Peeling peppers, outside (and in?)

[Alex]

I will be making a sauce that involves puréeing, among other ingredients, red bell peppers. The sauce needs to be very smooth. I know that I can remove the outer skin using a vegetable peeler or by charring/roasting. Are there any other ways of doing this?

Also, I remember reading about some chef's preference for also removing the silverskin-like inner membrane. I imagine I can do this with a sharp, thin paring knife. Do you think this step is necessary? If so, do you have any other removal suggestions?

Thanks!

[Katherine]

I will be making a sauce that involves puréeing, among other ingredients, red bell peppers. The sauce needs to be very smooth. I know that I can remove the outer skin using a vegetable peeler or by charring/roasting. Are there any other ways of doing this?

When I'm feeling lazy, which is most of the time, I just sauté them without peeling, and put the sauce through a sieve to remove the skin fragments after blending.

Also, I remember reading about some chef's preference for also removing the silverskin-like inner membrane. I imagine I can do this with a sharp, thin paring knife. Do you think this step is necessary? If so, do you have any other removal suggestions?

I never ever try to remove interior membrane unless it's holding seeds, which I abhor.

[Janice]

Pierce the skin with a knife and microwave them briefly to loosen the skin (1 minute does for one pepper).

Much easier than peeling them raw or roasted but you don't get the flavours that you do from roasting them which may be a good or bad thing depending on the result you want.

[scubadoo97]

You could also drop in boiling water for 1-2 min then in cold water. That should loosen the skin. This works for tomatos as well. I would go for charring to get the smokey flavor.

[JPW]

I don't think it's necessary, but if you really want to do an easy peel of the inside -

Remove top and bottom of bell pepper.

Cut a slit top-to bottom.

Carefully unroll. You will have to ease the membranes apart.

Insert knife at edge horizontal to board and carefully sweep/saw away from yourself.

[slkinsey]

I wouldn't worry too much about the interior membane.

The easiest way I know to de-skin peppers is to use a blowtorch. This method allows the ckin to be charred off with practically no cooking of the flesh.

As for the inner membrane, you could quarter the skinned peppers and take the blowtorch to the interior as well. Really, though, if you puree an exterior-roasted pepper and pass it through a fine sieve, you should end up with something a smooth as silk.

[Curlz]

The best method I've ever used for peeling red peppers is to roast them (which you can do over an open flame on the stovetop, btw) and then put the pepper(s) in a brown bag for about 15 minutes and roll the top of the bag closed. The steam inside the bag from the hot peppers loosens the skin and it comes off VERY easily.

[snowangel]

The easiest way I know to de-skin peppers is to use a blowtorch. This method allows the ckin to be charred off with practically no cooking of the flesh.

Oohh! As a Woman Who Loves Power Tools and Fire, thanks for the suggestion! I have a mess of anaheim's I want to roast, and this certainly seems like more fun that the broiler!

[schneich]

blowtrch method sucks very much !!!

the idea of roasting is to caramelize the sugers inside

the pepper... its very sweet after roasting, you dont get

this with the blowtorch.. also peeling will be pain in the ass

and it stinks like hell.... :(

if you want to do sauce you pretty much HAVE to roast

them otherwise your sauce will taste like shit !

cheers

t.

(see my tut in the onion confit thread)

Edited February 20, 2004 by schneich (log)

[NeroW]

Char well over open flame (blowtorch gets old after about 2 peppers, I find, and it doesn't impart much roasty flavor), slip in toghtly-closed paper bag or in bowl covered tightly with plastic wrap, let steam 10-15 minutes.

Don't bother yourself about the inner membrane. I don't think it's necessary. Unless it's going to be one of those things where you're sitting there eating it, with your guests, and your inner voice is saying: "that damned inner membrane! I should have taken it off! Everyone knows! Everyone knows!"

If you roast and peel the peppers properly--which I'm sure you will--and make sure to wipe away all the seeds--which I'm sure you will--your sauce will be nice and smooth. If you feel you must, scrape away the softened inner ribs with a paring knife.

Is it a cream sauce? Me love roasted-pepper cream sauce!

[Jaymes]

Char well over open flame (blowtorch gets old after about 2 peppers, I find, and it doesn't impart much roasty flavor), slip in toghtly-closed paper bag or in bowl covered tightly with plastic wrap, let steam 10-15 minutes.

I put them in a plastic bag -- like a ziplock or something. Steams them up really fast.

[babka]

if I'm doing a lot of them, I'll lop off the top and bottom, slice it in half and flatten it on a sheet pan (usually cutting it in half one more time to make it actually flat). then do a bunch of them under the broiler.

[Katherine]

The easiest way I know to de-skin peppers is to use a blowtorch.  This method allows the ckin to be charred off with practically no cooking of the flesh.

Oohh! As a Woman Who Loves Power Tools and Fire, thanks for the suggestion! I have a mess of anaheim's I want to roast, and this certainly seems like more fun that the broiler!

Snowangel, get yourself a propane torch with an automatic igniter button. Those things are fun, fun, fun!

[cjsadler]

The chefs who I've seen remove the inner membrane did so mainly for presentation purposes (and it does make the pepper look much nicer), but for a sauce where the pepper is to be pureed, I'd say it's a waste of time as I doubt it will make that much of a difference.

[Alex]

Is it a cream sauce?  Me love roasted-pepper cream sauce!

It's a tomato-based sauce that I'll be serving with beef: tomatoes, peppers, roasted garlic, rosemary, eye of newt, etc. You know, the usual stuff. I hadn't thought to include cream, but a touch would pull things together nicely.

I had roasted pepper (poblano) - cream sauce for the first time a couple of years ago. Yeah, good stuff. Thanks for the idea, Liz!

[slkinsey]

Dude... go easy on the eye of newt. Unless it's really fresh, it can add an astringent, bitter aftertaste.

[Alex]

Dude... go easy on the eye of newt. Unless it's really fresh, it can add an astringent, bitter aftertaste.

OK, Sam -- thanks for the tip. Here in the Heartland it's difficult to get really fresh newt eye, especially in the middle of winter, except occasionally at a specialty store in Chicago, Amphibians-To-Go.

[Mabelline]

Alex, I like the tried and true methods of the millions of Mexican mamas who've come before us-I use one of those flat toaster things with holes in them over a small gas flame..a comal works, but I don't like to heat it dry like that. Assuming you have good ventilation, no problemo.

This is for youall with the small propane torches. How much fire time do those bitty little cylinders give you? I'm used to Industrial strength acetylene, which is bought in considerably larger quantities. But I can say from experience that with a 'rosebud' tip, and slow heat, you can quite successfully char peppers and green corn, too. Certainly your only smoky flavor comes from the char, but then it's the same with a gas stove, no?

[fifi]

I'm used to Industrial strength acetylene, which is bought in considerably larger quantities. But I can say from experience that with a 'rosebud' tip, and slow heat, you can quite successfully char peppers and green corn, too. Certainly your only smoky flavor comes from the char, but then it's the same with a gas stove, no?

I have this picture of Mabelline in full welding regalia toasting a pepper. Many years ago, my dad taught me to do a bit of welding and cutting. Now that I think of it, that rosebud tip would be ideal. For industrial strength toasting, I have been firing up the turkey frier burner at my nephew's place.

For a nifty poblano cream, we have been doing the following:

6 large poblanos, charred, peeled and seeded

1 pint of Mexican crema (the one we get is already salted for some reason)

Whiz in a blender until smooth. It is much better if left to sit in the fridge for a day or so. I think you could put that stuff on dog crap and it would be good.

[Katherine]

This is for youall with the small propane torches. How much fire time do those bitty little cylinders give you? I'm used to Industrial strength acetylene, which is bought in considerably larger quantities. But I can say from experience that with a 'rosebud' tip, and slow heat, you can quite successfully char peppers and green corn, too. Certainly your only smoky flavor comes from the char, but then it's the same with a gas stove, no?

I really can't tell you, as I'm still running on my first tank, which surprises me. I guess if you did lots of peppers all the time, you'd run out quickly, but when you turn up the gas a little bit (so it roars), it is so hot that the peppers char incredibly quickly. It's great for peeling, and the peppers are still shapely after you peel them, so they're easy to stuff and bake or fry. But if you want peppers cooked through and collapsed, or ready to marinate (especially green ones, that seem to take longer to cook) it's probably not for you.

Unless you like to play with torches.

[Mabelline]

Hey, it could happen! Actually, the entire time I welded and torch cut, I very rarely sleeved up. Texas is usually so hot that teeshirt sleeves and gloves were adequate. Thermals in winter, only pure cotton, for the synthetic does melt to the skin in such an interesting way. Of course, I do have some interesting burn patterns now! I suffered for my art!!

But yeah, there's never been a welder out on a job who had to eat a cold dinner. Best trick: wrap in foil, set it next to the machine exhaust.

[Alex]

This is for youall with the small propane torches. How much fire time do those bitty little cylinders give you? I'm used to Industrial strength acetylene, which is bought in considerably larger quantities. But I can say from experience that with a 'rosebud' tip, and slow heat, you can quite successfully char peppers and green corn, too. Certainly your only smoky flavor comes from the char, but then it's the same with a gas stove, no?

I really can't tell you, as I'm still running on my first tank, which surprises me. I guess if you did lots of peppers all the time, you'd run out quickly, but when you turn up the gas a little bit (so it roars), it is so hot that the peppers char incredibly quickly. It's great for peeling, and the peppers are still shapely after you peel them, so they're easy to stuff and bake or fry. But if you want peppers cooked through and collapsed, or ready to marinate (especially green ones, that seem to take longer to cook) it's probably not for you.

Unless you like to play with torches.

I think this has put me over the excuse edge for buying a (small) torch. Making crème brulée once every decade or so didn't quite do it, but throw in some charred peppers...

[Katherine]

This is for youall with the small propane torches. How much fire time do those bitty little cylinders give you? I'm used to Industrial strength acetylene, which is bought in considerably larger quantities. But I can say from experience that with a 'rosebud' tip, and slow heat, you can quite successfully char peppers and green corn, too. Certainly your only smoky flavor comes from the char, but then it's the same with a gas stove, no?

I really can't tell you, as I'm still running on my first tank, which surprises me. I guess if you did lots of peppers all the time, you'd run out quickly, but when you turn up the gas a little bit (so it roars), it is so hot that the peppers char incredibly quickly. It's great for peeling, and the peppers are still shapely after you peel them, so they're easy to stuff and bake or fry. But if you want peppers cooked through and collapsed, or ready to marinate (especially green ones, that seem to take longer to cook) it's probably not for you.

Unless you like to play with torches.

I think this has put me over the excuse edge for buying a (small) torch. Making crème brulée once every decade or so didn't quite do it, but throw in some charred peppers...

I recommend a trigger start propane torch.

Bernzomatic products

Stand it on the counter, start it, spear small peppers on a fondue fork, large ones on a roasting fork or kitchen fork. Wave the peppers in the flame.

I think you'd need a different tip for creme brulée, or a butane torch.

[Mabelline]

I love this!!Tools can make you drool!!

[memesuze]

Just think of all the tools we have brought in from the garage: rasp, mini-hacksaw for cutting the knuckle off the drumstick, propane torch, rubber mallet for flattening meats....I have all four of these and need to wander around my workroom again looking for more ideas.....

Edited February 20, 2004 by memesuze (log)