Like everyone else seems to, we have a huge glut of chillies this year (I planted what I thought were 7 peppers and one chillie - you can guess the rest :o)
Well we like chillies and eat at least one curry a week, and I've copied down lots of mexican recipes etc too, but I'm still running out of things to do with them and people to give them to.
I've a carrier bag full drying on a rack in our bedroom, and several strings around the place too. They look SO beautiful when they are all fresh and shiny, I'd like to put some in nice jars with oil and give them away for christmas.
Is this as easy as it sounds?? I've got a feeling I read something somewhere about botulism in relation to things bottled in oil!
Any advice?
Love and compost
Linda
All this person can say is well done for checking.
Although chillies are a natural preservative, it must be as well to try to absorb all the writings about botulism etc? The only way I have done a 'pretty' jar is in sherry. If you have room - freeze them & then think?
You've obviously sussed out the many sources of advice? Like......
http://www.thechillifactory.com/index.php
http://foodsafety.cas.psu.edu/Safety_issues.html etc?
Thanks for those links, Tim, I hadn't seen them - best not risk the chillies in oil then eh?? my mum's not getting any younger!!! :o
Love and compost
Linda
Hope the following link might be of use to people with a rake of chillis they want to use up.
http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/cat/413/0.shtml
A few "hot sauce" recipes. One I read there claims to last for 6 months when bottled.
Oh dear - I have preserved chillis in oil for a few years now.
Dried off a little first.
You could blanch, dry and then put them in to be sure I suppose.
I am the only one in our house who will go anywhere near chillies. I was considering a small bottle (eg pint) of oil for my personal use. I think I will blanch the chillies to be sure ...
Derekthefox :D