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Freezing Chile

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Freezing is a great way to store fresh green chile after it has been roasted or steamed and peeled.

Here is some advice from the Chile Pepper Institute:

CHILLING AND FREEZING
Freezing packaged roasted peppers in a home freezer has
some food safety and quality issues. Roasted peppers must
be properly chilled and frozen to ensure a high quality,
safe product. Roasted peeled peppers should be refrigerated
within 2 hours of exposure to heat. Whole peppers
can be frozen unpeeled and are easier to peel after freezing.
Roasted peppers must be used or frozen within 3
days of storage in the refrigerator; however, the sooner
frozen the better to ensure the best flavor and texture.

Home freezers are inefficient at removing heat
quickly from food placed in containers deeper than 2
inches. If storage packages are too large, peppers will
freeze slowly, resulting in a mushy texture because of ice
crystal formation within the chile tissue. Therefore, it’s
best to use shallow containers to allow for quick cooling.
Specialized plastic freezer containers with lids or
plastic freezer bags are best for storing peppers in the
freezer. Remove as much air as possible to reduce the
amount of surface crystallization that can form in air
spaces during freezer storage.

Another concern is a hot center that, freezing slowly,
allows bacteria to grow and become dormant during
storage. Once the peppers thaw, the bacteria can revive
and cause illness. Ideally, packaged peppers should be
completely cooled in an ice bath or refrigerator to less
than 40 degrees F before placing in the freezer. Containers or
bags should be stacked flat in the freezer allowing for
maximum air flow around packages.

Peppers can be stored safely in the freezer for up to 12 months.