Where I live, bell peppers can be rather expensive. I buy them only when they are on sale. I wash them, chop them, then spread them on a cookie sheet. I let a little fan blow on them for about half an hour. This reduces the surface moisture a bit, thereby reducing the formation of ice crystals when I freeze them. I still get enough ice crystals to cause the peppers to stick together.
I found that if after doing the above, I place a coffee filter in the freezer bag and squeeze all air out before sealing, the peppers will have very little ice crystals on them, and all the little pieces will remain separate and even pourable.
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Great idea, thanks for sharing!
After washing/pat dry, I chop & spread out (not touching each other) on aluminum foil on a baking sheet. Stick baking sheet in freezer a couple hours (even overnight is fine), until all are frozen.
Sounds good to me.
Try drying them. Chop them small pieces and spread on a cookie sheet. For electric ovens turn the oven on to the lowest setting. Place pan in oven and turn off the oven leaving the light bulb on. Stir the peppers every couple hours until they've dried completely. This can take several hours depending on the peppers and the size you cut them. If not drying quickly enough turn the oven back on until it reaches 175 and turn it off again.
If you have a gas oven with a pilot light inside you just need to turn on the light bulb and let the heat from the pilot do the job. Store dried peppers in glass jars and use as is in soups, stews, etc. Re-hydrate by soaking in water for recipes like omelets. I dry both sweet peppers and hot peppers from my garden and save a bundle in the winter when peppers are so expensive.
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