How long do jalapenos keep?

Keeping jalapenos on hand allows you to spice up any dish whenever you need or want it. But if you don’t use these peppers very often, you may find they wilt and go to waste.

How long do jalapenos keep? The jalapeños that are kept in the panty last 3 to 5 days. Refrigerating extends the shelf life of jalapeños by up to 14 days. Sliced or chopped jalapeños keep 3-4 days in the fridge and up to a year in the freezer. 

This article is your guide to the shelf life and storage conditions of jalapeños, whether fresh, canned, or dried. Read on to learn how to store these delicious Mexican peppers and what are the signs that it’s time to throw them out.

Do jalapenos go bad?

If you’re a fan of Mexican cuisine, you might buy too many jalapeños when you see the good ones at your local grocery store. But these moderately hot peppers don’t last forever. Fresh jalapeños are perishable and spoil shortly after being picked.

If you want the peppers to have as long a shelf life as possible, you have to choose good jalapenos. There are a few things to pay attention to when choosing jalapenos.

First of all, the color . Jalapenos are green or red. Red jalapeños are fully ripe and many people prefer them to green ones as they find red ones more flavorful.

However, you will often come across green jalapeños. Many farmers harvest jalapenos when they are firm and bright green. So the color of the peppers is a matter of preference. The important thing is that there are no brown or gray spots on the peppers.

Second, the stems . The stalks of the peppers should be plump and green. This indicates that the peppers are freshly picked.

And finally, the skin.  The skin of the jalapenos should be firm, plump, and shiny. Wrinkled skin is not an indicator that jalapenos are juicy and spicy.

Although jalapenos are perishable, a lot depends on storage conditions. You will get the maximum shelf life from your jalapeno peppers if you store them properly.

How long do jalapenos keep?

The shelf life of jalapeño peppers varies depending on where you store them. The fridge and freezer are the best places to store fresh jalapenos.

Pickled jalapenos also have a long shelf life if left unopened and stored in the pantry. However, they are not as versatile as fresh jalapenos.

If you like to cook with dried jalapenos, good for you as they have the longest shelf life.

Below we will review each of them in more detail.

How long do jalapeños last in the pantry?

Jalapeños stored in the pantry have a relatively short shelf life. They keep well in the pantry for up to 5 days if they are fresh . If the jalapenos weren’t very plump when you bought them, expect them to last about 3 days in the pantry.

How long do jalapenos last in the fridge?

Sliced or chopped jalapeños stored in the fridge in an airtight container will keep for 3 to 4 days. We recommend using chopped or sliced jalapenos as soon as possible, as they will soon begin to dry out and become unappetizing.

Whole fresh jalapeños stored in the refrigerator keep well for 7 to 14 days . How long peppers store in the fridge depends largely on their initial freshness, the type of bag you store them in, and what part of the fridge they are in.

How long do jalapenos last in the freezer?

Jalapenos stored in the freezer will keep their best qualities for up to 12 months . If your freezer temperature is constantly at 0, the peppers could keep indefinitely.

However, keep in mind that the flavor and texture qualities of jalapeños deteriorate over time. The sooner you use them, the better.

Once you thaw the frozen jalapenos, store them in the fridge and use them within 3 days . Do not refreeze jalapeños.

How long do pickled jalapenos last?

An unopened jar of pickled jalapenos has a shelf life of about 3 to 5 years , and even longer, as long as you keep the jar in a cool, dark place and the lid stays tight.

Keep in mind that pickled jalapeno peppers often come with an expiration date. Stick to this date if you are not sure if the peppers are still good or not.

However, as this printed date is only an estimate of how long the peppers will maintain their best flavor and texture qualities, you can always open the jar to see if they are still edible or not.

Once you open the jar of pickled jalapenos, you should store them in the fridge. Pickled jalapeños stored in the fridge will last 1 to 2 months .

Pickled jalapenos stored in the freezer will maintain their best flavor qualities for up to 3 months.

Once the pickled jalapenos are thawed, they should be eaten within 3-4 days .

How long do dried jalapenos keep?

Dried jalapenos are not everyone’s favorite as they can only be used as a topping, unlike fresh jalapenos which can be used on their own. Dried jalapeños need to be rehydrated for use in soups, stews, and other dishes that call for the heat of these peppers.

The good thing about dried jalapenos is that they have a long shelf life. Dried jalapenos keep well for up to 3 years if stored properly.

They will probably still be safe to eat after this time, but the flavor will gradually deteriorate and the spiciness will lose its intensity.

If you have too many jalapenos that you don’t know what to do with, drying them is surely a good option, as drying them is easy and doesn’t require much effort.

You can hang the peppers in a dry place for 3-4 weeks until completely dry, or use a dehydrator to reduce drying time. You can also dry the jalapenos overnight using just the dehydrator.

Another method to dehydrate jalapeños is in the oven turned on at 300 degrees. Arrange the jalapeño strips or slices on a baking sheet and leave the peppers in the oven for 1 to 3 hours.

How to store jalapenos

You can store the jalapeños in a number of ways, depending on how long you need the peppers to last. Additionally, the storage conditions for jalapeños depend on whether the peppers are whole or cut, dried, fresh, or canned.

How to keep jalapenos fresh

Fresh jalapenos can be stored in the fridge, freezer, and pantry. These three storage locations suggest a different shelf life.

Therefore, you should go for the method that best suits your needs considering how often you use these peppers to season your food and how much you have.

You can keep the jalapeños in the pantry if there are not too many and you know that you will use them in a few days. When storing peppers in the pantry or any other moderately cool room in your home, place them in a paper bag and close the bag loosely. Store the peppers in a dark place.

The refrigerator is considered to be the best place to store jalapeños, as it provides the longest shelf life for the peppers without altering their texture.

When you store jalapeños in the fridge, you must follow three rules:

1. Do not wash the jalapeños before storing them in the fridge . You may want to prepare the peppers for future use. But washing them before putting them in the fridge is not a smart move. Doing so will leave moisture in the jalapenos, which will cause the peppers to spoil sooner.
2. Store the jalapeños in a plastic or paper bag.  Whether you store the peppers in a plastic or brown paper bag, do not seal the bag. Let the peppers breathe. Otherwise, you will see how they wither too soon.
3. Store the jalapeños in the vegetable drawer . The humidity level in this drawer will provide maximum shelf life for the peppers.

Do fresh jalapenos need to be refrigerated?

Fresh jalapenos only need to be refrigerated when sliced or chopped . Jalapeños are too hot for many people’s tastes.

Throwing away the entire pepper after using only a small part is not an option. But to be able to use the rest later, you have to save the properly sliced or chopped jalapenos.

Chopped, sliced, or partially eaten jalapenos should be stored in an airtight container or plastic bag. If you use a zip-top bag to store leftover jalapeños, be sure to squeeze out any excess air to maximize the freshness of the peppers.

You can use aluminum foil or food wrap to store the partially eaten or sliced jalapeños.

If you leave the diced or sliced jalapenos at room temperature, eat them within 2-4 hours or throw them away.

How to preserve dried jalapeños

When it comes to dried jalapenos, your main task is to keep them away from moisture and insects , which are the main enemies of all dried goods.

Store the dried jalapeños in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, as contact with air will speed up the pepper’s spoilage process. The tight sealing lid is important as it will also prevent water or any unwanted guests from entering the container.

The pantry or kitchen cabinet is an ideal storage place for dried jalapenos. However, when storing peppers in a kitchen cabinet, make sure it is away from the stove or oven, as cooking steam creates moisture. Moisture will cause dried peppers to spoil very quickly.

Do pickled jalapenos need to be refrigerated?

Canned or bottled jalapenos keep longer than fresh. They are also easier to store.

Purchased unopened canned jalapenos can be stored in the pantry or kitchen cabinet where it is dark and moderately cool. Keep jars of jalapeños away from heat sources and areas where the temperature fluctuates, such as a cabinet near the stove or oven.

Once opened , canned jalapeños should be stored in the refrigerator. Transfer the peppers and the brine solution they come in to a jar or container that seals tightly.

It is important that the peppers are submerged in the brine solution. Otherwise, they will quickly dry out and become moldy.

When in doubt, always store homemade pickled jalapenos in the fridge to play it safe.

Can you store jalapenos in the freezer?

Yes, you can freeze jalapeños to extend their shelf life. Freezing is a good option for people who have bought too many of these Mexican peppers.

There is no dish you can cook that will allow you to use a really large amount of these hot peppers, unless you are in the situation of feeding 20 people! So freezing is your best option to save on your bulk purchase.

How to freeze jalapenos

Freezing jalapenos is pretty easy. Here’s how to do it:

1. First blanch the peppers. Although some people consider this step optional, blanching the jalapenos is essential if you want the peppers to retain their bright color and nutrients. Blanching also minimizes texture changes caused by freezing. All you have to do is submerge the washed jalapeno peppers in boiling water for 3 minutes.
2. Next, take out the peppers and put them in a bowl filled with ice water . Doing this will immediately stop the cooking process of the peppers, preserving their crunch and color.
3. Dry the peppers and remove the stems. Open the jalapeños to remove the seeds. You can skip this step and remove the seeds if you are using thawed jalapeños.
4. Cut the peppers into slices or chunks. You can cut the jalapeños into pieces the size and shape you want.
5. Put the jalapeños in an airtight container or heavy-duty freezer bag. 

In addition to freezing fresh jalapenos, you can also freeze pickled jalapenos. When freezing pickled jalapenos, pour the brine into a freezer jar or airtight container and add the peppers to it.

Be sure to freeze canned jalapeños right after you open the can. Freezing the peppers a few days after opening the can in the fridge increases the risk of contamination.

Thaw canned jalapenos in the fridge.

Signs that jalapenos have gone bad

Although fresh jalapenos are estimated to keep for about two weeks, they may still be good to eat after that time.

After two weeks, the peppers often begin to shrivel and shrivel. Wrinkled skin indicates that the peppers have lost their moisture. However, it does not necessarily mean that the peppers are bad and unsafe to eat.

Jalapenos that are wrinkled can be eaten. But keep in mind that they are not crunchy anymore, and that crunchiness of jalapenos is what certain dishes need. Also, as the peppers wrinkle, they become less hot .

Crinkled jalapenos are best used in spicy dishes where the texture of the peppers is not the most important thing. You can use shriveled jalapenos in soups and stews.

Here are the signs of bad jalapeños:

• Brown spots
• Mold
• Unpleasant smell
• Major Appearance Changes

As for the pickled jalapenos , carefully inspect the peppers and the container. If you see any mold on the jalapeño container, throw it away.

As with fresh jalapenos, an unpleasant odor, discoloration, and changes in the appearance of the peppers are signs that your jalapenos have gone bad.

For pickled jalapeños, you should throw away the unopened jar whenever it is damaged and leaking. Discard canned jalapeños if the can is rusty or bulging.