Can You Freeze Jalapenos (Whole/Sliced/Stuffed)? Here is How

“I am an extremely adventurous eater and an avid lover of spicy food.”_ Chunkey Pandey.

If you are a lover of everything spice like Chunkey, you must have a flair for jalapenos.

This time we won’t be talking about the heat from jalapenos. We would discuss preserving it by keeping it cool or frozen. Let’s get started!

Can You Freeze Jalapenos for Later Use?

Yes! You can freeze jalapenos peppers, including fresh, whole, sliced or chopped jalapenos. However, when you freeze them, you need to be careful and keep them airtight.

But you might ask, “why do I need to freeze my jalapenos?”.

Why Freeze Jalapenos Peppers?

Depending on your location, you might always have access to fresh jalapenos. So you may not need to freeze.

Asides from that, here are a few reasons why you might want to freeze jalapenos:

Easy to use

Frozen jalapenos are more convenient. They are already prepared for your recipe. You have to add them and start cooking, unlike the fresh ones where you have to start chopping or slicing. Frozen jalapenos are ready to use!

It prevents wastage

You may have so many jalapenos in your kitchen and may not have a use for them immediately. So, instead of discarding them, store them up for future use.

Now that it is clear why we freeze them, how do you freeze them?

Best Ways to Freeze Whole/Sliced Jalapenos

Preparations

To freeze your jalapenos, you need:

1. Fresh, green Jalapenos
2. Water
3. Vinegar (optional)
4. Knife
5. Cutting board
6. Ice cube tray or cookie sheet
7. Gloves
8. Freezer bags

You can use vinegar to wash your jalapenos, as it kills surface bacteria. But if you don’t want to use it, water can suffice.  

Once you have all you need, decide if you want to store your jalapenos whole or in a sliced state.

Now let’s discuss how you can freeze them in these states.

How To Freeze Whole Jalapenos?

Freezing your jalapenos whole is best. You keep their form intact and avoid oxidizing the jalapenos.

If your freezer has the space, it’s best to freeze your pepper whole. It saves you the risk of chili oil burns [1].

To freeze whole jalapenos, follow these steps:

Step 1. Purchase or harvest your fresh jalapenos from the grocery store or market. Select the proper jalapenos.

• Avoid peppers with holes or discoloration.
• Keep clear from peppers that are limp and wrinkled.
• Fresh peppers are the best choice. They can retain their texture and flavor despite freezing.

Step 2. Clean your jalapenos properly. Whether you buy or grow your peppers, ensure you clean them well before freezing.

To do this, you need ½ cup of vinegar and 1½ cup of water.

• Mix them and wash your pepper thoroughly.
• After that, rinse with clean, cool, running water.

Step 3. Remove the stalk or stem attached to the pepper; to keep it contaminant-free and without extensions.

Step 4. Flash freeze: Once your jalapenos are clean, they are ready to be frozen.

To avoid the jalapenos sticking to each other, you must place your whole jalapenos in a single line on a cookie sheet. You can flash freeze for about 2 hours.

Step 5. Freeze properly: Put your jalapenos into thick freezer bags as soon as you finish flash freezing. To shield your peppers from freezer burn [2], ensure you remove air from the bag before sealing and freezing.

You can also freeze whole jalapenos from your garden directly with these steps!

And voilà! Keep your peppers frozen for as long as you want.

How To Freeze Sliced Jalapenos?

This freezing method requires you to slice jalapenos into a desired shape and size before freezing.

With this method, you don’t have to slice later, and the peppers are more compact. Slicing is also a good choice if you don’t have enough space in your freezer.

Direction

1. Harvest or purchase your peppers.
2. Clean them thoroughly with water and vinegar (optional).
3. After cleaning, dry the peppers and remove their stem or stalks.
4. Once that is done, wear your gloves and gently slice your peppers into long thin straws. You can flash freeze your peppers at this point if you like.
5. Put your sliced peppers into your freezer bags. Force out air as much as you can from the pack and seal it.
6. Keep your peppers frozen until you need them.

Freezing your peppers is pretty straightforward. You can freeze whole or sliced peppers. Decide which method works for you.  

So what if you don’t want to store your jalapenos by freezing, are there other choices?

How To Store Jalapenos

Apart from freezing, you can store your jalapenos by:

Drying Jalapenos

Air-drying: Drying your jalapenos is an easy and fast way to preserve them. The best form of drying is the good old practice of air drying.

To dry your jalapenos, you don’t need technical skills to dry your jalapenos. It’s a seamless process.

1. Before you dry your peppers, you must wash and clean them properly. This action is to remove the pesticide and fertilizer used in planting.
2. Once the cleaning process is complete, start the air-drying process.
3. Place your peppers on a wire rack in a spacious, dry, ventilated room.
4. Ensure the entire surface of the peppers is aired. You might have to flip the pepper to other sides to make the drying uniform.

Oven drying: You can dry your peppers in the oven. Begin by washing and cutting them up to expose their seeds.

Then line them on an oven pan and heat to the lowest temperature of about 100degrees Fahrenheit. Turn every few seconds to ensure they are evenly dry.

Roast Jalapenos

Roasting your jalapenos can be done with an oven or over an open heat source (fire). The direct heat would cause your pepper skin to turn black and loosen then you can peel it off.

The beautiful thing about roasting your pepper is that it gives it a rich and unique flavor. This specific result differentiates roasting from drying.

Pickling Jalapenos

Apart from drying and roasting, you can pickle your peppers. You might ask, how do I pickle jalapenos?

Here is a step by step guide on how to pickle jalapenos:

Those are all the steps needed to pickle jalapenos.

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Watch this easy-to-follow video if you want to see how you can store your jalapenos:

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So, if we can preserve or store Jalapenos peppers, have you wondered how long they last?

FAQs About Frozen Jalapenos

Some people like to blanch their peppers before freezing. But do you have to blanch your jalapenos before freezing?

Can you freeze stuffed jalapenos?

Yes, you can! You need to store stuffed jalapenos in an freezer bag or airtight container, this will last up to 3 days. But you’d better eat them as soon as possible.

Can I Freeze Jalapenos Peppers Without Blanching?

Definitely! Unlike onions and mushrooms, you can freeze your jalapenos without blanching.

How Long Do Frozen Jalapenos Last?

If you store your peppers properly in the freezer, they should last 6months to 1 year. Dry and pickled jalapenos can stay for more extended periods.

Why Are My Jalapenos Turning Black

If your jalapenos are turning black, sometimes it’s nothing to worry about. Jalapenos turn black as part of their ripening process.

However, if they are black and soft, it might result from too much moisture, which could be harmful. See more about the color change here:

Popular Jalapeno Recipes

How to Make Candied Jalapenos

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How to Make Stuffed Jalapenos

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Final Words

Jalapenos are beautiful spicy gifts from nature. Store them, so you always have access to their goodness all year round.

Also read: Top 12 Substitutes for Green Chilies You Can Get Easily