Preserving Jalapeño Peppers

Today I retrieved the last of the jalapeño peppers from my garden (according to the forecast, we can expect a hard killing frost tonight, and thus, the need to get the final peppers picked). It’s been a great pepper year, however, it’s a sad thought I can’t go to my garden tomorrow, and pick a fresh jalapeño pepper. The good news is… we can freeze these peppers, and we can enjoy pickled jalapeño peppers through the winter months.Did you know there are red and green jalapeño peppers? Do you know what the difference is between these two colorful peppers? The biggest difference is simply the age of the pepper. A green jalapeño is picked early in the ripening process, while the red jalapeño is left to mature on the vine. The additional ripening on the vine also means more capsaicin (this gives it their spiciness) in the pepper.

There are so many great ways to use jalapeño peppers. You can slice them and add them to your taco salad, burritos, or quesadillas. And with the extras, you can pickle them and enjoy all winter long.

Check out our pickled jalapeño pepper recipe on page 176 in our book, Eating Pure in a Processed Foods World®. These pickled jalapeño can be added to burgers, salads or taco dips.

Jalapeño poppers are another way to enjoy these peppers (this recipe can be found on page 175). They make a great appetizer or a fun snack during half-time of your favorite football game. My grandchildren can’t get enough of these poppers!