Useful recommendations on how to properly store bell peppers at home for the winter

All year round you want to enjoy eating such a healthy and tasty vegetable as bell pepper.

In order to preserve it at home without losing its nutritional qualities, you will need to properly organize the storage of the fruit. The conditions for this are quite simple.

But it’s worth following them, because if kept in the wrong way, the pepper will begin to deteriorate very quickly.

Read the article on how to properly store bell peppers at home.

Basic storage methods

You can store bell peppers using different methods. The choice depends on what you plan to cook from it in the future and how ripe the fruits are. Below are the top methods.

In the refrigerator in the apartment

The bottom compartment of the camera is used for this type of storage.. In such conditions, pepper can remain in good shape for up to 2-3 months.

You can pack the peppers before putting them in the refrigerator. in the following ways:

• wrap each vegetable in paper;
• Place the fruits in a plastic bag, make holes in it and tie it.

At room temperature

This method will not allow you to store bell peppers for a long time. Ripe vegetables can last no more than two weeks, and unripe vegetables no more than a month.

Wooden boxes are suitable for placing them indoors. Before storage you need:

1. Wipe the fruits with a napkin and lay them out in thin layers so that they do not lie tightly to each other.
2. Place newspaper or other paper between layers.
3. Or wrap each pepper individually. Paper is able to absorb excess moisture and prevent the occurrence of rot.

In the freezer

This method is suitable if in the future the vegetables will be used to prepare various dishes, for example, stuffing, salads, stews. When frozen, the fruits can retain their properties for up to six months.

Before harvesting it is recommended:

• rinse in running water and dry;
• put in containers or vacuum bags;
• if necessary, the peppers can be pre-chopped into strips or cubes (suitable for salads).

In the basement (cellar)

In this way, unripe vegetables will be stored for up to 5 months, ripening over time. Already juicy ripe peppers will last no more than 2 months.

You can prepare bell peppers for storage in the following way:

1. Place clean paper on the bottom of a wooden box.
2. Lay the product in a layer so that the vegetables do not touch each other.
3. Fill the workpiece using sawdust or river sand. There should be no more than three layers in each box.

On the balcony

In order to preserve the harvest, it is important that the air temperature on the balcony is not lower than 0°. A glazed loggia is ideal.Then the vegetables can be stored for up to 4 months.

Before placing the peppers on the balcony, follows:

1. Pack them in a cardboard or wooden box with sheets of paper or newspaper between the layers.
2. Cover the top of the box with light cloth or cardboard.

Blanks

With these methods, not only the taste and juiciness of the fruit are preserved, but also all the beneficial qualities of bell pepper:

1. Canning. The result is a tasty and aromatic snack that can perfectly complement winter dishes.
2. Semi-finished products. They significantly speed up the preparation of dishes. Options for freezing preparations: stuffed peppers, puree, cubes for vegetable mixture.
3. Drying. You can store the aromatic vegetable in the form of dried straws.
4. In oil. A large amount of this product is used in the marinade for preparing peppers.

The video will show you how to dry bell peppers:

On a bush

The storage technology is not complicated, suitable for cellar owners.

You only need:

• dig up plants with roots, clear them of soil;
• in the cellar, the bushes need to be suspended, attaching them by the roots to the ceiling using stretched ropes.

How can you not?

How can you not? store bell peppers:

• with high humidity and lack of ventilation, the fruits can become moldy and subsequently rot;
• if the temperature is too low, the vegetables freeze slightly; if the temperature is too high, they become limp;
• You should also not put peppers of different degrees of ripeness together for storage - this method is only permissible if it is necessary to speed up their ripening period;
• It is not recommended to place prepared peppers next to fruits using any storage methods - as they can release ethylene elements (a gaseous substance that accelerates the spoilage of vegetables).

Adviсe

Listen to the recommendations for storing healthy vegetables:

1. Thick-walled and fleshy fruits are optimal for freezing. Peppers with a thin and delicate shell quickly lose their shape.
2. To dry, it is not recommended to place the product in direct sunlight. Due to the aggressive effects of the sun, peppers can quickly wither, lose flavor and elasticity.
3. You should not send fruits that are overripe for long-term storage; it is advisable to cook them immediately. Unripe vegetables will last 1.5 months longer than fully ripe ones.
4. In order to free the pepper from the seeds, just put it under running water. In this case, it is not injured, unlike cleaning with a knife.
5. When putting vegetables in a storage box, you should not place them very tightly together. This leads to spoilage and rotting.
6. Before storing for the winter, it is better not to wash the fruits or to dry them thoroughly. Peppers with drops of moisture can quickly rot, which can lead to damage to the entire box.

Video on the topic of the article

6 ways to preserve bell peppers - in the video:

Conclusion

You can prepare bell peppers for the winter using different methods. Vegetables can be stored both in the basement, cellar, and on the balcony. They are dried, preserved, marinated in oil or they make homemade semi-finished products from them. By using these methods, it is possible to enjoy dishes with aromatic and tasty fruits on cold winter days.