[ambodach]

At last I have had success with chillis in the polytunnel - slugs have been my problem in past years so pots and raised out of slug reach !!
So when do I harvest and what are the ways of storage please?
Rob

[Nobbie]

I grow Apache and have two plants with almost fully developed green chillis on. I’ll take all the fully grown chillis off one and freeze them and I should then get a 2nd crop of green chillis. I’ll let the chillis on the other plant ripen, then harvest and freeze when they turn red. I find freezing really preserves the flavour, just got to be quick chopping them up from frozen before they go soggy.

[hasbeans]

As Nobbie says, freezing works very well.  Thinner walled chillies can be dried easily and ground or stored whole.  We ferment some and keep the 'mash' as a base for chilli sauces.  Chilli Jam is a household staple too.

[Growster...]

Mrs Growster threads them and we hang them up to let them dry in the conservatory.

They are incredibly strong to taste after a couple of months - sometimes just half an Apache is enough to set the place alight!

[steven c]

as Growster says we then put when dried into blender to make chilli flakes they will last ages if properly dried they are a staple to most of our cooking probably addictive.

[ambodach]

Many thanks all of you.  So many options and then I got a link recently to Sriracha sauce, and realised after I had posted my original query that that might be a good use with a recipe off the internet

https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-recipes/hot-sauces/homemade-sriracha-hot-sauce-recipe/

[KalisDad]

I normally slice mine in half length wise, dry in the oven very slowly (seeds still in) and then put in my spice grinder and store in a air tight jar to add to curries pasta's ect all year

[hasbeans]

Many thanks all of you.  So many options and then I got a link recently to Sriracha sauce, and realised after I had posted my original query that that might be a good use with a recipe off the internet

https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-recipes/hot-sauces/homemade-sriracha-hot-sauce-recipe/

If your chillies are thin walled or very hot you can substitute some of the chillis with sweet peppers.  I've even used butternut squash in chilli sauce to thicken and/or bulk out because it was too hot.

[Boston digger]

Lots of good advice here , I am growing some in pots for the first time , I have scotch bonnet and Ghost .

[Growster...]

as Growster says we then put when dried into blender to make chilli flakes they will last ages if properly dried they are a staple to most of our cooking probably addictive.

In Annie Hawes' book, 'Extra Virgin', she encounters a lovely old boy who was indeed addicted to chillis! He'd have them with every dish apparently!