Greg Who Cooks
Executive Chef
It would be interesting to make the poppers and cook them, let them cool and freeze them. Then some time later defrost them and reheat them then serve.
I'm not quite sure what the exact process would be, there's plenty of people here on the forum who know about cook-freeze-reheat than me, perhaps you have some ideas on how to do this.
I think perhaps assemble them, partially cook them, let them cool then freeze them. Later I don't know if you'd thaw them first or maybe directly into the oven to complete the cooking cycle before serving them. Do you have any ideas?
The goal would be perhaps you're having a party and you want to do the labor in advance so that on the day of the party you won't have to focus on making the poppers and can concentrate on the other food you're going to serve at your party.
One thing I know for sure though, fresh chilis get kind of rubbery after freezing even if only a day or two. I've been using that process with Thai chilis for the last few months. the problem is those little chilis don't last that long sitting on your counter or in your refrigerator. I was wondering how they would do being frozen until I need them. What I discovered is that they come out of the freeze and thaw process rubbery and limp, not crisp like they are when fresh. With my Thai cooking however, at least most recipes, this doesn't make much difference because I'm going to finely chop them and put them in a dish I'm cooking so their texture isn't very important. The sole exception I can think of is Thai squid salad where I like very thinly sliced Thai peppers. When they're sliced and eaten raw they need to be crisp. Only fresh chilis would work.
Getting back to the jalapeno poppers, by the time you cook them they've lost much of the crispness they have when fresh. I don't know what they'd do if you partially cooked the poppers and then went through the freeze then reheat and serve cycle. Maybe the partially peppers might work or maybe not.
So of anybody has any ideas let's hear it.
I'm not quite sure what the exact process would be, there's plenty of people here on the forum who know about cook-freeze-reheat than me, perhaps you have some ideas on how to do this.
I think perhaps assemble them, partially cook them, let them cool then freeze them. Later I don't know if you'd thaw them first or maybe directly into the oven to complete the cooking cycle before serving them. Do you have any ideas?
The goal would be perhaps you're having a party and you want to do the labor in advance so that on the day of the party you won't have to focus on making the poppers and can concentrate on the other food you're going to serve at your party.
One thing I know for sure though, fresh chilis get kind of rubbery after freezing even if only a day or two. I've been using that process with Thai chilis for the last few months. the problem is those little chilis don't last that long sitting on your counter or in your refrigerator. I was wondering how they would do being frozen until I need them. What I discovered is that they come out of the freeze and thaw process rubbery and limp, not crisp like they are when fresh. With my Thai cooking however, at least most recipes, this doesn't make much difference because I'm going to finely chop them and put them in a dish I'm cooking so their texture isn't very important. The sole exception I can think of is Thai squid salad where I like very thinly sliced Thai peppers. When they're sliced and eaten raw they need to be crisp. Only fresh chilis would work.
Getting back to the jalapeno poppers, by the time you cook them they've lost much of the crispness they have when fresh. I don't know what they'd do if you partially cooked the poppers and then went through the freeze then reheat and serve cycle. Maybe the partially peppers might work or maybe not.
So of anybody has any ideas let's hear it.