If your Habaneros are still green, it could be that they haven’t had enough time to ripen, or they are green Habaneros. You can store them on a sunny windowsill or pop them into a brown paper bag with other ripe fruit to hurry the ripening process along.
If you’re still unsure about your green Habanero, or you just have questions about these great meal enhancers, then read on where we’ll explore the ins and outs of green Habaneros.
Why Are Your Habaneros Still Green?
Your Habaneros can be green for a variety of reasons. Either it hasn’t reached its fully ripened state, even after a couple of days, or you have an uncommon green habanero on your hands. If you’re unsure of which it is, try taking a ruler to the pepper as fully ripened peppers will measure about 2-6 cm long.
If you suspect that your Habanero just hasn’t ripened yet, and it’s been sitting out for a couple of days, try perching it out onto a sunny windowsill for a couple of more days, or you can try stuffing them into a paper bag with ripe fruit such as an apple or a tomato in order to speed up the process.
Do Green Habaneros Turn Red?
Yes! Habanero peppers are known for their bright red exterior; however, they’re not always red or orange. Growing Habaneros are actually green in color first, and when they start the process of ripening, they slowly turn into their signature fiery red color.
However, not all Habaneros are built the same. You can have a variety of colors with natural Habaneros. Sometimes ripening Habaneros will turn different colors such as purple, white, yellow, or even brown when ripe. And even more confusing, some Habaneros are known to just stay green.
Can You Harvest Habaneros When They Are Green?
So, you’ve planted a lovely Habanero plant, and you’re ready to reap what you’ve sown. However, are you struggling with whether or not you can harvest habaneros when they’re still green? The quick answer: yes!
If you harvest your Habaneros when they’re still green, you didn’t just kill their chances of fully ripening or growing to their full potential. It’s perfectly normal to pick Habaneros when they’re still green and allow them to ripen on your countertop or windowsill.
FAQ
Can You Eat Habaneros When They Are Green?
Yes! It is completely safe to consume Habaneros when they’re green; however, you may find a slightly different taste palate than the red-hot pepper you’re used to.
Because the enzymes that make for the spicy flavor aren’t as prominent when the pepper is unripe, you’ll find that green habaneros are milder in spice, and have more nutty, fruity notes than it’s fiery, ripe counterpart.
How Long Do Habaneros Usually Take To Ripen off the Branch?
Once you have harvested the Habanero and are keeping it at room temperature, you can expect the ripening process to take anywhere from one to two weeks, depending on when they were harvested.
You can pop them onto a sunny windowsill in order to help the process along, but you can still expect to wait at least a couple of days for your peppers to turn color.
How Do I Know That My Habaneros Are Ripening?
Once you’ve begun the agonizing wait for your Habaneros to ripen, you may be in the habit of constantly checking if they are ripe or not. Save yourself the daily task, and the daily headache, by knowing what signs to look out for in your peppers.
Usually, when Habaneros are nearly ready to ripen, you will notice that at least one of the delicious peppers will have turned a slightly different color. Once this has happened, you can be sure that the rest of your peppers will soon follow suit.
Recap
Whether you picked up a few green nubs at the grocery store, or you were forced to harvest early from your plant due to frost, you can still have hope that your Habanero peppers will ripen to their full potential when you leave them be at room temperature.
If you can’t wait the week, then you can always utilize them in their unripe state. They will still be tasty additions to any meal or snack, but maybe just less spicy than you’re used to.
If you’re eager for the spice and want them to ripen to their full potential, you can either put them in a paper bag with other ripe fruit, stick them onto a warm, sunny windowsill.
If they’re still attached to the branch, then you can also flip them upside down while indoors, which should help them ripen. Any of these easy steps should take your green Habanero to its ripest potential in no time.
