I'm getting ready for the first frost and I've got some peppers that still aren't ripe. I heard that putting them in a brown paper bag can help them ripen. Has anyone tried this method, and did it work well?
5 Answers
All peppers can be eaten when they're still green! They might not be as sweet, but they sure can add a nice kick to your dishes.
If your peppers are still pretty green, consider pulling the whole plant and hanging it upside down. They can keep ripening that way, even after a frost! I've had success keeping them covered too, like with frost cloth or boxes if it gets really cold. It slows the process a bit, but they might surprise you!
If you want to try the brown paper bag trick, throw a banana in there with the peppers. Bananas let off ethylene gas, which helps lots of fruits and veggies ripen faster. Apples can work too if you don’t have a banana!
Great tip! Just be sure to check them daily, so if they start to spoil, you can remove them before they ruin the rest.
I've read that peppers may change color after picking, but they don't ripen the same way tomatoes do. So, if you're hoping for them to get sweeter or fully ripe, you might not have much luck with that. Just something to consider!
I actually knocked some green reapers off a few weeks ago and used this method. It worked really well with my ripening tomatoes! Worth a shot for sure if the frost is coming up fast.
Exactly, ethylene is the key! I've done this with tomatoes too, but just a warning: they might take on a banana flavor. It didn't bother me when I cooked them into sauce, though!