How to Preserve Chipotle Peppers

A chipotle pepper is actually a dried jalapeno pepper.

Chipotle peppers, widely used in Mexican foods, are not a type of pepper that can be grown in your garden. A chipotle pepper is actually a jalapeno pepper that has been smoked. Many peppers are naturally dried to make them last longer. However, jalapeno peppers do not dry on their own, and are turned into chipotle peppers as part of their drying process, which includes smoking. There are several ways to further preserve your chipotles and enhance their flavor.

Things You'll Need

• Chipotle peppers
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups water
• Pot
• Airtight container

Instructions

1. Can the chipotle peppers with adobo sauce. This sauce is made using a diced onion, apple cider vinegar, garlic, ketchup, soy sauce, salt and water. These ingredients are mixed and simmered over a low heat for about an hour and a half until you are left with just one cup of liquid. The chipotle peppers are placed into this sauce. The peppers can last for up to a year when canned.

2. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. If you are intending to use the chipotle peppers within the next few weeks, the peppers can be stored in the refrigerator in the adobo sauce. The peppers will last for several weeks in the refrigerator.

3. Freeze the chipotle peppers in the adobo sauce. Package the peppers and sauce in a container that can be frozen and leave an inch or two at the top of the container to allow for expanding. Freezing the peppers in the adobo sauce allows the peppers to keep for up to a year.

4. Store dry chipotle peppers without adobo sauce in an airtight container in your pantry. The dry peppers will be able to store longer outside of the refrigerator or freezer than those encased in adobo sauce.

Tips & Warnings

• Use all chipotle peppers soaked in adobo sauce within one week of opening the container. Keep the container in the refrigerator after opening.

References

• Chipotle Peppers: Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce Recipe
• Foodista: Chipotle Peppers