Chili Peppers – All You Need to Know | Instacart’s Guide to Groceries

What are chili peppers?

Chili peppers are long, thin red peppers that have a spicy flavor. Chili peppers are often used in Latin recipes and have different levels of spiciness depending on the specific variety. More than 4,000 cultivars or unique varieties of peppers have come from the five original peppers. 

Chili peppers are most often used as a seasoning in meats, sauces, and dips. Peppers are mostly water and are rich in vitamin C and vitamin B6. They also contain small amounts of iron, magnesium, and potassium. 

Where did chili peppers originate from?

Chili peppers originated from Mexico and Central America and are said to have first been discovered around 7500 BC. It’s reported that chili peppers were then taken back to Europe on the ships of Explorers. From there, they spread to the rest of the world. Chili peppers are now integral in many world cuisines, including Indian, Chinese, and Korean. 

How are chili peppers grown?

Commercially grown chili peppers are started indoors and transplanted to fields after the danger of frost passes. Peppers need warm, moist soil that is supplemented with plenty of organic fertilizer. Because the pepper plants can grow to be up to three feet tall, and the leaves span out, they are grown with at least 18 inches of space between plants. California, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona are the top producers of chili peppers in the USA.

When are chili peppers in season?

In North America, most chili peppers are ready to be picked in late July. Pepper plants will continue to produce peppers, so the more you pick, the more you will get. You can harvest peppers until late summer or early fall. 

Peppers are green in color, but as they ripen, they turn red. The green peppers have a milder flavor and can be enjoyed by people who want a bit of heat but don’t like the spiciness that develops as the pepper turns red. 

How do you pick chili peppers at the grocery store?

When you buy fresh chili peppers at the grocery store, you want to look for a firm pepper with a glossy sheen. It should be free of soft spots and not be blemished by cuts. The stem should be intact and present a healthy shade of green. The peppers should smell fresh, and you may detect a spicy smell. If they don’t smell spicy, that’s not something to cause concern. This is because their smell intensifies as they cook or when they are dried. 

For buying dried peppers, you want to choose ones that are still mostly intact. Depending on how they are packaged, a small amount of breakage is to be expected. Peppers should be an evenly colored shade of deep red, and stems should be dark green to brown. There should be no sign of mold or fungus. They should have a fragrant aroma.

For those times when you want to have your groceries delivered to your door with Instacart, you can leave shopping notes for the person who picks up and delivers your order. Under the “Instructions” option, you can add these helpful shopping tips so they select the freshest peppers. Buy chili peppers now.

How to store chili peppers

To maximize the shelf life of chili peppers, store them in paper bags in your refrigerator’s crisper drawer. They can last for up to seven days stored this way. When you can’t use all of the chili peppers up before they go bad, you can freeze them for 10 to 12 months. To freeze chili peppers, wash and dry them before slicing or chopping them into pieces if desired. Place them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and freeze for two to three hours or until frozen solid. Transfer them to airtight storage bags or containers and label them with the date. 

Dried peppers can stay at room temperature for up to two years. You should store them in an airtight container in a dark place, like a cupboard or pantry. Alternatively, store dried peppers in the freezer. They can keep indefinitely when stored this way. 

How to dry chili peppers

Chili peppers are really easy to dry. After you buy the peppers, you have a couple of options for how you’ll dry them. For one, you can put them in your food dehydrator and dry them according to the manufacturer’s directions. Another way to dry them is to place the peppers on cookie sheets or cutting boards (basically any flat surface) and put them in a sunny area of your home or yard. A third option is to string them up on a long length of thread and hang them to dry in the sun. 

How to tell if chili peppers are bad

The most tell-tale sign that a chili pepper has gone bad is that it loses its firmness and becomes slimy. You may also notice discoloration and soft spots that turn brown or black. Other signs that chili peppers have gone bad are that they are oozing liquid and that mold is growing on them. 

What can I substitute for chili peppers?

Fresh and dried chili peppers can be substituted for one another pretty easily. You may want to err on the side of caution and use a smaller amount and check the spiciness of the dish as you cook. You can always add more chili pepper to a dish, but it’s impossible to remove it if you add more than your mouth can handle. 

Dried chili flakes and dried cayenne pepper are other substitutes for chili peppers. You can also use jalapeno peppers, serrano peppers, and pequin peppers as a substitute for chili peppers. 

Note that chili powder seasoning is not the same as dried chili powder. The former is a blend of spices used for making a hearty stew-like tomato-based soup.  

Grocery shop from home

Are you craving some chili, spicy fajitas, or homemade salsa and tortilla chips? When you place your order with Instacart, you can avoid the grocery store and have your groceries ready for pick up at the store in two hours. For added convenience, select home delivery, and you won’t even have to leave home. 

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Instacart is the leading grocery technology company in North America, partnering with more than 1,400 national, regional, and local retail banners to deliver from more than 80,000 stores across more than 14,000 cities in North America. To read more Instacart posts, you can browse the company blog or search by keyword using the search bar at the top of the page.