Hot peppers

[JoB]

If you want hot sauce that doesn't burn you to a crisp, you can do one or two things:

1) grow peppers that are lower on the Scoville scale. Jalapenos and Serranos are between 10,000-25,000 and most people can handle that in their hot sauce;
2) cut out all membranes and discard. you'll want to get rid of the seeds anyway so go the extra mile and get rid of the structure where most capsaicin is. They will still be plenty hot.
3) combine 1 & 2

I do think they mellow a bit over time and with the lacto-ferment, but maybe that's a figment of my imagination.
one other thing - some peppers are apparently (and according to Rick Bayless) inconsistent in their hotness (e.g., Jalapenos) and others pretty even (Serranos).

They generally like a sunny spot and people have had good luck with them as container plants if that makes life easier. They do like nutrient rich soil in my experience so I mix some cow manure into the planting soil. You'll only need a few plants as they're quite productive once they're going. Stake them so they don't fall over.

Last thing, they will continue ripen when off the plant. So if they're not fully red and you're worried about your first frost, pick them, bring them inside, cover with a cloth and let them turn red.

Happy to help with the lactofermenting part when the time comes!

We have some flower beds in the back and I could give this a try. A few questions ...

1) What peppers are interesting without getting into crazy hot peppers? We like spice but nothing like what is posted in this thread. A nice flavorful pepper for regular people.
2) How much sunlight do they require? We get some light but there is a lot of shade.
3) Any tips you might offer for trying out some backyard growing.

[Too Tall]

We have some flower beds in the back and I could give this a try. A few questions ...

1) What peppers are interesting without getting into crazy hot peppers? We like spice but nothing like what is posted in this thread. A nice flavorful pepper for regular people.
2) How much sunlight do they require? We get some light but there is a lot of shade.
3) Any tips you might offer for trying out some backyard growing.

Plant some Jalapenos and Poblanos. The Jalapenos can be toyed with by seeding them and scraping out the white. Washed and seeded Jalapenos are about a 2 out of 10 for "hot". Poblano and Anaheim are both pretty mild and lovely to stuff or sear under the broiler.

[alexstar]

Being Mexican, I gravitate towards the serrano for an everyday hot pepper. When you have a serrano plant you get a LOT of peppers, so you need some salsa recipes that are heavy on serranos. Here's my current favorite, from Bricia Lopez and Javier Cabral's excellent cookbook "Oaxaca: Home Cooking From The Heart Of Mexico". It is super easy and super delicious, and you can thank me (them) later.

https://app.ckbk.com/recipe/oaxa56523c08s001r003/guacachile


"This is my favorite bar snack salsa. When I think of this salsa, I think of being in my favorite centro botanero in Oaxaca, an old-school bar named La Giralda. There, when you order your beer or michelada, they bring you taquitos and some of this salsa to dip them in, and it’s absolutely perfect with a cold beer or michelada to add to the heat. Despite its name, it has nothing to do with avocado; it gets its creaminess from the oil that is used to fry the chiles. When you blend it, the oil emulsifies the chiles and it looks like a taqueria guacamole. But don’t be deceived, it is some powerful stuff."

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
10 serrano chiles (100 g), stems removed
¼ cup (25 g) chopped white onion
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Sea salt

Heat the oil in a medium pan over high heat. Once pan is hot, add the chiles and fry them for about 10 minutes. Make sure to move them around so that all sides of all the chiles get blistered and brown.

Once the chiles are brown on all sides and their color starts to change to a lighter green, transfer them to a blender and use a spatula to scrape all of the oil in there as well. Add the onion, garlic, 3 tablespoons of water, and the lime juice and blend until smooth. Salt to taste.

[JoB]

hallelujah- thanks!

i bet that could be hot canned as is and refreshed with some lime juice when serving, no?

Being Mexican, I gravitate towards the serrano for an everyday hot pepper. When you have a serrano plant you get a LOT of peppers, so you need some salsa recipes that are heavy on serranos. Here's my current favorite, from Bricia Lopez and Javier Cabral's excellent cookbook "Oaxaca: Home Cooking From The Heart Of Mexico". It is super easy and super delicious, and you can thank me (them) later.

https://app.ckbk.com/recipe/oaxa56523c08s001r003/guacachile


"This is my favorite bar snack salsa. When I think of this salsa, I think of being in my favorite centro botanero in Oaxaca, an old-school bar named La Giralda. There, when you order your beer or michelada, they bring you taquitos and some of this salsa to dip them in, and it’s absolutely perfect with a cold beer or michelada to add to the heat. Despite its name, it has nothing to do with avocado; it gets its creaminess from the oil that is used to fry the chiles. When you blend it, the oil emulsifies the chiles and it looks like a taqueria guacamole. But don’t be deceived, it is some powerful stuff."

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
10 serrano chiles (100 g), stems removed
¼ cup (25 g) chopped white onion
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Sea salt

Heat the oil in a medium pan over high heat. Once pan is hot, add the chiles and fry them for about 10 minutes. Make sure to move them around so that all sides of all the chiles get blistered and brown.

Once the chiles are brown on all sides and their color starts to change to a lighter green, transfer them to a blender and use a spatula to scrape all of the oil in there as well. Add the onion, garlic, 3 tablespoons of water, and the lime juice and blend until smooth. Salt to taste.

[alexstar]

hallelujah- thanks!

i bet that could be hot canned as is and refreshed with some lime juice when serving, no?

I bet you're right - I haven't tried processing any of my salsas, as I usually make pretty small batches. Great gift idea, though.

[JoB]

I oven roast tomatoes, jalapenos, garlic, onion on a cookie sheet under a broiler until it's pretty black. then blend with white vinegar. Hot can and holy cow, tastes amazing in February.

[Mark Walberg]

.......Mark if you see this I'm insanely envious of the Tepin crop. Those are my hands down favorite hot addition which lives in my spice cabinet.

Josh,
Incoming !
PM me your mailing address and "thar be tepins!" (to paraphrase Scotty).

[spopepro]

hallelujah- thanks!

i bet that could be hot canned as is and refreshed with some lime juice when serving, no?

With that little lime juice and that much onion and garlic, I’d only do it with a pressure canner. A hot water bath will probably be fine... but I wouldn’t trust it enough to serve to others.

[Too Tall]

Josh,
Incoming !
PM me your mailing address and "thar be tepins!" (to paraphrase Scotty).

Done. I'm putting you in my will.

[rwsaunders]

I’ll sweeten the proverbial pepper pot with the same offer, but the seeds in my stash are rather hot. Mark, if you have extra seeds, I’d try the Serranos.

[JoB]

That's a good point - i'll check so pH is below 4.6 and/or add vinegar to the mix.

Don't chance it with botulism, folks.

With that little lime juice and that much onion and garlic, I’d only do it with a pressure canner. A hot water bath will probably be fine... but I wouldn’t trust it enough to serve to others.

[rydesteel]

That time of year again and this time I started shopping early, going in so far is a Thai Birds Eye Hybrid (100-200K) which is interesting that's pretty good heat from a Birds eye, a Chocolate Scorpion, a Yellow 7 Pot, a Habanero, and a Mem Jalokia another Birds eye pepper. Very interested in the Thai Birds eye. I used to get a pepper at one of the Asian Groceries that was really hot and about 2 bites. We'll see, I'll have plenty if the growth is good so plan on a care package if you like heat. Pictures to follow. Just touching the leaves on the Scorpion made my fingers warm, lol.

[rydesteel]

The start of some Homemade Sriracha Sauce, lot's of Thai Peppers a couple red bell's for color, and half a yellow 7 Pod (sans seeds and membrane) for that little bit of a "Holy S**t kick). Label will read "Dog has Teeth will Bite".

[Too Tall]

Gorgeous work as usual Frank. My peppers were a bust this season. They went in at the right time and were zapped by a cold snap. I've been harvesting enough to eat, not enough to pickle.

[rydesteel]

I gave it a short ferment, you catch a bit of Garlic, Sweet, and Vinegar first, then Mr Scoville steps into the room :>). A mix of Sriracha, and Franks Hot sauce for a flavor comparison. Just a wee bit more Kick though.

[skiezo]

Fermented Jalapenos
I just did a 1/2 gallon of these. 5 week ferment. Fermented them whole,sliced open one side with some garlic.
After 5 weeks I sliced in half lengthwise and removed seeds and veins and returned to ferment base.
These things are the best I have had. They stayed really crispy and just enough heat. Took a qt into work for our friday lunch and even non pepper fan thought they were great.
Just got a peck at the farmers market and will be doing them this weekend.

[skiezo]

My current in process ferments are
2 pints- lemon drop peppers
2 qts- yellow scotch bonnets.
2 2qt jars of a mix of 4 types of long red hots.

I also have some lemon drop seeds I can send out if anyone would like some.

[skiezo]

Last of my lemon drop peppers. I will be saving seeds if anyone would like to grow these. hot with a bit of citrus on the back side. These will be dried and ground course for seasoning.

[htwoopup]

Not nearly as cool as what y'all have been doing with the grow your own and process them, but I am throwing this out there in case anyone else is in the same boat.

Was struggling with what to get my son-in-law for the smaller of the holiday gifts and stumbled across this in the local grocer. It is from a kinda interesting product line from a Montreal spice company. I believe you can order it online from a hot minute of clicking around the website.



It is kinda like going to your local brewpub and ordering a flight of all of their beers.

[gt6267a]

Calabrian chili's are easily found in a jar but never fresh at the local stores. Inspired by this thread to grow my own, I bought some Italian seeds and a home starter kit recommended by the local plant store peoples. Instructions were to leave the cover on until I see green. Then grow sans cover until moving outside. They invited me to come back in April for more instructions.

Current state of planting:

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