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How to Roast a Red Pepper

Posted on August 16th, 2009 by Elaine
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Roasted red pepper adds spiciness and flavor to various dishes, including pasta, sandwiches, and salad. While you can easily buy it canned from the supermarket, nothing beats freshly-roasted ones, hot off the oven or grill. Traditional roasting adds more flavor and depth to the pepper. If you want to do this easy cooking technique, there are several ways how.

On The Grill

If you’re cooking steak and hamburger during a barbecue, then make some room for your roast peppers on the grill. Here’s what to do.

What You’ll Need:

  • Grill
  • Tongs
  • Bowl
  • Plastic bag or paper bowl

Procedure:

  1. Wash your red peppers thoroughly under running water. Make sure they’re completely dry before you roast them.
  2. Put the red peppers on top of the grill. Make sure that the heat’s distributed evenly, and fire does not reach and burn the skin. Don’t leave the peppers unattended, as they will blacken in a short period of time.
  3. Turn the peppers frequently, making sure all sides turn black and begin to blister.
  4. Once all sides have blackened, remove them from the grill, the put in a bowl.
  5. Cover your bowl with a dish or a lid, making it airtight. A paper bag or plastic bag also works great. Let the peppers build up steam in the container, leaving them for 10 to 15 minutes.
  6. When done, uncover the bowl and slide off the skins easily.
  7. Cut the pepper in half, then remove the seeds inside. You can then cut it in strips or dice it, depending on what your recipe says.

Using A Gas Cook Top

For a recipe that only calls for a single red pepper, this is a better and quicker option, as it will not take up much time and effort. Here’s what to do.

What You’ll Need:

  • Flame-resistant tongs, with a long handle (must be big enough to hold a pepper)
  • Gas cook top

Procedure:

  1. Turn the gas cook-top on. Don’t attempt this with an electric cook top.
  2. Hold the pepper in between the tongs, then put it directly over the flame. You can also set in on top of the cook top’s bracket, if your tongs aren’t long enough.
  3. Turn the pepper every now and then, until the skin becomes black and blisters. Don’t use your bare hands for this, or you’ll burn yourself.
  4. Once blackened or blistered enough, remove the pepper from the heat, and transfer to a bowl, proceed with removing the skin and seeds as the tactic above.

The Oven Method

If you plan on roasting a large batch of red peppers indoors, this is the best option.

What You’ll Need:

Procedure:

  1. Wash the red peppers thoroughly, then dry them.
  2. Line the peppers on the cookie sheet that’s lined with tin foil or parchment paper. This will make cleaning easier. Line the peppers properly, putting enough space in between them.
  3. Pre-heat the oven to 400° Fahrenheit for 30 minutes, then put the peppers inside.
  4. Through the oven’s glass door, watch the peppers. As the skins start to turn black, turn them over with a pair of tongs.
  5. Once done, remove the skins and seeds.

When toasted properly, red peppers will definitely enhance and flavor any dish you’re cooking. Just make sure you don’t burn them, otherwise, you’ll end up with a bitter-tasting veggie. If you enjoy reading this article, you’ll surely enjoy learning how to eat spicy food.

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