Jalapeño Pepper Paste: Recipe From Scraps

Don and his wife love to cook. They enjoy new and different recipes and experimenting with interesting combinations of ingredients.

How Much Do You Like Jalapeños?

Do you like jalapeño peppers? I mean, do you really like jalapeño peppers?

Well, I do! I like them, fresh, dried, pickled, canned, and sliced. I like them in salsas, sandwiches, soups, salads, casseroles, and as a garnish on just about anything.

I enjoy the way the peppers lie on top of my tongue and slowly start to burn. The burn continues down my throat and settles in my stomach, where it slowly spreads and jerks my whole body into high gear, forcing sweat to pop out on my brow and tears to well up in my eyes.

When I occasionally bite into that rare jalapeño that has a heat index closer to a habanero, I'll have to reach for the closest beer, soda, water—or whatever I can find to quell the fire in my mouth. And I like the way others laugh when I have to grab that beer.

How to Use Jalapeño Scraps

One day, when we were making one of my favorite dishes to take to a party, I had an epiphany.

I looked at the bar where I was working, and I suddenly realized how much of the jalapeño I was wasting. (Actually, I noticed because of the "polite" reprimand my wife gave me over the mess I was making.)

After a little experimenting, I ended up with this fantastic recipe that uses all of the scraps I'd normally throw away—the ribs, seeds, and stem ends. The resulting paste is great, and the spicy flavor will knock your socks off, literally!

Now that I have this powerful paste to use in my favorite spicy dishes, I am always ready to kick things up in the flavor department. Whenever I’m cooking a dish that needs a little kick, I can reach into the freezer and break off a small piece of my frozen paste, throw it into the still-cooking dish, and, well . . . wow!

I can proudly say, eat this paste at your own risk!

Cook Time

Ingredients

• 20 large, fresh jalapeño peppers
• 1 medium whole garlic bulb
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 tablespoons black pepper, roughly ground
• approximately 2 tablespoons water

Instructions

1. Trim the stem ends of the jalapeños. Set aside.
2. Cut the peppers in half, remove the seeds and ribs, and set aside. (Reserve the greens themselves for use in another recipe.)
3. Peel the whole head of garlic and chop up all of the cloves.
4. In a medium saucepan, heat the extra virgin olive oil.
5. Add the garlic to the pan and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, taking care not to burn the garlic.
6. Add the salt and pepper to the pan and blend; then remove the pan from the heat.
7. In a blender, add the jalapeño scraps (seeds, ribs, and stem ends) along with about 2 tablespoons of water. Blend for about 1 minute.
8. Add the contents of the saucepan into the blender and puree for about 2 minutes, or until it forms into a thick paste.
9. Transfer the paste into a plastic sandwich bag. Remove all of the air from the bag before sealing (lay the filled bag flat on the counter and squeeze out as much air as possible).
10. Place the sandwich bag in a flat position in the freezer so that the paste will maintain an even thickness throughout (should be about a 1/4-inch thick). This will make it easy for you to break off pieces when you need them.
11. When desired, remove the bag from the freezer and break off a piece of the frozen paste. Add the frozen paste to whatever dish you are cooking, and enjoy the heat!

Photo Guide

Clean the jalapeños and separate them into ribs and seeds, stem ends, and greens. Save the greens for use in another recipe.

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Chef's Notes

• This paste is great for adding a spicy flavor to almost any dish.
• The paste will be ready for you any time. Just break off a piece from the freezer, and you're good to go.
• Take care when handling the final paste mixture. If you get your nose too close, it will actually take your breath away.
• When I'm cooking a recipe that calls for jalapeño, I often collect the scraps in a sealable plastic bag and make this paste two or three days later, at my convenience.

What? Is this paste too hot for you? People, this recipe is essentially pure jalapeño—with the addition of a full head of garlic! What did you expect?

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

Don Bobbitt (author) from Ruskin Florida on March 20, 2019:

Sounds Delicious!

Healthy, Spicy and good for your system?? LOL?

Have a great day!

DON

Robin Marsh on March 20, 2019:

I used to make a dip starting with mashed avacardo, followed with Jalepeno paste. on top of that was diced tomatoes, sliced olives, sour cream and sprinkled with cheese.

Don Bobbitt (author) from Ruskin Florida on September 11, 2018:

Ethel - Oh Yes! It is Spicy, but you can control how much "heat" you use by the size of the paste you add to your recipe.

Good Luck,

DON

Ethel Smith from Kingston-Upon-Hull on September 11, 2018:

Might be a bit spicy for maybe but maybe not.

Thanks Don

Deborah Minter from U.S, California on September 16, 2017:

Tasty!

Don Bobbitt (author) from Ruskin Florida on March 11, 2016:

Lucy - I would recommend using 12-15 medium to large sized Jalapeno's. Let me know how it turns out for you?

DON

Lucy on March 10, 2016:

How many jalepenos should I use for this recipe if I'm using whole ones and not scraps?

Don Bobbitt (author) from Ruskin Florida on February 28, 2015:

dianetrotter- Sorry! My Bad!

EVOO is the common abbreviation for Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

I tend to use Olive Oil almost exclusively for its health benefits. And, I NEVER use CANOLA OIL. It is a dangerous Oil concoction originating in Canada. Look it up.

DON

G. Diane Nelson Trotter from Fontana on February 27, 2015:

EVOO? Don, what is that?

Don Bobbitt (author) from Ruskin Florida on January 06, 2012:

Ruchira- Great Idea, the Mint! I might try that myself with my next batch. That's the thing about a basic recipe like this, you can fine-tune it to your own tastes and make it your own. Thanls for the response.

Ruchira from United States on January 05, 2012:

Hi Don,

Liked your wonderful recipe and I might try making it. To sober it a little...I might also crush some mint into it.

voted up as useful/informative

Don Bobbitt (author) from Ruskin Florida on September 02, 2011:

Yes, the Popper Recipe is in my new Blog called A FRUGAL CHEF. You should see it referenced with a link on this Hub.

And, take care with this on a sandwich, it is pretty potent. I suggest that after you make it, that you taste a very small sample. Just to be careful.

Thanks for the read.

PoliCommandments from DeKalb, IL on September 02, 2011:

This sounds great for quesadillas and sandwiches! Do you have the jalapeño popper recipe too? I guess I'll look on your profile. I may have to become a follower!

Don Bobbitt (author) from Ruskin Florida on August 16, 2011:

Yeah, I switched over about 2-weeks ago. I think the before and after are part of the confusion. I'm watching the whole thing evolve. Take Care and good luck!

Wesman Todd Shaw from Kaufman, Texas on August 16, 2011:

Hey, have you done a "sub domain" switch yet? I think it's helped me some.

Don Bobbitt (author) from Ruskin Florida on August 16, 2011:

I wish I could get more comments from more people on my Blogs. I welcome them. I want to get comments, suggestions, and even other peoples favorite recipes.I have been Hubbing and Blogging for almost two years, and I have accepted that I do this for either self entertainment or self flagellation,.I just haven't figured out which, Yet! Thanks again for responding!

Wesman Todd Shaw from Kaufman, Texas on August 16, 2011:

I followed feenix here from my feed. I bounced every button but "funny" on the way to the comment section.

I've got burning nostrils right this moment. I'm dicing jalapenos and Serranos for my pico mix. I freaking love those peppers. I have nothing but heartache and sadness for those persons who can't enjoy them as much as I do!

feenix on August 16, 2011:

Hello, Don,

That does sound like a great project and, in the meantime, I am going to pay a visit to your blog site. I'll leave a comment or two ;-)

Don Bobbitt (author) from Ruskin Florida on August 16, 2011:

Thanks feenix, for the kind response. I have a bunch of spicy recipes that I have to dig out and clean up that I will add to my Hubs and to my Blog "afrugalchef.blogspot.com" soon. Like everyone else, most of my recipes are on scraps of paper stuck in shoe boxes, and I am not Mr. Neat. Sounds like a great project, Huh?

feenix on August 16, 2011:

Hello Don Bobbitt,

Largely because I am a native of Southern California (Los Angeles, to be exact) I really do like jalapeno peppers. Thus, I really did enjoy reading this post and got some new ideas when it comes to enjoying that wonderful delicacy.

Paperfly from Syracuse, New York on August 15, 2011:

Heh, great idea! I never would of thought of using the scraps of peppers that way. Awesome hub. I'll be trying this out on my other peppers as well and see how it works out.

Don Bobbitt (author) from Ruskin Florida on August 14, 2011:

We need a forum/group called "Burning Asses! or Pain is my Name!" or some such where we HOT food lovers can support each others Spicy food habits and recipes?

jami l. pereira on August 14, 2011:

WOW! I eat peppers just about with EVERY meal ,and this is a fabulous idea! , you have managed to find a resoulution to any mess and waste ! yayy! i love this and i will be trying this very very soon! thanks for sharing your amazing idea and recipe ! wow!!!! voted up and awesome and interesting and if there were any more buttons you would get those too!! :)