven and skewer and place them in a paper lunch sack. If you do not have a paper lunch sack place them in a small bowl and cover tightly with saran wrap.
- Allow the peppers to steam in the bag or bowl for 15 minutes. This helps to loosen up the skin for easy removal.
- Pull the stems out of the peppers and carefully peel off the charred skin.
- Slice the peppers down one side filleting them open
- Spread the pepper open and use the backside of the knife to scrape the seeds out.
STEPS FOR FREEZING ROASTED PEPPERS
- Place your roasted peppers on a wax paper lined baking sheet making sure they don’t touch.
- Place the baking sheet in the freezer and leave there over night.
- Once the peppers are completely frozen place them in an airtight baggie or container. By freezing them on a sheet first it keeps them from sticking to each other once in a single container or bag.
