The Poblano pepper, whose name comes from the state of Puebla in Mexico, might not pack the heat that many other peppers do, but their taste and colour add something special to every recipe they are put into. But, if you manage to get hold of some, how do you store them?
Can You Freeze Poblanos?
Yes, you can freeze poblanos for up to 6 months. Poblano peppers are versatile and can therefore be frozen raw, whole, diced, sliced, roasted, and in many other forms.
Do Do Poblanos freeze well? Yes
Can you refreeze Poblanos? No
How to Freeze Poblanos
As with lots of other frozen foods, try to rid the Poblano peppers of any moisture with thorough drying before putting them in the freezer. Dry peppers are significantly more likely to avoid freezer burn, increasing your chances of a delicious tasting Poblano pepper coming out after freezing.
Here is our full method for successfully frozen Poblanos:
- Cut Into Slices: After washing your Poblanos; you should cut them into slices. This not only saves a job later down the line but because of how large Poblano peppers are, it means you can defrost a smaller amount if you wish.
- Separate Slices on a Lined Baking Tray: To avoid slices sticking together, place them on a lined baking tray and freeze them for around an hour.
- Put Poblanos in a Freezer Bag: Now that your Poblano slices are hard, you can take them off the baking tray and transfer them to a freezer bag.
- Remove Excess Air: Carefully but firmly squeeze out any excess air from the freezer bag so that the Poblano slices freeze well.
- Date and Label: So that you know when to take them out, attach a sticker to the freezer bag with the date you will be freezing them. Then simply place the bag in the freezer.
3 Tips for Freezing Poblanos
Now you know how to freeze them, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing Poblanos to have the best results:
Remove the Stem and Seeds Beforehand
Removing the insides of your Poblano peppers could be laborious if they have only just defrosted. Doing this prior to freezing is much easier and means you are not freezing any unnecessary parts of the pepper.Ā
Wash the Poblanos
Before you put your peppers in the freezer, it would be sensible to wash them first. You donāt want to freeze any of the potentially harmful bacteria with your delicious vegetables, so washing off these germs beforehand makes sense.Ā
Consider Fillings If Stuffed
Some people like to freeze their peppers stuffed with other tasty items, but this might affect the freezing process. If you have stuffed your peppers, think about what is inside and how long they can be frozen. It could be the difference between a tasty dish and an inedible mess.Ā
How Long Can You Freeze Poblanos?
Poblano peppers can typically be frozen for up to six months. Like other peppers, freezing Poblano peppers for an extended amount of time increases the likelihood that freezer burn will occur.
Some people prefer to roast and slice their Poblanos before freezing them; others feel that raw Poblanos will freeze just as well.
Whichever way you decide to freeze peppers, this Mexican favourite will retain many of its qualities in the freezing process.
How Do You Defrost Poblanos?
Leave the Poblano peppers in the refrigerator overnight to make sure they have fully defrosted. You can also defrost them in the microwave using your microwaveās weight settings as a guide, but make sure they are thoroughly thawed before cooking.
However, we would not suggest thawing your Poblanos at room temperature because the peppers can turn mushy quickly, and nobody wants this, so refrigerating should prevent this from happening.
Can You Refreeze Poblanos?
It is not recommended that you freeze Poblanos twice. They could lose their structural integrity and become mushy from multiple rounds of freezing and defrosting.
Instead of refreezing Poblano peppers, consider freezing them in individual portions the first time around to save you from defrosting a large amount when you only want a little bit.
Do Poblanos Freeze Well?
Yes, Poblano peppers freeze well. Assuming that you have packaged them well and frozen them no longer than the suggested timeframe, you can expect good quality Poblanos that have kept many of their nutrients.
Try to get rid of that unwanted moisture before freezing, try the baking tray pre-freeze idea, vacuum seal your Poblanos, and donāt forget to date and label your frozen peppers. By doing all of this, you should have no problems freezing your Poblanos.
Related FAQs
If youāve still got questions about freezing Poblanos or chillies in general, then these may help:
Poblanos freeze well in a variety of forms. Both raw Poblanos and roasted Poblanos will freeze perfectly well. The best way to freeze them comes down to how you normally use them.
Yes, you can freeze Poblanos whole but you need to consider how you normally use them. If you tend to keep them whole (for stuffing, for example) then freeze them whole. If, however, you tend to cut them up then do this prep before freezing them.
