Wasting fresh produce is not an option, so you need to figure out quickly what to do with them before everything goes bad. It’s always inconvenient when you have a lot of fresh produce, and you don’t know what to do with it. And it’s even more inconvenient when you have something that’s not a typical everyday ingredient, like fresh jalapenos.
If you struggle to figure out what to do with fresh jalapenos, we’ll make it easy. We’ll share with you nine things to make with jalapenos that you’ll absolutely enjoy.
If you by any chance don’t know what jalapenos are, we’ll introduce them to you. A fresh jalapeno is a small chili pepper, a famous chili pepper. Fresh jalapenos are green and taste like green bell peppers, but they have a bit of heat. They are not very hot, and even people that can’t stand heat can eat fresh jalapenos. Due to their mild to medium amount of heat, you can use them in many different recipes and many different ways. And we’ll try to share with you the most interesting things to do with jalapenos.
If you have way more jalapenos than you need, don’t worry. Don’t let it stress you out. We have such good ideas on what to do with fresh jalapenos that you’ll want to have even more.
So, here’s what to do with jalapenos:
Fresh jalapeno salsa is a classic and something we’re never going to be bored of. Salsa is easy and such a versatile food to make. You can play around with the flavors, ingredients and make something way better than anything store-bought. And what’s best about fresh jalapeno salsa is that you can easily can it and use it whenever you want it. If you want to have a year-round supply of something delicious and spicy, salsa is one of the things to do with jalapenos you need to try.
Another easy thing you can do with fresh jalapenos is pickling them. You can pickle them, play with recipes, add different spices, or even honey to your pickle blend. Homemade pickled jalapenos are a must if you have a habit of buying pickled jalapenos regularly. Alongside canned salsa, it’s the best way to preserve your small chilis.
Did you know that freezing fresh jalapenos is an excellent way to preserve them? When you think about what to do with fresh jalapenos, this is by far the easiest way to use them up. And it’s the best way to preserve chilis because once you thaw them, you can use them just as you would a fresh jalapeno.
The best way to do it is to flash freeze the chilis first and then put them in an airtight container. To flash freeze them, you’ll want to spread the chilis on a cookie sheet and put them in the freezer for an hour. For your convenience, you can slice them or leave them whole. Once you transfer them to an airtight container, you can keep them in the freezer for up to one year.
There’s a solution even if you don’t have enough freezer space.
If you’re wondering what to do with jalapenos, dehydrating them is always an option, and no, you don’t need to have a dehydrator for it. You can use an oven instead, but if you have a dehydrator, it’s even more accessible. This method is perfect for when you have a lot of peppers, and you don’t have space in the freezer or even in the pantry for new jars.
Once you dehydrate the pepper, you should store them in airtight containers and rehydrate them whenever you need a little spice in your dishes. Or, to save even more space, you can crush the dry peppers in a food processor and later in a spice grinder to get an even more delicate powder. Use it as you would use any other spice for seasoning food.
A hot sauce is an obvious choice for everyone who likes adding some heat to their meals. Salsa shouldn’t be too spicy; hence you’re not going to use a lot of chilis in it. But a hot sauce is supposed to be spicy, as much as you want, so you feel free to go wild.
And when you making hot sauce, use vinegar which to extend its shelf-life. It’s really one of the best things to make with jalapenos.
Another idea for what to do with jalapenos is to make a chili paste out of them. It’s an excellent opportunity to add a fun element to your meals and a little heat. A chili paste is easy to make, and you’ll only need a few other ingredients as well as your chilis of choice, in this case, fresh jalapenos. The easiest way to make chili paste is in a food processor. It depends on you what seasonings and herbs you’re going to add to your paste, but something you should use alongside the chilis is a good-quality oil and a lot of garlic.
One of the things to make with jalapenos is to roast them, especially if you are a fan of roasted peppers. It’s not difficult at all, only a bit time-consuming if you have a lot of peppers. And why would you want to roast a lot of them? Because you can freeze your roasted peppers and use them when you needed. You can use them in many different dishes, from scrambled eggs to soups or topping for tacos and pizzas.
Another easy answer to the pressing question of what to do with jalapenos is to grill them. It’s the same as roasting them, but you can do it on your outdoor grill. It can be a fun little adventure grilling the peppers, and by doing so, you’ll add a unique smoked flavor to them. You can use them straight up or freeze them for later use. If you want to make something good for anybody, you can remove the seeds from the peppers, and by doing so, remove a portion of the heat. Grilled peppers can be used in numerous dishes, just as roasted ones.
One of the most obvious things to do with jalapenos is to cook with them. It’s not a way of preserving them, but there are many recipes that you can make to use your leftover chilis. You can make a simple stir fry with many veggies and add some fresh jalapeno. You can add them to soups, stews, and chowders. Or you can bake with them, and the easiest thing to make is cornbread with lots of chili peppers. And there are so many different recipes that you’ll not be bored, even if you use chili peppers every day. Don’t be afraid of using a bit of heat in your cooking, and get creative.
If you liked our ideas and suggestions, we know that you’ll like our offer at Public Square, one of Miami’s best restaurants. Don’t hesitate and call us today to book your reservation. We look forward to hosting you!
