Roasting Peppers On A Stovetop | ~Texas Homesteader~

by Texas Homesteader ~

I’ve discovered that although garden peppers are delicious served in many ways, my favorite flavor is accomplished by roasting them. Roasting peppers brings out their natural flavor. But y’all know me – I love shortcuts.

You like to use shortcuts too? Check out this simple Homestead Hack, y’all.

Roasting Peppers Intensifies Natural Flavors

Roasting peppers adds a depth of flavor that’s hard to beat. We love all kinds of peppers, but especially poblanos and bell peppers.

When the garden is pumping out those peppers I’m going through them almost as fast as they’ll produce. Jalapenos, poblanos, bell peppers, banana peppers – I love ’em all!

How To Roast Fresh Peppers In The Oven

Roasting peppers in the oven allows you to roast many peppers at one time.

Just pull out a large baking pan, line up the peppers and put them in the oven close to the heat source on a high temperature.

The peppers will pop & sizzle as the skins roast. As they turn black and blister, carefully turn the peppers with long tongs so all skin surfaces blister.

Then pull the peppers and place them in a bowl. Cover them with a plate or kitchen towel and allow them to steam inside the bowl.

After they’ve cooled you can peel the peppers for use in your recipe.

But, you know – peppers are producing most prolifically during the hot & humid months of summer. I can’t stand the thought of turning the oven on high and roasting those peppers. Even for the delicious end result.

So below are additional simple ways to roast those fresh poblano or bell peppers,

Roasting Fresh Peppers On A Gas Stovetop

If I only have a few peppers to roast I’ll do it directly on the grate of my gas stovetop.

NOTE: this hack is for gas-powered stoves with an elevated grate only. (ie: don’t try to roast peppers directly on top of your electric element coil on an electronic stove)

Sometimes I use a super-long meat fork to hold the pepper over the flame. But oftentimes I place the peppers directly on my stove’s burner grate and let the flames hit the pepper’s skin.

It begins popping pretty quickly as the flame scorches the outer side of the pepper. Each surface only needs about a minute of direct flame.

I’ll slowly turn the pepper whether using a long meat fork or long tongs until all surfaces are blackened. Then I’ll place the peppers in a bowl, cover them to steam and when they’re cool I peel away the blackened skin.

How To Roast Smaller Peppers On The Stove Top

I use use my gas stove grate with larger peppers such as poblanos and bell peppers. But it’s difficult to keep smaller peppers from falling through the stove grate.

To roast smaller peppers like spicy jalapenos or milder New Mexico peppers I place a metal heat-resistant wire cookie rack across two of my burners and lay the peppers on the rack instead of the stove grate.

It works well to more evenly distribute the smaller-sized peppers across the flame.

Careful when roasting a spicy hot pepper, you sure don’t want to be standing right over them and breathing in that spice! #askmehowiknow

Roasting Peppers On An Outside BBQ Grill

If you’re already firing up the BBQ grill you can toss those peppers right on the grill to cook alongside your other food.

You’ll want to place the peppers in the hottest section of the grill. The hot coals will roast the peppers but they’ll roast even faster if you place them where actual flame can reach them.

I’ve even used the grill surface when RancherMan wasn’t grilling.

It’s easy! Lay out the peppers on the wire rack and use a propane torch to direct the heat to the peppers individually.

Turn the blackened peppers with long-handled tongs until all surfaces are blackened & blistered.

Then place the blistered peppers in a covered bowl and allow them to steam before peeling off the skin.

Do You Need To Steam Peppers After Roasting?

Yes! Steaming roasted peppers helps to soften the blackened skin and makes it much easier to peel away.

Yeah, easier in the kitchen is a good thing, no??

So when all pepper surfaces are roasted & blackened I’ll place the peppers in a bowl and cover them with a plate or kitchen towel. I’ll allow them to steam until they’re cooled.

Do You have To Peel Roasted Peppers?

Some peppers such as bell peppers have skins that are thin enough that I oftentimes leave the blackened skins intact. I like the smoky flavor it imparts to some dishes.

But peppers such as poblano peppers have tough skin. I like to peel those to assure a better texture in my dishes.

Don’t worry, after steaming the roasted pepper the tough skin will peel away easily.

A quick rinse to make sure I’ve gotten all of it and my pepper’s ready to be used. Larger peppers such as poblano peppers need to be seeded before using them in your recipe.

What Recipes Use Roasted Peppers

Now that I have freshly-roasted peppers I’ll use them in whatever recipe I’m making.

Especially our favorite Tex-Mex dishes:

Stacked Chile Relleno Casserole

Individual Chile Relleno Cups

Creamy Hatch Sauce

Chopped Into Corn For Mexi-Corn

Heck, I even like chopped roasted spicy peppers in my Macaroni & Cheese! It gives it a smoky spicy flavor I love. You can use roasted peppers almost anywhere!

Freezing Roasted Peppers

Depending upon how many peppers I’ve harvested & roasted I sometimes have more roasted peppers than my dish calls for. My garden can really be pumping out the peppers during the height of growing season!

So the leftover roasted peppers are cooled, peeled & seeded if necessary and then diced up. I’ll place the diced peppers in a small repurposed plastic bag such as the kind dry beans are often sold in.

Then I’ll place that repurposed bag of roasted peppers inside a freezer bag. That will not only protect them from freezer burn but also be able to reuse that freezer bag reusable since no food’s touched it.

(taps on noggin… Not just a hat rack, my friends! Ha!)

But before closing the freezer bag I’ll insert a slip of paper between the two bags that identifies the contents. (because you know all frozen chunks of food look alike!) Then I just slide it in the freezer.

Those roasted garden peppers now stand ready and waiting for me to use at a moment’s notice. They add a delicious roasted-pepper flavor to many dishes throughout the year. And I’m even able to enjoy garden goodness in the cold winter months!

By doing this I’ve preserved the garden bounty without wasting any peppers as well as intensified the flavor of them. AND I’ve provided my own freezer convenience food as well. Win/win y’all! #WorkSmarterNotHarder.

~TxH~

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~Texas Homesteader~

Working To Provide For Ourselves On Our Texas Homestead

Tips To Easily Roast Fresh Peppers – Oven, Stovetop, Grill