Keeping bell peppers fresh for as long as possible is all about how they are stored and a food storage expert has shared an easy trick to make them last weeks longer.
Like numerous salad components such as whole cucumbers, lettuce leaves and fresh tomatoes, peppers have a restricted shelf life, making correct food storage essential for preserving their freshness.
Whilst many people simply place them on a fridge shelf without much thought, this delicate vegetable requires more than just a chilled environment.
According to food storage specialist Amy from The Cross Legacy, the secret to making peppers “last even longer” lies in how you prepare them for the fridge, reports the Express.
Washing and readying bell peppers for proper storage doesn’t take long, and it doesn’t need loads of special, difficult-to-source ingredients. Amy depends on a “vinegar wash” to keep various types of produce “lasting for weeks”, peppers included.
For her technique, begin by getting a very large bowl — it must be big enough to “hold more than 10 cups of liquid plus the produce”, some of which will displace the liquid more than others. Then, add 10 cups of water and a quarter cup of distilled white vinegar. Combine the water and vinegar in the bowl, and place the bell peppers in for two minutes. Be sure to set a timer for this because you can over-soak produce.
Afterwards, remove the peppers from the water and place them on a towel to dry for a couple of hours, turning occasionally to ensure each side becomes completely dry.
To store bell peppers and make them last, ensure they are completely dry before placing them in the fridge. Certain types of produce are more delicate when it comes to washing and drying times, but keeping an eye on them and setting timers are excellent habits to develop if you want to ensure the method works properly and you don’t end up with spoiled produce. Amy said: “When I keep my uncut bell peppers in the fridge, they last three to four weeks.”
For those wanting to keep their peppers fresh for months on end, Amy suggests chopping or dicing them and storing them in the freezer in either standard food storage bags or vacuum-sealed ones.
She said: “If you store bell peppers after cutting them up in quart-size Ziplock bags, they last six months, and if you store them in vacuum-sealed bags, they last about 18 months.”