How to Freeze Peppers

Peppers are just about the easiest thing in the world to freeze… all you really need to do is cut them up, raw, and stick them in the freezer.

However, when I’m using fresh peppers in a dish I like to cook them a little in a hot, dry pan. (I’m sure there’s a technical term for this, but I have no idea what that might be; let’s call it “singe” for simplicity’s sake.) I think it gives the peppers a better flavor.

So, before I freeze my peppers I like to prep them by singeing them first. Then, come wintertime, when I want to put them in chili or a pasta dish, or to use them in my Beans & Rice, all I have to do is pull them out of the freezer and toss them in. I don’t even really have to defrost them!

How to Freeze Peppers

*** This technique works equally well for  green, red, yellow, orange, and even purple peppers.***

Needed:

• Peppers

• A cast iron pan —  I like to use this one; it’s my biggest.

• A good, sharp knife, and a cutting board

• Bowls or small plates, and several dinner plates

• Freezer bags — quart size, plus a pen for labeling them

• Music — optional, but I find it’s always best to have good tunes (or good company) for this sort of project; for the record, I was hanging out with Madonna for this batch 😉

• Plans to cook bacon or some other greasy dish. Again, this is strictly optional, but it will go a long way toward making amends with your cast iron pan.

I have found that the best way to do this is in one pepper batches. For one thing, it gives the pepper space in the pan to cook nicely, and it seems that most of my recipes use one pepper, or one green pepper, and one red pepper.

While the pan is getting hot, cut up a pepper into the size you like. When the pan is hot enough that a drop of water dances on it, toss in the peppers. Don’t use any oil or butter or anything like that — just a hot, dry pan.

Stir occasionally to give the peppers a good singe.

With any luck, by the time the first pepper is done, the second will be cut up and ready to go in the pan.

Spread the cooked pepper out on a plate to cool. When the pepper is completely cool, put it in a freezer bag. Spread the pepper out flat(this saves a ton of space in your freezer), squeeze the air out, and don’t forget to label it!

Place the bags in the freezer, lying flat, for a day or so until they freeze solid. Then you can stand them up, or store them however you like to arrange things in the freezer.

Your cast iron pan is going to want a little extra love after this adventure… so be sure to give it a good rub down with some olive oil or coconut oil… or just cook up a batch of bacon, and it will be as good as new!

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