# Some Like It Hot - Growing Hot Peppers



## coyote (May 10, 2008)

Some Like It Hot - Growing Hot Peppers
Phillip Peters
Adams County Master Gardener






Thank heavens for Wilbur L. Scoville! If you like the pungency of hot peppers, you know Wilbur L. Scoville. Donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t know him? Maybe itâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s time you got acquainted.
Hot chile peppers have been part of the diet in the Americas for about 8000 years. In that time the plant has migrated from its Amazon origins to all parts of the world where a bit of â€˜heatâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji] gives piquancy to the food. Carried north by birds whose digestive systems have no receptors sensitive to the â€˜heatâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji] in the plant and do not destroy the seeds during digestion, the hotter capsicums became a staple of Southwest native diets centuries ago. 
Today you can have the joy of growing these hot little gems in your own garden. Itâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s fun and rewarding. February and March are the months to get started. Since our last frost date is mid-May, you want to start 8-10 weeks before that, although you can wait until late March to sow seed. 
Sow the seed according to package directions in a standard seed-starting medium. Moisten and cover with a piece of loose plastic until the seeds begin to sprout. Pepper seeds germinate best when soil temperature is between 70 and 80̊F so place the medium in a sunny location or on a heating mat. In about ten days the plants will germinate. 
They are ready to transplant when they have 4 to 6 leaves. Use pots that will offer ample room for root growth; pepper plants are not happy when they are root-bound. If you buy the plants, make sure the leaf structure and the root system are full and healthy. Keep the young plants moist and give them plenty of sun. When the danger of frost is past and nighttime temperatures are above 55̊F, harden off the plants by gradual exposure them to the outdoors, then transplant them to your garden plot, setting them about 12" apart, or pot on in containers or pots.
Fertilize with a balanced fertilizer (10-10-10, 5-10-5). Avoid excessive nitrogen (the first number) as the plant will produce leaves at the expense of fruit. As the nights warm to between 65-80Â° F, the plants will set fruit. 
Now that you know how to plant them, what peppers do you want? Or, how hot do you like it? Hereâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s where Wilbur Scoville comes in. A chemist with the Parke Davis pharmaceutical company, in 1912 he devised a method for measuring the â€˜heatâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji] of a pepper. The â€˜heatâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji] we feel is caused by capsaicin produced in glands that line the inner walls of the pepper. There are five capsaicinoids produced by peppers, yet they make up only .1-1.0% of the fruitâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s content. Talk about bang for your buck!
Scoville developed a scale to rate the various peppersâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji] â€˜fire.â€[emoji]8482[/emoji] It goes up from 0 in increments of 100 units, called Scovilles or Scoville units. The higher the number, the hotter the pepper. The bell pepper so familiar in the supermarket is rated at 0 Scoville units. Most sweet peppers are in the 0-100 range. Anchos and Pasillas are in the 1000-2000 range. The much-touted jalapeÃ±os rate from 2500-5000 Scoville units with JalapeÃ±o M being near 5000 units. 
If you think a jalapeÃ±o is hot, weâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]re just getting started! The Super Hybrid Cayenne and Tabasco peppers rate from 25,000-50,000 units. But we still have a way to go. Thai peppers and the Scotch Bonnet are in the 100,000-350,000 class. And the redoubtable habanera? It comes in on top, consistently measuring between 200,000-300,000 Scoville units with the "Red Savina" habanera rated in excess of 577,000 Scoville units. Pure capsaicin? 16,000,000 Scoville units!
Based on this scale you can make more sense of the catalog descriptions and choose peppers that will suit your taste. You can get a more complete listing by going to the Internet and searching Scoville units.
Since the capsaicin is produced by glands in those four ribs that divide the cell of the pepper, scraping the inside and removing the seeds will remove the source of the heat and a lot of the pain. The seeds have some, but not excessive amounts, of the chemical. However, the flesh of the hotter peppers retains a lot of bite. Always taste a tiny amount before popping the entire pepper in your mouth. 
Capsaicin does not break down very readily in water. Dairy products are much more effective since the chemical is soluble in fats, oils and alcohol. If you eat one that is too hot, drinking milk or eating yogurt or even bread will help mitigate the pain. The bread absorbs and dilutes the capsaicin. 
Always remember to protect your hands with rubber gloves when handling hot peppers. I get a pack of those thin, slip-on plastic gloves in the paint department of the local hardware store â€“ very economical and fast on, fast off. Protect your eyes as well if you are cutting up the peppers. And always wash your hands thoroughly before wiping your eyes or touching your body.
Want to get more fruit from your plant? Plant in a bed covered with black or red plastic mulch. It keeps the ground warm. Then, harvest some of the fruit when it is in the mature green stage (just before it turns red). Peppers stop setting fruit when the bush is loaded. Harvesting the mature green fruit encourages the plant to continue producing. If left on the bush, virtually all peppers will turn red. 
Try some homegrown chile peppers. There is a â€˜heatâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji] suited to you. And thank Wilbur L. Scoville while youâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]re at it.


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## waysideranch (May 10, 2008)

Hey Coyote,

Nice info for us pepper lovers.  Thank you.

Scott


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## rivet (May 10, 2008)

Rubber gloves? We don' need no stinkin' rubber gloves!


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## abelman (May 10, 2008)

Well, like the article, we can't start planting out here until mid May. We're done around the end of Sept. when we get our first hard freeze. I just put in 4 Serranos and 10 Thai Dragons which are my favorite. 

Usually, I get a quart of powder out of the Thai's and this is the first year I've done Serranos. They're great to eat so I figure I'll try smoking them and going the powder route as well with some of them.

Here's the class of 2008:



Here's what they look like in August/September:


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## waysideranch (May 10, 2008)

Abelman,,like How You Incorperated The Peps Into The Landscape.


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## coyote (May 10, 2008)

Blaahaahaa we took some folks that moved from up north to pick chiles at the farms,we make a day out of it pick 160 lbs then roast and pack them. when they arrived they all had rubber gloves and goggles..lol. my three kids and wife went in to the fields and started picking in no time they lost the goggles and rubber gloves. they are not hot till ya break em open and rub em around on yer self.
ABELMAN I see you have your two favorite gardeners with you. I have a chocolate and a small Beagle. the lab will walk thru every now and then. but missy beagle has to sniff and dig where we have worked.we just let her think she is helping.so happy to be with us..I have a bunch of thais planted this year also. never done anything with them as they are ornimental make for a pretty garden when they bloom are yours the ornimental type that you use? I have noticed that a bunch of smokers seem to like the thais, will have to plant some if they are not the same..


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## abelman (May 10, 2008)

Coyote,

I'm not exactly sure what you mean by ornamental. So, I'll just tell you what I do in any event. Once the first fruit starts to appear, I taste test them until we're getting some good heat. Then I'll start picking them off each plant. They're pretty hardy and new peppers spring up quickly. I have found that the green peppers are just as hot as the red ones so I really don't let them go to red as I can get bigger yields by picking mature greenies.

Once picked, I put them in a dehydrator and dry them. After that, I put them in a blender or a coffee bean grinder and make powder out of them. I use that on/with all kinds of food and cooking. 

I sent some to Flash last year (actually Kung Pao's, less heat but similar pepper, as I couldn't find Thai's last year) so he can give an opinion as well.

Lastly, it's nice having gardening buddies as you pointed out.


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## rivet (May 10, 2008)

Beautiful dogs, abelman!


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## abelman (May 10, 2008)

Thanks, they're part of the family to say the least.


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## coyote (May 10, 2008)

For a similar variety of Capiscum frutescens better known as peri-peri, see African birdseye.
Chili Padi / Bird's Eye Chili / Thai pepper
	

		
			
		

		
	







Bird's Eye Chili
Scientific classificationKingdom:Plantae
Division:Magnoliophyta
Class:Magnoliopsida
Subclass:Asteridae
Order:Solanales
Family:Solanaceae
Genus:Capsicum
Species:Frutescens

*Thai pepper* (pronounced: _Prik ki nu_) in Thai refers to any of three cultivars of chili pepper, found commonly in Thailand, and also in neighbouring countries, such as Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Singapore. It is also found in India, mainly Kerala, and is used in traditional dishes of kerala cuisine (pronounced in Malayalam as _kanthari mulagu_).
*Contents*

[hide]
<LI class=toclevel-1>1 Bird's Eye Chili Pepper (Chili padi/ Cabe Rawit)
1.1 Malay and Indonesian proverb
<LI class=toclevel-1>2 Thai Ornamental
3 Non-pungent "Thai Pepper"
//

*[edit] Bird's Eye Chili Pepper (Chili padi/ Cabe Rawit)*






Bird's eye Peppers







*Heat: Very Hot (SR: 50,000-100,000)*
The hottest form is the Bird's Eye Chili Pepper, which is also known as _Chili padi_. This refers to the small size of the chili that reminds people about the small size of paddy (rice), the staple food in the region. It is also known as _cili padi_ (Malay), _cabe rawit_ (Indonesian), _phrik khii nuu_ (พริกขี้หนู, literally "_mouse **** chili_"), _Thai Hot_, _Thai Dragon_ (due to its resemblance to claws), _Siling Labuyo_ (Filipino), _LadÃ¢_, and _Boonie pepper_ (the Anglicized name).
These tiny little fiery chilis point downward from the plant and their colors change directly from green to red. This type of chili can be found in Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, and the Philippines but most commonly in Thailand. Although small in size compared to other types of chili, the chili padi is relatively strong at 50,000 to 100,000 on the Scoville pungency scale. Malaysia consumes about RM140 million worth of chilies each year.[_citation needed_]

*[edit] Malay and Indonesian proverb*

This chili is commonly found in Malaysian and Indonesian markets sold alongside the larger chili. As the small chili turns out to be hotter than the larger counterpart, this often surprises people that don't expect such a small chili would pack a very hot taste. This is the source of the Malay proverb "Kecil-kecil cili padi" and Indonesian proverb "Kecil-kecil cabe rawit", which refers to something small in size or stature that contains something unexpected for its size.

*[edit] Thai Ornamental*






Thai Ornanmental hot peppers growing wild on Saipan.


The more decorative but slightly less pungent variety, sometimes known as _Thai Ornamental_, has peppers that point upward on the plant, and go from green to yellow, orange, and then red. It is the basis for the hybrid Numex twilight, essentially the same but less pungent and starting with purple fruit, creating a rainbow effect, and among the group of capsicum annuum. These peppers can grow wild in places like Saipan. Despite their size, these tiny peppers pack a VERY potent punch. A window-box can provide a perfect environment for this particular plant...Low-maintenance, high yield, diabolically hot peppers that produce for months on a single, tiny plant that never gets taller than 18".

*[edit] Non-pungent "Thai Pepper"*

"Thai pepper" can also refer to a different type of pepper that is non-pungent, larger, and grows hanging down. This kind of pepper is found in Thailand[_citation needed_].
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_pepper"


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## abelman (May 10, 2008)

Coyote, 



Just joking. Man, that's a lot of info for one word, LOL. 

To answer your question, no they are not. Here's a batch of Kung Pao's I had on the smoker last year. Look just like a Thai Dragon but a tad longer.

For some reason, the color in this picture is really strange.


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## coyote (May 10, 2008)

Abelman

I was not sure what the thais were. And in the very distant past, Ornamental peppers (there are many varietys) were supposed to be unedible as they were supposed to be just to hot and unflaverable for human consumption. I believe in Panama (they looked the same and grew up right) the same pepper grew there except that it was called "pecapahado" (my spanish) "bird bites" the indians loved them and would pick them by the sack full. (the plants there grew to almost tree size and would last several years before croaking). I am now wondering if they are the same?
any how, the ones at my home are the ones that grow pointing upwards. I guess yours grow pointing to the ground. I will have to go to the univercity and get the correct seeds and then some as I would like to start trying to make my own rubs now that I have small working knowledge of how it is done.
but I am thinking the habs and scotts have more flavor and more Heat,so I might use a smaller amout to make a rub. but not sure if that would give up on the flavor at the same time.


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## abelman (May 10, 2008)

Lots of good info there. Mine do grow down ward. They can get some pretty serious heat going and very good yields. I've done Habs before but my growing season is too short to get a good yield from them. 

As we get near the end of summer, I will certainly send you some dried peppers (with seeds) as well as some powder and you can decide what you want to do with it. You just have to remind me in August.


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## coyote (May 10, 2008)

Thank you. looking forward to it.. some how I may be able to reciprocate..


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## richtee (May 10, 2008)

Tell ya what. Clean and pack about a couple pecks of jalapenos and say that. Don't even TRY habs without gloves. Word to the wise.


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## abelman (May 10, 2008)

Sounds good!


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## coyote (May 10, 2008)

*Frequently Asked Questions about hot peppers*

*Q. How do you get the burning sensation to stop after consuming chile peppers?*
*A.* The best way to ease the burning sensation is to drink milk, or eat yogurt or any other dairy product. A substance found in dairy products known as casein, helps to disrupt the reaction. This substance, which is a lipophilic phosphoprotein, acts like a detergent and literally strips capsaicin from its receptor binding site. If you get the oil on your skin, you may want to rub it with rubbing alcohol first, then soak in milk, this seems to alleviate the burning. If you get it in your eyes, the only thing you can do is repeatedly rinse with water or saline. Be very careful when handling hot chiles, especially pod types like habanero as there are reports of these chiles actually blistering the skin. Gloves are recommended when handling or peeling any types of hot chile.
*Q. What is a Scoville Heat Unit, or HPLC test?*
*A.* The Scoville Organoleptic Test is a refined, systematic approach. With this method, human subjects taste a chile sample and record its heat level. Samples are then diluted until heat can no longer be detected by the taster. This dilution is called the Scoville Heat Unit, named for the man who invented it, Wilbur Scoville. A more technologically advanced test is an HPLC test, or High Performance Liquid Chromatography. An HPLC "sees" the heat compounds and records the amount in parts per million (ppm). A quick conversion from HPLC to Scoville is to multiply the ppm by 15 to get the Scoville Heat Unit.
*Q. Are ornamental varieties of chiles poisonous?*
*A.* There are absolutely no varieties of peppers that are poisonous; all capsicum species are edible. Some of the ornamental varieties just don't taste very good, while others are extremely hot or pungent, which may lead to this misconception; however, there is an ornamental plant called a False Jerusalem Cherry, botanical name, _Solanum Capsicastrum_, which is poisonous and not intended for consumption. It is not a chile plant, only a relative.
*Q. How do I know when to pick green chile, before it starts to turn red?*
*A.* As chiles ripen, the pods become more firm. A gentle squeeze of the pod is the best method to test when to pick a chile. If the pod is firm with a slight crackling sound when you squeeze it, it should be ready.
*Q. What is the best method to dry chiles?*
*A.* It really depends on what variety you want to dry. New Mexican varieties dry well in the form of ristras, hung or laid out in the sun. Other thick walled pods of different varieties like jalapeo, are smoked to preserve them, because the thick walls hold so much more moisture and are very hard to sun dry or dry with dehydrators. Also, depending on whether they are partially dried on the plant or harvested while still succulent, moisture must be reduced to about 10-11% for proper storage. Large processors are now using dehydrators to dry pods; temperatures for dehydrators range from 140-150 F.
*Q. I heard that some chile pepper plants are perennials, are they, and if so, which ones?*
*A.* All pepper plants are perennials if the conditions are favorable (no frost or freezing temperatures). Southern California and Florida (here in the continental U.S.) are probably the only places where you can grow peppers as perennials.
*Q. What does capsaicin do for the chile plant? Or in other words, why did evolution produce hot peppers?*
*A.* We believe that chiles evolved pungency to protect the fruits from being eaten by mammals. Capsaicinoids, the compounds that cause the burning sensation, are the only alkaloid chile produces. Birds, the natural dispersal agent of chiles, can not feel the heat and thus disseminate the seeds; however, when mammals eat chiles the seeds are destroyed in the digestive tract.
*Q. Where does the "heat" reside in the chile pepper? Many claim it is ALL in the seeds. I have also heard that the capsaicinoids are stored in the membranes of the chile.*
*A.* Capsaicinoids are located on the chile membrane, or in the placental tissue, which holds the seeds. Although many people believe the seeds to be the hottest, seeds do not produce any capsaicin, but do absorb some from the placental tissues during processing.
*Q. We have harvested a large amount of green chile from our small garden this year and would like to save them for the winter. Is it possible to FREEZE them?*
*A.* Yes, after roasting and peeling you will be able to freeze them in air tight containers for up to six months.
*Q. What is a "New Mexico Green Chile"?*
*A.* Around 1888, Fabian Garcia, a horticulturist at the New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts (NMSU today), began his first experiments on breeding a more standardized New Mexican chile. In 1896, Emilio Ortega (at the time, sheriff of Ventura County, CA), after visiting southern New Mexico, brought back chile seeds and planted them near Anaheim. They adapted well to the soil and climate, and this New Mexican chile adopted the name of Anaheim. This name has stuck with this particular pod type for many years. In 1907, Fabian Garcia was finally able to release his first standardized New Mexican pod type, after experimenting with many strains of pasilla, Colorado, and negro chiles, he released New Mexico No. 9. This was the granddaddy of all future standard New Mexico pod types, and became the standard New Mexican chile until 1950. In 1987, Anaheim became a variety under the New Mexican pod type category.
*Q. I have a small chile garden and have noticed that many of the jalapeo chiles get black or dark areas on them as they near maturity. Other than these spots, the chiles seem fine. Can you explain what these are? Is there anything I can do to prevent them?*
*A.* This purpling or blackening is due to direct sunlight, and can be avoided by producing a bushier canopy that shades the pods.
*Q. What causes flower drop?* 
*A.* The four main causes of flower drop are: night temperatures exceeding 80 F, night temperatures falling below 65 F, excessive nitrogen, or lack of pollination. Changing any one of these factors, or pollinating by hand, would be the best answer to this problem.
*Q. How do you preserve a large amount of harvested chiles?*
*A.* There are a few different methods including drying, freezing, canning, and smoking. Large, thick-fleshed fruits are best canned or smoked (like jalapenos). New Mexican pod types can be dried, roasted, frozen, or canned. Habaneros are best dried, canned, or smoked. For more information on this subject, see Fiery Foods and Barbecue Business Magazine issue 21 Fall 2001, contact your local Extension Home Economist, or refer back to the Chile Pepper Institute's publication list.
*Q. If a person eats many, many peppers over a lifetime, do they develop a tolerance for capsaicin?*
*A.* There has been a correlation between eating hot chiles over long periods of time and building a sort of 'resistance' to the heat.
*Q. Are there any products containing capsicum on the market as a pain reliever for arthritis-related conditions?*
*A.* Yes, there are many. "Capsaicin D" and "Heet" are just a couple of them.
*Q. What is a Chipotle?*
*A.* Usually a smoked jalapeno, or other thick-meated varieties of chiles that have been smoked to preserve them.
*Q. Are fish able to feel the "heat" from chiles?*
*A.* No, fish do not have the pain receptors (like birds) that mammals do that "feel" the heat. Many species of fish, like koi and other colorful fish, are fed food with chile powder in it to keep their scale colors bright.

thought this might help a few folks that were a winderin about these wonderfull plants. Hey, if the wimin folk don't find ya handsome at least let em find ya handy..


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## coyote (May 13, 2008)

Abelman. and other pepper lovers.

I found this link looking for a chile pepper chefs hat for my little girl.

I hope you can use it..carefull.....you just might need snow cones for TP..

http://www.burnmegood.com/new_hot_sauce_items.html


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## abelman (May 13, 2008)

Thanks Coyote,

The bad news is I might just have to use it. We had snow last night and lots of rain today. The high was 50 and 35 degrees was the low last night. The good news is that it's good sleeping weather 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  Looks like more snow tonight which isn't as bad. The bad news is we might hit 32 degrees. If so, I'm most likely done. 

I have all 14 plants covered wtih plastic pots and at night, my welders blanket. 

I hate this time of year 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  as far as peppers go.


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## coyote (May 14, 2008)

http://www.caribbeanseeds.com/index.html

if you can get it to grow..culantro is one great herb/spice.. plus this place has a bunch of neat pepper seeds that I have not heard of. unless they are making up PR names.

good luck on the crops..sounds like you are doing everthing you can to keep the plants from freezing.


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## white cloud (May 14, 2008)

Peppers like magnesium, the best way to apply it is with epsoms salt. Place 1 Tbls. around the drip edge of each plant. I have been using it for years on all peppers hot and sweet


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## coyote (May 14, 2008)

wc funny you should bring that up..I was at wal greens pickin up my meds and the line was long.so I started reading labels and there was an epson salt bag and it said it made great fertilizer. I bought two bags used one to plant two coconut trees(I am still praying for them two) and am going to sprinkle some around the drip zone of the peppers. which I bought several dozen more yesterday found a new nursery and they had stuff the other did not have.


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## vlap (May 14, 2008)

Saw a couple guys do that. After chopping many habs they had gone to the bathroom to use the urinal. They came back and in about 5 minutes they were on the floor dumping water down thier pants... They went home for a few days


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## vlap (May 14, 2008)

Also I noticed you pick them early since it makes no difference in heat. On that note when they color (ripen) the vitamins and anti oxidants are much higher. In some cases it can be as much as 2 or 3 times more.


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## coyote (May 21, 2008)

The trading post thread for sauces, has generated intrest to some. I had wanted (if anyone could find it.) Picapepper hot sauce from shooters hill jamaica..some one found it and is sending it to me.I don'nt believe we have any sauces in NM but we do have dry pwdr chile of many varieties.
I am headin to the farm in the morning to pick up some powder chile.
it comes mild to ***xhot ground red chili. in zip lock bags 1 lb. $5.00 if I remember correctly. pm if interested.


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## abelman (May 21, 2008)

Coyote,

Is this what you're looking for? http://www.peppers.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=550

Here's the home page, they have a lot to choose from.

http://www.peppers.com/showitem.cfm/hot_sauces.html


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## coyote (May 21, 2008)

Abelman

thanks,that link was to the steak sauce. good also. but their hot pepper sauce is the best I have tasted. I believe it is the cane sugar.

http://www.peppers.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=551
 this is the link to it. the hurricanes have put production to a stand still. But I believe they have started up again and the hot sauce is being made in small batches.
 am going to try to order some.


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## abelman (May 21, 2008)

Well, I was close, LOL.

Those guys have a lot of stuff on there as well as recipes. Crusise around and see what you find.


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## racemonkey (Jun 10, 2008)

Hydroponice Habaneros



Hot peppers grow pretty well in Florida. Here are some Habanero peppers I picked on the weekend from my 1 habanero plant. This was the 2nd harvest in 30 days. Some are small as I have cut back on my hydroponic costs somewhat and dont always give them the full power they should have.


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## mavrick813 (Jun 10, 2008)

Man I'd love to have even half of those habaneros. I'm out in NJ and I never have luck with the Habs. Maybe I should make a post on the trading post seeing what any of you hab growers might want to part with after they've been roasted, dried, crushed etc?

Mike


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## supervman (Jun 10, 2008)

WOW, I broke a brow sweat AND I cracked a smile! :) 
V


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## supervman (Jun 10, 2008)

Pickapepper? you can buy that in the grocery stores. 
Save the shipping. 
SKOL
Vman


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## buck wheezer (Jun 10, 2008)

Coyote,

Thanks for the article and the subsequent discussion.

I'm genetically predisposed to kill any kind of vegetation. So I must live vicariously through you folks who can actually grow chiles and be content buying from the supermarket, getting the occasional chile offering from friends with green thumbs, and reading my "Chile Pepper" magazine (which is a Q friendly publication, in my opinion--www.chilepepper.com).

Sigh.


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## 1894 (Jun 10, 2008)

Made my bald spot sweat looking at that pic 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	




 Short season up north here , but I asked my wife to look for some jalopano plants at the farmers market , she came home with a six pack of Habs and a six pack of something that  " the nice asian lady said " oh you want hot pepper ? here try these , very hot " " 
 The pic looks like those small red peppers they put into the red star dishes of take out ,that you only take a bite of once and never try them again 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 But we got a local rest that sells a hab sauce with minimal vinagar 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	




 I love the wango tango sauce


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## coyote (Jun 11, 2008)

thats funny..sounds like my wife..she love her plastic plantslol. 

thats a great magazine..it seems to be in all the waiting rooms around here.


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## coyote (Jun 11, 2008)

race monkey, you are correct. peppers grow well there. my brother is up north and my folks who recently passed were in St. pete. My Dad always grew Chombos and Habs. great crops. my brother used to grow em.don't know why he stopped.
the hab has a great taste when mixed with other ingredents. my favorite use for them has been to make cerviche.I am sure you know what that is.
then the next use has been  to bring vinegar to a boil. then cut the habs in half and add them to the vinegar while scalding hot let come to a cool. then pour in bottles stuffed with fresh cut habs onion and garlic. I spinkle the jugo de diablo on eggs, fish, fries, every thing.hot and tasty it is..now I have found through the smf another use--- rubs lol.

Before the hot pepper graze in the U.S. I was on my annual hunting trip to the columbine border in the Darien jungles of Panama (still considered virgin Jungle) while there we encountered a group of cuban guerillas training in the jungle. the indians we were with normally do not like outsiders in their jungle and wanted to go and talk with these guys.what the heck.we did. they turned out to be okay and they had brought peppers from cuba with them, that would be the one in your photo. we had not seen them before. nor had the indians. we have all kinds of peppers growing in panama but, not those. our care taker of the hunt club managed to talk them out of a handfull and took them back to the club and planted the seeds. we had pepper trees galore.  and it was always a fight as to which was the hotter pepper, the chombos are the cubans as we called them. I thought they both would smelt steele myself.


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## racemonkey (Jun 11, 2008)

Coyote,

Now that is a great hot pepper story! I prefer scotch bonnet peppers over habs for their flavor but habs have the kick when you need it. I've grown SB in the past but my saved seeds would not propagate so now I'm back to square one because their are just too many choices out there in buying seeds. 

Back to the habs, this lil tree I have of habs has produced over 1000 peppers in the last year I bet. Until recently I had a coworker who would make hot sauce, relishes etc out of all I brought to him. We split the sauce and I provided the peppers and he provided all the rest of the ingredients. He is a hot sauce freak and sometimes I had to tell him the sauce was just way way to hot to even taste. He made a habanero/pineapple salsa or relish that is unbelievable. Too bad I dont work with him any longer.

I'm going to use your little quick recipie, I have just thrown them in vinegar and keep em in the fridge and use a pepper here or there when needed. Also I will freeze a bag of em for future uses etc. 

Growing your own is wonderful. I've done basil, cilantro, hot peppers, bell peppers, tomatoes, lettuce and more. Just dont always have the time to work them.


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## coyote (Jun 21, 2008)

Got lucky today. One of the girls that works at the commie as a bagger is from Nigeria,africa. I have known her for a while.
while heading back to the firetruck with the daily viddles we always talk.
she said she was headed back to nigeria to see her family. and asked if she could bring me something from her country. I said sure how kind of you to ask. will you bring me hot peppers from your country. she said what hot peppers? I said yes I love em and would love to have some from your country. she said I have plenty at home that I brought back last time. I bring you some. I said sweet. today she brought me a quart zip lock bag of smoked hot peppers from nigeria. I asked her the name of the pepper...she said it's a hot pepper. I said do they have a name like, nigerian killer bees? all she does is laugh at me..they don't kill anyone, they are just hot peppers. ok...what type of wood was used to smoke them? (yes, they were smoked and what an aroma they had wonderfull fragence) she said how do I know. I just get them in the market. then I said what do you call them again. she just laughs at me.. I told you hot peppers..
Well they can be one of several varietys. ATAWERE, SOMBO, ATARODO, TATASE that are indigenous to her country..
they are 1.5" in length and might look like a short jalepeno and they are smoked and dry.so they are brown to black in color.very hot and tasty..


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## coyote (Jul 1, 2008)

*[size=+2]Scoville Units[/size]* *[size=+1]Chile Pepper[/size]* *[size=+1]Heat Range[/size]* Sweet Bell0 Pimento0 Cherry00 ~ 500 Pepperoncini100 ~ 500 El-Paso500 ~ 700 Santa Fe Grande500 ~ 750 Coronado700 ~ 1,000 Espanola1,000 ~ 2,000 Poblano1,000 ~ 2,000 Ancho1,000 ~ 2,000 Mulato1,000 ~ 2,000 Pasilla1,000 ~ 2,000 Anaheim500 ~ 2,500 Sandia500 ~ 2,500 NuMex Big Jim500 ~ 2,500 Rocotillo1,500 ~ 2,500 Pulla700 ~ 3,000 Mirasol2,500 ~ 5,000 Guajillo2,500 ~ 5,000 Jalapeno2,500 ~ 8,000 Chipolte5,000 ~ 8,000 Hot Wax5,000 ~ 10,000 Puya5,000 ~ 10,000 Hidalgo6,000 ~ 17,000 Serrano8,000 ~ 22,000 Manzano12,000 ~ 30,000 Shipkas12,000 ~ 30,000 De Arbol15,000 ~ 30,000 Jaloro30,000 ~ 50,000 Aji30,000 ~ 50,000 Tabasco30,000 ~ 50,000 Cayenne30,000 ~ 50,000 Santaka40,000 ~ 50,000 Super Chile40,000 ~ 50,000 Piquin40,000 ~ 58,000 Yatsafusa50,000 ~ 75,000 Haimen70,000 ~ 80,000 Chiltecpin60,000 ~ 85,000 Thai50,000 ~ 100,000 Tabiche85,000 ~ 115,000 Bahamian95,000 ~ 110,000 Carolina Cayenne100,000 ~ 125,000 Kumataka125,000 ~ 150,000 Jamaican Hot100,000 ~ 200,000 Birds Eye100,000 ~ 225,000 Tepin (Wild)100,000 ~ 265,000 Devil Toung125,000 ~ 325,000 Fatalii125,000 ~ 325,000 Orange Habanero150,000 ~ 325,000 Scotch Bonnet150,000 ~ 325,000 Choclate Habanero300,000 ~ 425,000 Red Savina Habanero350,000 ~ 575,000 Dorset Naga800,000 ~ 900,000 Naga Jolokia800,000 ~ 1,001,300 *Pure Capsaicin* *15-16,000,000* 

and a link to a great pepper site..
http://www.ushotstuff.com/Heat.Scale.htm


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## loweyj (Jul 7, 2008)

I have Dorset Naga growing in my garden here in Alberta. I started them last fall and attempted to grow the fruit under a 175w HPS bulb in a box I built. They grew great, flowered beautifully, but the flowers would just die and fall off the plants. They would not pollinate. I tried fans gently moving the air around the box, as well as shaking the plants to get them to pollinate, but to no avail.

Well, after the last threat of frost, I placed these two plants ( that were now 3.5' tall ) into my garden. They did not do well with the transplant, lost most of its leaves and basically looked like a stick plant. Last week I noticed new shoots coming out of the 'sticks' so I figured they had a chance. Also, there was a few areas on the plant that still had some flowers that did not look all that healthy, but were remaining on the plant, so I still held some promise on them.

Well, yesterday I was enjoying the maiden run of my 'new' Broil-Mate propane smoker tending to the slabs of ribs I had in there and I decided to weed the garden in between mop sprays, and low and behold as I'm checking out the new growth on the 'sticks', I find a Dorset Naga pepper about an inch long... another about 1/2" and a whole whack of buds forming on the other ( next to dead ) flowers. Needless to say I was stoked. Looks like I will have a descent harvest after-all. Not sure if the 'new' growth will have time to mature into flowering buds, but I guess I could take a cutting and root it for next season if necessary.

This is my first post at this wonderful site... just want to say I am totally enjoying everyones input and appreciate all the excellent info I have access to. 

BTW, the slabs of side ribs were awesome with Jeff's rub and Dutch's beans were enjoyed by all...  

Jim


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## richoso1 (Jul 7, 2008)

Nice job Coyote, thanks for the 411...


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## erain (Jul 7, 2008)

interesting site, and i was just reading some thing where it was sayin the scotch bonnet was the hottest pepper on earth, guess there a few that hotter and by quite a bit. thks!!!


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## coyote (Sep 5, 2008)

I believe you are corect. scotch bonnets which I believe are called chombo's in tropical areas. can be hotter then anything else. then they came up with the one from thialand that has broke the heat record. I think differnt soils , rain and a whole bunch of other things play an importent part in how hot and how tasty they can be. just like any thing else that grows. I have had at indian feast in the deep jungles peppers that we called chomos that would peel paint off walls. a sliver in the soup would make sweat squirt out my pours and throw a six pack down my throat as fast as I could.
as a kid my neighbor had pepper plants they were from boca del torro in panama.
the plants were small compared to other pepper plants and the fruit was small and round purple in color. we were told not to eat are play with them as they were very hot.wrong thing to tell a bunch of boys..

hey bobby..stick one of these up your nose it won't burn..mike taste it they aren't hot..
we all took a nibble..they were hot. and for the ones that would not try..we had ways, candy impregnated would always get em..have never seen them since then..

some of these peppers are just hot. and thats it. but other hotties like the chombo /scotch bonnet are hot plus they have great flavor. and a little can go a long way..you fish, I have seen your pics..try them in cerviche don't know if you are familar with it.  the chombo is an ingredient in it. and the stuff is great in the summer time with a cold beer as an appitizer..


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## supervman (Sep 5, 2008)

you're right on the growing conditions. 
I used to have a metal screw top "holding tube" I kept on my key chain. 
It was from MO HOTTA MO BETTA. 
I had Scotch Bonnet powder in it.
Used in restaurants etc. 
WICKED HOT stuff. 
V


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## azkitch (Sep 21, 2008)

Yes, indeedy. The pic of the Habs looks pretty much like 99% of the grocery stores in Phoenix area. But I've been trying to score some Scotch Bonnets, because I'd heard about the flavor difference. I can't find em here. I had 2 Carribean Red plants, hoping they'd be SB-like, but this spring, when they had dozens of blossoms and were beginning to fruit, the temps went from mid 90s to 110 one weekend, and I guess I missed a day of watering. BANG, instant dead plants. Waahh!
And for Loweyj, I read on one of the pepper sites that they-peppers--won't fruit if the soil is low in nitrogen or somethng like that. I believe it was the site connected to ecoseeds.com, ecoseed.com or similar.
Good luck with your plants.
dk


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## big game cook (Sep 25, 2008)

that last one lol. i got em. got seeds from ebay this winters past. havent tried one yet. but soon. b-hut jolokias. worlds hottest pepppers. yummy. notice that bumpy wrinkled skin. resembles no others. this one is now 3 times that big but not orange yet. got about a dozen and 1/2 now. and still popping.


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## coyote (Sep 25, 2008)

big game cook..


lol. hey man let us know when you taste it..oh, have your wife film it..and lets us watch the video..lol
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






 .

great job on you garden..


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## shellbellc (Sep 25, 2008)

BIG GAME COOK STOP!!!!!!

This is our second year for bhut jolokia's...to give you an idea of their heat level...now wait I can't give you an idea, there is no explanation.  This truly isn't a pepper to mess with somebody with, when I was giving people samples last year I was cutting slivers, maybe a little bigger than the eye of a bigger sewing needle and they couldn't stand it.  The flavor, kind of smells like a green tomato, taste like celery at the very first second, then after that, nuclear.  I'm telling you, one guy I gave a piece to actually got a bloody nose.  We wound up dehydrating them and using them as a dry powder for sprinkling on food.


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## big game cook (Sep 25, 2008)

ya ive been growing and eating habenaros for years. thems fun to mess with but still a mean pepper. already told a few folks that wanted one to give to a buddie no. that they could have a sample but whole peppers aint nothing to play with. i know the habenaros dont compare.

im a chili head and grow others too. heres some ripe african fatilis. there x x x hot too. comparable to red savinas.





some red and gree scotch bonnet habaneros.



and that b-hut now. and its begining to redden. yes. nucular salsa is my plan for the first pod. aint that weird. it will only need one, lol. and some green bells for body hahaha.



ya ive been growing peppers for a while.


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## coyote (Sep 25, 2008)

Big Game cook,

your pepper garden is smokin hot..they look good. here at the NMSU the bhut jolokia's get rather large. one of the chili farmers that has been growing NM chilis for 5 generations asked one of the proffesers at the university for seed to grow some of the Bhuts, the prof. told him that he would give him some, but with warning...they were so hot that he could end up killing some one and being sued.  Mr. lujan decided he would not grow them. 

I have grown some of the peppers you are showing. and in the tropics the scott which looks like the chombo and I believe the same. can get pretty darn close to the heat level of the bhuts in the right condition. some that I have ate are mild compared to others that like shellbec said, a sliver can bring on the pain.

great garden whats with all the corn???


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## big game cook (Sep 25, 2008)

got it from a farmer here. im drying it on the deck. that would be some winter food to help with rising costs of feed. not for me lol. these guys.








got 30ish now and babies on the way in a few days. meat rabbits.they love corn and even eat cobs.


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## 1894 (Sep 25, 2008)

So the corn is food for the food


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## big game cook (Sep 25, 2008)

thats one way to put it! lmao. yep.


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## smoke freak (Sep 30, 2008)

Try cuttin a few pounds of habs without gloves. Makes sunburn feel like a picnic.   Gloves... never use em...


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## smoke freak (Sep 30, 2008)

Rember that epsom salt is indeed salt. Salt is NOT good for soil. The benefits from adding Mg are counteracted by altered pH of the soil. Epsom salt is better utilized by foliar feeding and thoroughly rinsing the next day.


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## smoke freak (Sep 30, 2008)

One last thought on an endless thread, actually my first thought on the first post. Pepper plants love to have their roots constricted a bit in the seedling stage ( unlike tomatoes ). After transplanting into loose friable garden soil they will thrive beyond belief.


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## big game cook (Sep 30, 2008)

i have 5 orange b-huts now. just turned in the last 4 days. salsa time. oh man its about time to experienc e the worlds hottest.


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## venture (Sep 30, 2008)

I have never found a fish or shrimp that complained about a Vera Cruz or Diablo preparation.  They just don't have the receptors for that.

Seriously, thanks for the great chile info!


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## venture (Sep 30, 2008)

Nice fryer rabbits there.  Good sausage, too!

Watch out, you are close to spending one afternoon a week butchering!  LOL


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## shellbellc (Sep 30, 2008)

Watch them bhuts, no exaggeration, one bhut will be enough for probably 5 gallons of salsa.  We put two slivers into a gallon of pickles and it was too hot for most to eat (after maturing for a while).


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## supervman (Sep 30, 2008)

I ALWAYS tell my friend to MAKE sure you wash your hands BEFORE you take a leak. 

You only do that once! :)


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## abelman (Sep 30, 2008)

The smart ones only do it once, then again, I'm not always smart but I am forgetful at times


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## forluvofsmoke (Sep 30, 2008)

Sounds very familiar, only I rubbed my left eye after cutting a half pound of Japs for a huge pan of Taco Meat. That sucked when after 4 hours I still wanted a wet/cold wash cloth over the eye, but I did the bathroom thing right after the eyeball too. Funny now, but not then!!! Never did either one again.

That was about 25 years ago...and still counting.

There are many things that fit into the do-it-twice-if-I-like-it category, however, neither of the above is anything I want to experience more than once in my lifetime. LOL.

Great thread and really good replys as well. Enjoyed it.

Eric


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## coyote (Sep 30, 2008)

Big GC  got it from a farmer here. im drying it on the deck. that would be some winter food to help with rising costs of feed. not for me lol. these guys.


LOL..great tasting pop corn had come to my mind. that is a lot to feed. do you use the furs? sell them?


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## big game cook (Oct 1, 2008)

habenaros lol. just picked my first b-hut "ripe" jolokia today. 1,000,000+ scovilles.


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## coyote (Oct 1, 2008)

DO IT, DO IT, DO IT,...lol..make sure the wife is running the camera..that is a nice looking pepper..


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## coyote (Jan 3, 2010)

*Chile Pasado* ~ Before the days of refrigeration, chile was preserved by drying.  If 
allowed to dry on their own chile turns from green to red.  Many recipes call for "green" chile and after the growing season the 
only way to get the green chile is canned or dried.  The method here is to dry 
*roasted *green chiles.   The other method was to make Chile Cocido.

Chile Pasado translates to: Chile from the past, a method for drying roasted 
green chile.  Many places in Mexico still use this preservation method.  Chile 
Pasado bought in stores is very expensive.

Roasted Green Chile (with stems)

1.  Roast chile.  Carefully peel off skins leaving stem intact.  Using a 12 inch 
piece of twine, tie 3 to 5 chiles each at both ends.
2.  Hang chiles over a line and allow to dry in the sun.

Do NOT allow to get wet.  Drying time will vary with humidity.  Chile will dry to a 
very dark green color.  To use in recipes, reconstitute in water. Use as you would 
for most green chile recipes. Or this can be ground into a powder.

*Chile Cocido* ~ ( ko-see-tho ) ~ Before the days of refrigeration.  Many recipes call for "green" chile and after the 
growing season the only way to get the green chile is canned or dried.  The 
method here is to dry fresh green chiles.  Green chiles are first blanched then 
dried for storage.  ~ Another method is Chile Pasado ~ ChileMasters

* Long green chile pods (fresh)

6 quarts boiling water for blanching
1 tbsp salt

* Only blanch 6 cups of cut chile pods at a time.

1.  Cut in half lengthwise, remove seed ball and stem.  Dip in boiling water for 3 
minutes.  Remove, drain, and allow to cool.

2.  Place chile pieces on a clean surface in the sun until dried.  Store in a cool dry 
place.

3.  Chile Cocido is re-constituted in water and used in many green chile recipes.

for any one growing their own this may help. 

Green chili has a far differnt taste then red. I think it taste better myself.


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