Chile Peppers

[missduffy59]

Hi there!

I have a recipe calling for chili peppers to be parboiled and skinned. I have never skinned a chili pepper in my life. Can anyone give me any tips for doing this?

 

[Scotch]

Rather than parboil, I usually stick them under the broiler or on the grill until they blister and the skin turns black. Remove and put in a sealed plastic bag for 10 minutes. The skins will then slip right off.

 

[Andy M.]

Drop the peppers into a pot of boiling water for about a minute. Remove them and put them into a covered container for about 20 minutes. The skin should peel off easily.

 

[missduffy59]

Thanks!

May try one each way to see what works the best!

Thanks!

 

[Andy M.]

Scotch's method is what I usually do for peppers. There will be a difference in flavor due to the flame charring. It depends on the recipe you're cooking whether that flavor difference is a good or bad thing.

 

[missduffy59]

They are to put in chili. Will the method make much difference in the taste for chili?

 

[Scotch]

Broiling gives a better, richer flavor than boiling, and IMHO is best for things like chili.

I've cooked Mexican food all my life, and I've never seen a Mexican recipe that calls for anything but broiled or charred over an open flame (such as a grill, although the flame on the stove top works well in a pinch -- use tongs).

 

[BreezyCooking]

Miss Duffy - regardless of what method you use & depending on the heat of the chili peppers you're using, either wear disposable rubber gloves while working with them or wash your hands VERY well with soap & hot water immediately after preparing them. And DON'T touch your eyes, nose, or mouth during prep. It's an experience you'll not soon forget - lol!!

As for method, I've always used the roasting/charring/bag-steaming method for peeling medium to large size peppers (poblano, anaheim, etc.), but if you're using small ones, the boiling method is quite likely the easier way to go. Frankly, I've never bothered peeling the small peppers like serano, thai, habanero, cayenne, jalapeno, etc.

 

[Scotch]

Miss Duffy - regardless of what method you use & depending on the heat of the chili peppers you're using, either wear disposable rubber gloves while working with them or wash your hands VERY well with soap & hot water immediately after preparing them. And DON'T touch your eyes, nose, or mouth during prep. It's an experience you'll not soon forget - lol!!

Trust me, there are much, much worse things to touch than your mouth. Think BenGay in the wrong place!

 

[Andy M.]

They are to put in chili. Will the method make much difference in the taste for chili?

For chili, I would definitely char them over an open flame as described. The resulting flavor would definitely enhance the chili.

 

[BreezyCooking]

Trust me, there are much, much worse things to touch than your mouth. Think BenGay in the wrong place!

Okay, okay - an addendum to my reply is that guys should be sure to visit the loo before prepping hot chili peppers.

 

[BreezyCooking]

Oh, & as for chili peppers for use in "Chili" - if you're talking about jalapeno peppers or smaller, there's absolutely no need to peel them at all. You can saute them first with the other sauteed or browned ingredients, or frankly just chop them up & toss them in.

Again - unless you're talking about larger peppers that have tough skins - like bells, poblanos, anaheims - skinning isn't really necessary.

 

[Big Shot]

Oh, & as for chili peppers for use in "Chili" - if you're talking about jalapeno peppers or smaller, there's absolutely no need to peel them at all. You can saute them first with the other sauteed or browned ingredients, or frankly just chop them up & toss them in.

Again - unless you're talking about larger peppers that have tough skins - like bells, poblanos, anaheims - skinning isn't really necessary.

I still like to roast the small ones, but I do leave the skins on too. REALLY adds a nice roasted flavor to salsas.