Harvesting Chillies

[Wendie]

I have loads of chillies on my plants and wondered if they would be OK outside or not? I've read that you can cut them off the plant and string them up inside, I've done that with some of them but they are going soft now. Does anyone know what to do them after they've gone soft or should I just leave them on the plants outside? Any advise would be appreciated

[zazen999]

I'd just cut them off, and either string them or make nigella's chilli jelly.

If you strain the jelly into jars; the resulting 'big bits' can be put in a jar of their own; and as they include all the skin and seeds; it makes a wonderful spooned addition to chillis and curries; without all the hot hands each time.



As I explained to Mr Z about an hour ago when he asked what was happening to all the chilis i picked the other day.

[minskey]

We pick the chillies when ripe and pop them in the freezer until we have enough to make a chilli jelly or a chilli sauce mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

[Two_Sheds]

you can cut them off the plant and string them up ... but they are going soft

Were they ripe? I tend to leave them on the plant as late as poss, then cut the plant off at the root, take off all the leaves and hang it upside down somewhere warm and dry until they go dry, shrivelled and crispy.

Then string them into ristras

This year I haven't many ripe chillies at all (it was too cold) so they are being frozen one by one until I can make chilli chutney

[Wendie]

Hi two sheds. no they weren't ripe, they're really green, but I've got a plastic greenhouse and put two of the plants in there. it looks like they're turning a bit red,so fingers crossed they will go really red. i don't want to do chilli jelly, that doesn't appeal at all, i wanted to use them for cooking in chillis and curries

[Shadylane]

I think you can only dry them if they're ripe. I put mine in a tub in the freezer green or red. When you use them just rinse under tap and cut with scissors.

[annacruachan]

If they're going soft, Wendie, you really have only two alternatives. Either use them or freeze them until you've decided what you want to do with them. Easy peasy.

[Wendie]

Thanks for all your messages, it seems that I only have to freeze them then. I thought they might go soggy, but I can have a go with some, I've got loads to play with

[zazen999]

Hi two sheds. no they weren't ripe, they're really green, but I've got a plastic greenhouse and put two of the plants in there. it looks like they're turning a bit red,so fingers crossed they will go really red. i don't want to do chilli jelly, that doesn't appeal at all, i wanted to use them for cooking in chillis and curries

Yeah that's what I do - use the coarse chopped bits for chillis and curries - but if you just want them for that; chop them and freeze them into ice cube squares and you can pop one out when you want for cooking.....