Roasted red peppers, pepperoncini, banana pepper rings, jalapeño rings, peppadews… the number of jars in my fridge is staggering. And if you're like me and can't get enough of the acidic heat of a pickled jalapeño, or love tossing pepperoncini into the Crockpot for Mississippi pot roast, or salivate over chopping savory roasted red peppers for a dish, you've probably accumulated a few as well.
So, exactly how long do us pepper fanatics have to enjoy our spoils? Are there different rules for homemade jarred peppers and store-bought? Keep reading to learn the answers to these questions and more.
Jarred Pepper Preservation
Like anything jarred sold in liquid, the liquid is gold (in more senses than one). As long as you keep whatever food item is floating in that briny liquid submerged, the lifespan increases significantly. Like other jarred/canned products, there’s likely a date printed on it, but you can take this date with a grain of salt. Once opened, that date sort of goes out the window and you can judge the freshness of your peppers by general rules of thumb and classic signs of spoilage.
Jarred roasted red peppers, once opened, tend to last 2-3 weeks in the fridge. Be sure to keep whatever they're submerged in (likely olive oil) above the peppers.
Unopened and kept in a cool, dark place (like a pantry), purchased pickled items will last years. Once opened, they should last about one year at near-peak quality. Homemade pickled items will last anywhere from 3-4 weeks to 2-6 months — depending on the recipe, method, and, well, who you ask.
How to Know When Jarred Peppers Are Bad
A definitive answer on when to toss your peppers will really only come from inspecting the product. Look for the telltale signs of spoilage as you would on olives or capers or anything else packed in liquid. Mold is the first sign it’s gotta go, along with a bulging lid or fizzy brine. (It might look more exciting, but it sure isn't.)
Upon opening the jar, if there's an off odor or appearance — such as a dullness of color, or the liquid looks murky or cloudy — toss them out. Most items sliced into rings, like jalapeños or banana peppers, can appear almost "blurry" in the jar (in my experience), meaning they've developed a kind of slime and have become duller in color. That's usually my first clue, as that manner of deterioration indicates they'd also be mushy, were I to pop one into my mouth. (Which, of course, I wouldn't.)
Non-pickled items won't last as long, but luckily, they tend to give you clearer signs of spoilage, like visible mold, fuzziness, and overall odor.
Stocking the Shelves
The takeaway here is to enjoy your peppers and stock as many as you'd like – homemade, store-bought, or a mixture of both. Just remember that peppers have a higher moisture content and aren't as resilient as, perhaps, an olive or caper. Thus, it's best to keep up on them, and use them as soon as possible, rather than keeping a hefty backstock.
FAQs
Jarred roasted red peppers, once opened, tend to last 2-3 weeks in the fridge. Be sure to keep whatever they're submerged in (likely olive oil) above the peppers. Unopened and kept in a cool, dark place (like a pantry), purchased pickled items will last years.
Do peppers go bad in refrigerator? ›
How To Store Bell Peppers. To keep your Bell Peppers tasting great longer, store them in your refrigerator crisper drawer. In the fridge, raw Bell Peppers will last between 1 and 2 weeks. Cooked Bell Peppers will typically last 3-5 days.
How long do jarred jalapenos last once opened? ›
An open jar of jalapeno peppers can typically last up to two weeks in the refrigerator.
Can peppers in vinegar go bad? ›
Pour in white vinegar to cover all peppers. Cover with a plastic lid if possible, as the vinegar will gradually corrode metal lids. Store the jar in the back of your refrigerator for up to 12 months. The peppers will stay crunchy for a few months but will gradually soften.
How do you know if peppers have gone bad? ›
How to Tell if Peppers Have Gone Bad. Fresh peppers are firm, smooth, shiny, and heavy for their size. Wrinkles are the first sign of spoilage, accompanied by softness, then bad spots/holes and mold. Yellow, orange, and red bell peppers tend to spoil faster than green, due to their sweeter and riper nature.
How long do jarred bell peppers last in the fridge? ›
Jarred roasted red peppers, once opened, tend to last 2-3 weeks in the fridge. Be sure to keep whatever they're submerged in (likely olive oil) above the peppers. Unopened and kept in a cool, dark place (like a pantry), purchased pickled items will last years.
Is it OK to eat old peppers? ›
Wrinkled skin is a sign that your bell peppers have begun to lose their moisture. Unless there's visible mold or an off smell, your peppers should still be perfectly safe to eat. Although they can still be eaten raw, their shriveled appearance may not be aesthetically pleasing.
How long do pickled peppers last in the fridge? ›
Pickled peppers can be refrigerated in jars up to 3 months.
Do jarred banana peppers need to be refrigerated? ›
Once opened, please keep product refrigerated at all times. Please see below for more specific information. - For our peppers that are in vinegar and our olive products, we recommend enjoying them within 3 months of opening to ensure the best quality.
How to store peppers in a mason jar? ›
Gather canning jars and pour a little vinegar into each one; enough to cover the bottom of the jar. Pack in the peppers, leaving 1 to 2 inches of space at the top. Use a butter knife or chopstick to run down the sides of the jars, releasing air bubbles. You will notice the level of liquid drop.
According to the FDA, whole, fresh cherry peppers should last between 4 to 14 days in the fridge and 4 months in the freezer. Unopened, jarred, pickled cherry peppers should last 12 to 18 months in your pantry and once opened, 9 months in the fridge.
Can vinegar go rancid? ›
The only real side effect from leaving vinegar to its own devices is that its acidity will gradually decrease over time, making it less potent. This is why a "best by" date can be found on the bottle, but it's still perfectly fine long past that — it isn't an "expiration date," by any means. Vinegar does not expire.
Are jarred peppers healthy? ›
Similarly, red peppers help increase calcium levels (thanks to potassium) and neutralize free radicals in the body. Plus, jarred roasted red peppers is that they are relatively low in fat and calories, says Fear. However, she stresses the importance of reading your product labels carefully.
Can you get food poisoning from bad peppers? ›
Avoid peppers with visible damage, such as soft areas or wrinkled skin. Harmful microorganisms could enter the damaged vegetables and cause a person to experience health problems, such as food poisoning.
How long do jalapeno peppers last in the fridge? ›
They'll keep in the fridge for 1-2 weeks in a perforated bag lined with paper towel. You can also freeze them, sliced or diced without blanching. Jalapeños are thick so they take extra care to dry - be sure to cut them open.
Does pepper ever expire? ›
Spices are considered to be a shelf-stable product and do not have a true expiration date, instead you will typically find a best-by date on the packaging of store-bought spices that you can use as a reference for their disposal.
How long do refrigerator peppers last? ›
However, refrigerated bell peppers do come with an expiration date. When stored properly in the refrigerator, bell peppers can last up to two weeks.
What to do with wrinkled bell peppers? ›
Another scrummy option is to lean into their skin's imperfections and make roasted bell peppers, letting them bake in a hot oven until they're soft, charred, and covered in blisters.
Can pepper go rancid? ›
Yes and no. Spices do not expire in a way that would make you sick to consume them, however they do expire in the sense that they lose their flavor potency as they pass their peak freshness.
