Can fresh chili peppers be frozen and stored

Fresh chili peppers can be frozen and stored, but their texture will soften after thawing. Freezing is suitable for cooking needs and not suitable for direct raw consumption. After freezing chili peppers, some water-soluble nutrients such as vitamin C may be lost, but the spicy components and dietary fiber are mostly retained. When freezing and storing fresh chili peppers, it is necessary to remove moisture and seal them before packaging. After cleaning, thoroughly air dry or wipe off surface moisture to avoid frost affecting taste. The whole chili can be directly packed into a fresh-keeping bag to seal the air, while the sliced chili can be laid flat and frozen before being stored in a centralized manner. The freezing temperature should be kept below minus 18 degrees Celsius to avoid repeated thawing. Varieties of green peppers with high moisture content soften more significantly after freezing, making them suitable for stews or sauces.

Some special varieties such as millet chili, Erjingtiao and other small chili peppers have little flavor change after freezing. This type of chili can be frozen whole and can be directly put into a hot pot without thawing. However, brightly colored peppers are prone to fading after freezing, so it is recommended to use them in the short term. The shelf life of frozen chili peppers is about 6 months, and their spiciness will gradually decrease after prolonged storage.

Frozen chili peppers are suitable for making chili sauce, hot pot base or seasoning oil, and high-temperature cooking can make up for the lack of taste. Daily storage of small amounts of fresh chili peppers can be refrigerated and wrapped in kitchen paper, which can be consumed within a week to maintain the best condition. Long term storage is recommended to be divided into small portions to avoid repeated thawing of the entire bag and affecting its quality. People who are sensitive to spiciness can remove the seeds from chili peppers and then freeze them to reduce the irritation during consumption.