Will peppers ripen after picking?
 

Many of my peppers, both hot and sweet, have a tendency to rot on the plant during or shortly after turning red. Can I pick the peppers at the blush stage, like tomatoes, and ripen them indoors?

TomNJ/VA

Until I read about it here recently, I never thought they would but I've been picking mine when they're about half red and ripening them on the counter along with the tomatoes and it's been working really well for me. It makes sense that it ought to work if picked at first blush, no?

I go out to pick and I'll pick those that have ripened completely and also those that have just started. I leave mine on the counter, as well, until they've totally reached the color they're supposed to. Some varieties do very well on the counter, like the pimento types, while others don't last so long. The frying peppers sometimes wrinkle after being at room temperature for several days.

i would say no. leaving peppers on the counter would cause them to start to wilt and dry out no? i'm surprised by the comments but maybe you can?

tom

You can. I've done it many times. But as I said, some varieties keep longer than others, just like tomatoes.

They are better kept in the fridge (the vegetable section) than left in room temp.
I would see a pepper ready to be eaten as soon as it has some color on it - a hint of red is a reason enough. Just had one last week, and it was sooooo delicious - straight off the vine, with a tender blush.

I'm not suggesting people store all peppers on the counter. If you pick a pepper that has started to turn, leave on the counter to fully turn color. Then put it in the fridge. If you put it in the fridge as soon as you pick it, it won't continue to ripen.

Once they've started to turn, they will definitely finish ripening off the plant. Drying out or not on the counter is a separate issue.

It is much easier with thick walled varieties than with thin walled types. The thin walled fruit tend to start going limp fairly quickly on the counter but if you pick them when they are half ripe then they will usually ripen without going soft.
Bell peppers will usually ripen on the counter in an air conditioned room in a few days without wilting if they are picked at first blush.

Bill

it just dawned on me that unripe peppers can be ripened at season end in a paper bag with or without an apple in the bag. i tried it both ways and it works for cayenne, datils, tabasco and fatalii. they may wilt a little but not a lot unless they are in the bag for a long time. i don't recall how long but 4-5 days isn't too long whereas 10 or 14 would be. large thicker walled peppers may get limp faster than these i mentioned because they have more water content.

tom

My experience with abundant peppers began in the summer of 2012. I prefer to store picked peppers in the fridge. To me, the cayennes taste just as well if green or red, though the red ones tend to soften quickly after picking. I have also had green ones turn red on the counter. Most vegetables get starchy after picking, so they should be used as soon as possible. In my experience, I prefer storing them in the fridge regardless of the color/ripeness. They stay more firm.

Absolutely I do it all of the time.
They will dry out a bit but not much.

Even a totally green one will ripen many times.
I left a green hatch chilli hanging up while I went to work.
Two weeks later I get home and it is a beautiful red ready to go in some homemade chilli.:yes:

Worth