Re: [CH] Self Preservation
Hobby Farmer (hobbyfarmer@t-one.net)
Fri, 14 Mar 2003 11:06:49 -0500
Walter Spencer wrote:
> I wonder what all you chile lovers think about bottling chiles? <
We freeze our mash. We wash and destem, cut them in half to check for
fungus or bugs (possible with our small scale) and grind them with an
old hand crank meat grinder. Then we put them in heavy freezer bags and
work out all the air to prevent freezer burn. With some varieties, we
have to add a bit of water to displace all the air. They keep for a
couple of years this way.
We also have canned the mash, packed in jars, covered with 2 parts
vinegar mixed with 3 parts water and water bathed for 10 minutes. We
prefer the taste of the cider vinegar.
We tried pressure canning in salted water, but didn't like the chile
mush that that method produced.
We use some of the mash in cooking, and prefer the frozen so as not to
add the vinegar to, say, an omelet.
Hobby Farmer