New tip for cutting chilies

11 years ago

Not sure where I learned this, but it was within the last week, but it really works.

Before chopping chilies (and I tried this with Habaneros), pour oil on your hand that will be holding the chili - in my case, my left hand. My right hand holds the knife and therefore does not touch the chili. After chopping, the chili will be slightly oily but still usable for most recipes, and you can wash the oil off your hand, along with any oil that may be attached from the chili. I use a bamboo board for Habaneros, and I wash that and the knife right after chopping the chilies. I tried this last week-end when I was making cheese grits (with smoked sausage), and I wanted to use one of the Habanero chilies in my yard because I have so many of them. The recipe uses 3/4 cup grits, two eggs, and two cups of broth (along with herbs, etc), and one Habanero was the right amount and did not make the grits too spicy, even though I used spicy sausage.

There was an earlier thread about jalapenos, but I did not want this information to get buried there.

Lars

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (9)

plllog
11 years ago
Lars,

I thank you for posting a tip, especially where habaÃÂ±eros are concerned, but you didn't really explain what the tip does. Can you elaborate? Does the oil prevent the poison from sticking to your fingers? Is that what you meant by "...you can wash..."

For sure, I know even with a mild chili never touch your eyes, so I use disposable food service gloves. But then I only grow jalapeÃÂ±os and serranos and one half hearted pasilla (there were some banana peppers but I think they died).

JC
Lars
Original Author
11 years ago
The oil that you put on will protect your hand pretty much the way that a latex glove does, but instead of removing the glove, you must wash the oil off after handling the chilies.

I chopped some Habaneros yesterday with my left hand oiled, and after I washing the oil off, I tasted my fingers to see if there was any residue, and I could not detect any. I was able to detect a few fumes in the air, however.

Lars

Here is a link that might be useful: Recipeland advice

This post was edited by publickman on Mon, Nov 17, 14 at 20:32
Related Discussions
Chili friends are the best! Thanks Chili_Freak
Q
Comments (6)
Not to steal the limelight from Paul, but I'd like to publicly thank Bill (ottawapepper), who sent *me* all sorts of seeds for next year. I agree lots of generous thoughtful people on this forum (and that includes those who share knowledge, not just those who share seeds)!
...See More
One growth tip cutting, lost the growth tip...
Q
Comments (11)
I belive all those little "eyes" can grow new branches if left after the top breaks, so you might get 3 or four branches coming out below the break. Just be carefully not to touch any fragile new buds. ( also, I'm not a pro, my plants are now 4 days in my care, but with no suicides yet.)
...See More
Buddleia - problems with the tips of some shoots on year old cuttings
Q
Comments (8)
They are just in normal garden soil (mine is a little heavy and clay-like, but it's not waterlogged at all). Both plants (affected and unaffected) are in the same soil, only a few feet apart. The soil smells okay, no plant food used, afternoon sun only (not that hot in my part of the world (UK)). Here's a photo of a tip of a shoot that has grown from a longer shoot which had the problem a month or so ago (as outlined in my first message) - you'll see that the problem is also present on this new shoot: http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g319/Dalek99999/P7301230.jpg This will also eventually turn completely brown and die, just like the others did a while back.
...See More
New leaf from fiddle leaf fig tip cutting, in water
Q
Comments (1)
Wow nice job!
...See More
plllog
11 years ago
Ah! Thank-you for the elucidation! I get it now. It's a great tip. There's unlikely to be any cooking without oil or some kind of fat, but the presence of gloves isn't a given. :)
Lars
Original Author
11 years ago
I was surprised at how well it worked. Habaneros are intense, and I would never cut them without some sort of protection.

I do not really eat raw Habaneros or use them in guacamole, which is the one dish I can think of in which oil would not be needed. The chilies end up with very little oil on them anyway, and so they would probably still be okay in guacamole, except that I do not want guacamole to be that hot!

It is so much more convenient to use oil instead of a glove, although it is a bit messier. But since I chop a lot of chilies, it is worth it, and I do not have to go through a lot of gloves. When making chili sauce, I have been using reusable rubber lined gloves, and then I had to wash the gloves after using them in order to be able to use them again.

Lars
KatieC
11 years ago
Thanks Lars...what a good idea. It's a real slap-the-forehead-and-say-Duh moment for me. I have a bad habit of hacking off pieces of my disposable glove (or a produce bag).

" ...I wanted to use one of the Habanero chilies in my yard because I have so many of them." Phffffllllltttt! My peppers froze before they produced. No way could I grow a hab.
annie1992
11 years ago
Thanks, Lars, that's a great tip. Elery loves chilies in things and I sometimes have a glove and sometimes not. A plastic sandwich bag doesn't stay on well and like Katiec, I hack the fingertips off the gloves many times.

This will be easier and more convenient. Thanks.

Annie
TNKS
11 years ago
So much easier to buy a box of black nitrile gloves from NAPA
and always be ready for the highest rankings of peppers

Try that oil trick with super hots like Primo,Scorpions and Bhuts and see where it gets you LOL!!
Lars
Original Author
11 years ago
You will notice that I did NOT post this tip on the Hot Chilies forum!

Lars
User
11 years ago
I could have used this tip about 3 weeks ago when I pickled 4 pints of jalapenos.