This is a tip that comes straight out of a reader comment on my recent post about making salsa fresca at home. I warned readers that if they chop fresh hot peppers for their salsa, they should wear gloves to protect themselves from the hours of burning fingertips that come from skin contact with the pepper oils. I never seem to have gloves around when I'm working with hot peppers and so just have to endure the discomfort. Luckily, jdhawk stepped in with another solution...
You can get rid of the caustic pepper fingers by dipping them into a weak bleach solution (1:10 should do). This will change the capsaicin into a salt that is easily washed away w/ soap and water afterwards.
I tried it with a batch of salsa over the weekend and was thrilled to discover it worked perfectly. I keep a spray bottle of watered down bleach under my sink for the countertop stains that my vinegar-based homemade cleanser can't budge and so I gave my fingers a quick squirt, let it sit for a moment and then washed my hands like normal. Not a bit of sting was left. Thanks jdhawk!
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