Banana Peppers can grow like wildfire sometimes, depending on where you live. And while they are super colorful and super tasty, you cannot eat them fast enough. It would be a sad waste to have them go bad before you can enjoy their goodness. So let’s briefly explore – what to do with fresh Banana Peppers?
1. Freeze them
Pick the peppers from the tree, wash them, dry them, and lay them on a tray in the freezer overnight. The next day, place them in a freezer bag and pop them back into the freezer. You can take as many as you need out each time you are going to cook with them.
2. Stuff them
While banana peppers are not very big and are rather thin and long, they can still be stuffed. Here is a great recipe we found for Bob’s Stuffed Banana Peppers. Enjoy!
3. Fry them
Pep
pers loved to be fried. It brings out their flavor in the most delicious way. Here is a simple little recipe – A Southern favorite:
Fried Banana Peppers
Banana peppers, sliced in half and seeded
1 cup milk
1/4 cup flour
1 1/4 lb. cracker meal, unseasoned
1 1/4 tbsp. red pepper
Oil for deep frying
Cut peppers in half; soak in milk and flour. Combine cracker meal, flour and red pepper to make breading mixture. Remove peppers from milk and roll in breading. Deep fry at 350 degrees until golden brown.
4. Pickle them
The perfect solution for too many peppers!
Pop the Banana Peppers into a largish pot. Add water, vinegar, onion, and garlic. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat to a medium flow, let the peppers simmer for a few minutes. Place the cooled off peppers into jars you have sterilized, fill to the top with remaining liquid in the pot, leaving ¼ inch at the top—seal and pop on a shelf for future use. Shelf time should be around a week before eating, though, and can last for about a year.
5. Grill them
Want a healthier alternative? Try grilling those peppers. Below is a great recipe. You can substitute the Gouda Cheese for a low-fat option like Mozzarella if you prefer.
6. Grill them: Cheesy Grilled Banana Peppers
Mild banana peppers, creamy Gouda cheese, a bit of bacon for a smoky richness, and tomatoes to offer a bit of freshness.
Grill them to add another layer of flavor to the dish.
Serve these as an appetizer or unexpected side dish at your next barbecue! Uses panko, or Japanese breadcrumbs in this recipe. You can substitute whatever breadcrumbs you have on hand.
15 Minutes to Prepare and Cook
Ingredients:
4 banana peppers, fresh
2 slices bacon
1 tomato, diced
3 oz smoked Gouda cheese, diced
1 T parsley or cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
Directions:
- Preheat the grill to medium heat. Wash and cut the stems off the peppers. Using a fork or vegetable peeler, scoop out the seeds.
- Cook bacon until brown but not crisp; drain and crumble. Combine all remaining ingredients and stuff them into the peppers. Wrap each pepper in a piece of aluminum foil, taking care to cover the tops tightly.
- Place foil packets on the grill, so they stand upright, keeping the filling inside the peppers. Cook with grill lid closed for 10 minutes.
Number of Servings: 4
Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 140.7
Total Fat: 7.8 g
Cholesterol: 26.9 mg
Sodium: 244.0 mg
Total Carbs: 10.4 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.2 g
Protein: 8.1 g
So with so many ways of what to do with fresh banana peppers, you should be cooking up a storm real soon! Enjoy those Banana Peppers!
