r/AskCulinary • u/Mr_Engino • 4d ago
ways to keep chopped peppers from going bad too quickly?
Every once in a while we'll store jars of a chopped onion and bell pepper in the fridge for the next time they're needed. I have observed that while the onions seem to last quite a while, the peppers don't. It seems like it doesn't take too long for the cut pieces to go from crisp and fresh, to kinda 'soggy' but still reasonably edible, to down right slimy and very clearly the exact opposite of edible (no matter what my parents try to tell me). I think it's pretty obvious to me what the culprit is, they're simply spoiling over time as produce usually does, but what isn't obvious to me are any surefire methods to preserve them besides freezing (which ruins the texture and taste) or pickling (although my parents have done that before, we don't have the time, tools, or willingness to do so). So, are there any other methods I could use to make a jar of cut peppers last, for a few days more at the very least, so I don't waste what remains and have to prep another one?
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u/EmergencyLavishness1 3d ago
This sounds counter-intuitive, but wash them after cutting. Get a sieve or colander, put your chopped peppers in and run under water until it s clear. Then drain the water off.
They’ll last 4-5 days before going slimy
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u/Curious_Mind_19 3d ago
Never thought rinsing them after chopping would make a difference, I usually just wash the whole pepper first. Gonna try this next time, soggy peppers are the worst.
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u/ez_as_31416 4d ago
or blanch them boil then plunge into cold water
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u/mainebingo 3d ago edited 3d ago
Yes. Cook them—even slightly (either blanched in water or fried in some fat.) If you typically fry them, then 1/2 fry them a little in oil and store them with whatever amount of oil you used. Then finish cooking them when you need them some other day.
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u/RedBalooon 3d ago
The traditional methods may not be what you want: drying them, smoking them (yes, that's the same as drying them) and powdering them, preserving them in oil, or preserving them in some type of cure that doesn't feel like pickling (e.g chipotles in adobo). I think roasted and then preserved in oil is closest to fresh.
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u/Main_Cauliflower5479 3d ago
Are you using them raw in the final dish, or cooked. If using cooked, it's best to go ahed and sauté them after prepping. If using raw, just don't prep so far in advance.
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u/NorthwestFeral 2d ago
I simply don't pre-cut any of my vegetables. I slice off the bit I want to eat and put the rest in the fridge in a bag. It isn't that hard to chop stuff up as it's needed.
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u/merlingrl92 3d ago
I mean. Chopped veg doesn’t last that long anyway so don’t chop it so far in advance. But crucially - keep it away from the onions!! I hope you’re not keeping both in the same jar?
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u/mbtnprobthrowaway 3d ago
When I have too many fresh peppers and onions I dice them, seal them well in a plastic zip bag, store in the freezer and then use them as the base for soups/stews/curries . I like fresh if the pepper/onion is a foreward component of the dish (like when I make shakshuka or Philly cheese steaks) but I don't taste much of a difference when they're frozen and used as a base ingredient. Just don't let them get freezer burned 😂
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u/ChefGerzsi 3d ago
Peppers are mostly water, and once you cut them the cut cells keep leaking it. That liquid pools at the bottom of the jar and the pieces sitting in it go slimy first. Onions hold up better because they’re drier. A few things we do in the kitchen: pat the pieces dry before they go in, put a folded paper towel at the bottom of the jar and change it when it’s wet, and don’t pack them tight. Bigger pieces also last longer than a fine dice, so cut small only on the day. If you chop a lot at once, freeze part of it spread out on a tray, then bag it. They lose the crunch, but for cooking you won’t notice.
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u/D-ouble-D-utch 4d ago
Dry paper towel on the bottom. Damp one on top. Cover tightly.