# Q about Cooking with Bell Peppers **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 19, 2016, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-cooking-with-bell-peppers/757747 "2016-06-19T01:46:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2016, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-cooking-with-bell-peppers/757747/1 "2016-06-19T01:46:26Z")
I’ll be cooking something for the first time tomorrow. Among other ingredients, I’ve got 8 big bell peppers in the fridge waiting for me to cut up. So I’m wondering… What’s the best way to get rid of the seeds and part with the seeds? Start off by cutting around the stem and pulling that section out and then continue cutting it in half the long way and picking out the seeds left on those inner ridges… Or… Just cutting it in half the long way and cutting/scooping out the seeds and seed part? Need answer by 1400 tomorrow. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2016, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-cooking-with-bell-peppers/757747/2 "2016-06-19T02:09:25Z")
All the foodies hang out in Café Society. Moved from General Questions to Café society. **samclem** , moderator ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2016, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-cooking-with-bell-peppers/757747/3 "2016-06-19T02:11:01Z")
Core it with a paring knife. In other words get the stem out of there. Split in in half long ways to get two halves. Cut off the small ends of the halves. Flatten, breaking it up a bit. Now rinse any seeds. Chop long into strips and then sideways. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2016, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-cooking-with-bell-peppers/757747/4 "2016-06-19T02:12:24Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > Start off by cutting around the stem and pulling that section out and then continue cutting it in half the long way and picking out the seeds left on those inner ridges… That’s the way I do it. Cut it like a jack o’ lantern. Running water helps get the seeds out. I don’t know if there is a “right” way however, it’s pretty foolproof. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2016, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-cooking-with-bell-peppers/757747/5 "2016-06-19T02:37:37Z")
I usually slice off the sides, usually four pieces and discard the core, then rinse off and hangers on, then trim out the pith. ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2016, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-cooking-with-bell-peppers/757747/6 "2016-06-19T02:47:44Z")
I usually quarter them, use the paring knife to core and pith, rinse off the seeds, then julienne or chop them,. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2016, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-cooking-with-bell-peppers/757747/7 "2016-06-19T02:52:33Z")
I usually cut them in half, pop out the seed core with my thumb, and slice, pivot 90 degrees, and dice. But I admit it’s unsatisfying. There is so much curve that the dice off the top is always messed up and thicker than the dice from the sides. But I refuse to waste all that pepper. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2016, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-cooking-with-bell-peppers/757747/8 "2016-06-19T03:07:25Z")
I always do it the way **enipla** does. Pop the top, split, pare away the ribs, wash off seeds. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2016, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-cooking-with-bell-peppers/757747/9 "2016-06-19T03:36:34Z")
Same as most others, around the stem then split. Pull out the seeds and membrane by hand. ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2016, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-cooking-with-bell-peppers/757747/10 "2016-06-19T03:39:19Z")
I do it like in this video [pepper cutting video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MOj3XDBP6U) ---
**Author:** ![tenacious\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@tenacious\_j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tenacious_j)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2016, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-cooking-with-bell-peppers/757747/11 "2016-06-19T03:39:51Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Same as most others, around the stem then split. Pull out the seeds and membrane by hand. Yep. Like that. You really can’t do it wrong; the worst that can happen is you waste a little pepper, but it sounds like you have plenty. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2016, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-cooking-with-bell-peppers/757747/12 "2016-06-19T03:43:51Z")
I saw this video with Ming Tsai on the food network (I think) 8 or 10 years ago and have been cutting bell pepper like this ever since. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/eMG8R7s8LLU/hqdefault.jpg "Simply Ming Tip- Slicing & Dicing Peppers") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMG8R7s8LLU) Eta: looks like it’s the same technique as a couple posts up, but a much shorter video. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2016, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-cooking-with-bell-peppers/757747/13 "2016-06-19T04:19:52Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I usually slice off the sides, usually four pieces and discard the core, then rinse off and hangers on, then trim out the pith. +1 That’s exactly what I do as well. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2016, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-cooking-with-bell-peppers/757747/14 "2016-06-19T05:33:07Z")
> [@bump](#): > > +1 > > That’s exactly what I do as well. Me too. Much less fiddly than trying to core it or pull the seeds out by the stem. I think you would only need to do that if you were going to stuff the pepper. ---
**Author:** ![Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emtar_KronJonDerSohn)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2016, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-cooking-with-bell-peppers/757747/15 "2016-06-19T05:54:52Z")
I’ve prepped a lot of bells. I generally cup them in both hands with the stem on top and pop my thumbs in the top and pull them in half. The stem and most of the seeds stay together and with a gentle shake they roll out and I’ll brush away any stragglers. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2016, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-cooking-with-bell-peppers/757747/16 "2016-06-19T06:17:08Z")
It’s probably been 30 years since I cooked anything with a cut-up bell pepper in it, but here’s what I remember: No particular trick. Just cut the pepper into some slices, and the seeds brush off rather easily. Why discard the core? I just cut it into pieces along with the rest of the pepper and throw it all into the stew. I don’t remember there being anything wrong with eating the core. BTW, has anybody by any chance ever broken open a [Jimson Weed (a.k.a. Loco Weed) seed pod](http://images.google.com/search?q=jimson+weed+seed+pod&btnG=Search&hl=en&gbv=1&tbm=isch)? They look like sea urchins on the outside, but inside, the structure and seeds are just like bell peppers! ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2016, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-cooking-with-bell-peppers/757747/17 "2016-06-19T06:43:30Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > BTW, has anybody by any chance ever broken open a [Jimson Weed (a.k.a. Loco Weed) seed pod](http://images.google.com/search?q=jimson+weed+seed+pod&btnG=Search&hl=en&gbv=1&tbm=isch)? They look like sea urchins on the outside, but inside, the structure and seeds are just like bell peppers! That’s because it’s a member of the nightshade family, just like bell peppers. It has significantly different effects, however. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2016, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-cooking-with-bell-peppers/757747/18 "2016-06-19T09:08:18Z")
Thank you all. Since I’ve got 8 of them, I can try the different ways. They delivered 2 green, 2 red, 2 orange, and 2 yellow peppers. What fun! I wish they came in blue also. They’re going to be stir fried, so I’ll want strips, not rings. ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2016, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-cooking-with-bell-peppers/757747/19 "2016-06-19T15:08:26Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > Thank you all. Since I’ve got 8 of them, I can try the different ways. They delivered 2 green, 2 red, 2 orange, and 2 yellow peppers. What fun! I wish they came in blue also. They’re going to be stir fried, so I’ll want strips, not rings. The make for a nice way to add color to your stir fry. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2016, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-cooking-with-bell-peppers/757747/20 "2016-06-19T17:04:07Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I usually slice off the sides, usually four pieces and discard the core, then rinse off and hangers on, then trim out the pith. Same here. I used to do cut in half and core, but now I just stand it up (or lay it down) and just make four slices around the core. [Like this.](https://youtu.be/hZGqtmwboHU) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-cooking-with-bell-peppers/757747.md?page=2)