Who's a pepper?
June 9, 2012 2:16 PM

I got a gallon of racho sliced jalapeno peppers that expire in August. How should I use them before then?

Got this huge jar at the Target I work at for $1.50 (we don't sell them so they got marked down hugely). I eat peppers once in a blue moon. I know nachos etc, but how does one go through 128 fl oz of peppers in two months?
posted by daninnj to Food & Drink (10 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
You don't have to. If you are just now opening enjoy for a half a year at least. The sell by date or even the "expiration" date on a pickled item should be for the store, not the consumer. I have condiments in my fridge (and yes I consider a pepper a condiment) that are much more out of date than that and I still enjoy.

Once the peppers lose their firmness or start to fall apart in the brine I would then start looking for alternative uses. You can also freeze them in small batches and use them in baking (this will change their texture when thawed, but for in soups or breads you won't notice).
posted by cjorgensen at 2:22 PM on June 9, 2012


Yeah, just put 'em in the fridge and they'll be good for months, and freeze handfuls of them in ziplock sandwich bags.

Put them in cornbread, pinto bean soup, curries, rice, spaghetti sauce, enchiladas, bloody Marys, cheese sandwiches, polenta, quesadillas, etc.
posted by Specklet at 2:48 PM on June 9, 2012


I put those things in/on everything -- eggs, sandwiches, tacos, as a condiment for chili, soup, etc.

Also, use them in this dip recipe. Roquamole (avocado with blue cheese and, or course, pickled jalapenos). I add more jalapenos than the recipe calls for, and a squeeze of lemon or lime juice. It is outstanding.
posted by lotus-eater at 3:15 PM on June 9, 2012


Bread them and fry them.
posted by cmoj at 4:12 PM on June 9, 2012


If you like pickles, buy a jar of pickles and add a couple of slices. Stick the jar in the fridge and wait a couple of days*. Or use leftover pickle juice and pickle a whole of slices on their own. I like the combo of bread & butter pickles with jalapenos. The sliced pickles works better than the spears or whole.
(You can also make a kick ass relish with your pickle/jalapeno mix)
If you have access to a dehydrator, dried jalapenos are handy to have on hand too.

Get a block of cream cheese, mix in some chopped up jalapenos, crack open a can of Pillsbury Crescent rolls and separate into two squares (don't break them apart into the triangles) spread the cheese & pepper mix and roll into tubes. Chill for a hour then cut your tubes into 1/4" slices. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes. They don't keep well so either serve them for a group or bake a few slices at a time. You can play around with the recipe - I've added red & green peppers, pimento, sun dried tomatoes, basil etc. The key is to dice all the ingredients including the jalapenos very small.
posted by jaimystery at 4:41 PM on June 9, 2012


Repeating the point that you do NOT need to worry about that August date. I personally wouldn't even worry about putting them in the fridge. I keep pickles, peppers, mustard, hot sauce and more on the counter for months and months and I've never had an issue with it.
posted by ronofthedead at 5:51 PM on June 9, 2012


At the vozworth household, we jar about 10-14 quart size jars annually. Bout twice a year, I'll make a jalapeno cornbread. Get yerself round about 2 cup of those bad boys drained and rinsed then chop em up, and I don't mean minced (I also add about a 6 oz of creamed corn to the recipe.

The recipe calls for:
2 eggs
1 cup milk (whole)
quarter cup of liquefied shortening
1 and 1/2 cups corn meal
cuppa flour
quarter cuppa sugar
2 tspns baking powder
3/4 tspn salt

Here's the key, get the medium sized angry seasoned black iron skillet and lay in some shortening and put it on high heat till it's smoking hot (seriously, iffn its not smoking it aint hot enough). Pour that batter in and tho' it in a preheated 450 degree oven. Don't turn the heat off till the toothpick comes out dry.

-Best served when your hillbilly cousin is cooking up a gallon of beans. true story
posted by vozworth at 6:43 PM on June 9, 2012


I get bored with salads easily, but jalapenos help keep them interesting!
posted by smirkette at 6:53 PM on June 9, 2012


My jalapeno ice cream is a big favorite in our family. Recipe here.
posted by txmon at 8:19 AM on June 10, 2012


Oh yeah...there are recipes for jalapeno preserves all over the place...google.
posted by txmon at 8:20 AM on June 10, 2012


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