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thebutcher_gw

Looking for Hot Pepper for Pickling between (1,000-5000 SHU)

thebutcher
11 years ago

Hi All,

Can someone recommend a nice yeilding pickling hot pepper (from seed) with the hotness level a little bit above Pepperoncini?

I love Pepperoncini from Cento and using this as an example. I want to be different when I give away my pickled jars to friends and family. If I handed them Pepperoncini style then the pickled sauce would have to be close.

Below is what I am looking for:
- Bright or unique coloring, yellow, orange ect... (just not green or red) I am growing large red Cherry peppers for the red color.

- a nice kick but not overly hot where you can't finish it. Something a bit hotter then pepperochini, it could also be around the same for better flavor. For example now....(Something from 1,000-5000 SHU.) It could be more but flavor would have to shine.

- Nice flavor of course. Plant size should be around 2-3 ft tall and be able to fit in 3-5 gallon containers.

Plants listed below are the ones that I have already or soon to be ordered.

-I have Caribean Red
-I have Long red Cayenne Red
-I have Large Red Cherry Hot
-I will order Jalapeno (but I will only grow 1 or 2 plants of this). Nothing against Jalapenos but a few of my friends grow them so I want to be different.

Thanks all,

And If you have a great pickling recipe for hot peppers please let me know as well. Also my growing area is Philadelphia.

- Mr Beno

Comments (22)

  • smokemaster_2007
    11 years ago

    If you like the burger stand type peppers that are usually red when ripe but are pickled yellow try
    Guararitto , Cascabella (and a couple other similar peppers).
    There as several peppers that are in the ballpark you are looking for that are used yellow/unripe when pickled rather than eaten or pickled ripe.

    PM me for a possible trade or?

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    11 years ago

    Hungarian Wax pepper...a great pickling pepper.
    You might also like Eisley's Wax pepper, which has almost no heat when picked young, but moderate heat when left to ripen a bit longer.

    Josh

  • woohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
    11 years ago

    I agree with smokemaster -- cascabella is nice yielding, various colors, and about the heat level of around 2,500 SHU.

  • esox07 (4b) Wisconsin
    11 years ago

    I agree with Josh, I pickle a lot of Hot Hungarian Wax peppers every summer. They are my main eating pepper. But I am not familiar with the Cascabella and others mentioned above.
    Bruce

  • PepperGuy222
    11 years ago

    I also grew and pickled Hot Hungarian Wax peppers last season. Not only did they turn out great, but they turn every color from yellowish to orange to red. I picked mine at all different stages of ripening and they were the best.

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    11 years ago

    The other thing to consider is that Hungarians aren't as prolific...but very tasty, regardless.

    Josh

  • northerner_on
    11 years ago

    I grow Hungarian Hot Wax for pickling because of the colour variations which produce a pleasing look. But they are not hot enough for me so I put one hot pepper in the jar (scotch bonnet) to heat it up along with the black pepper corns.
    I also pickle Jalapenos, a mixture of green and red and they can be quite hot. I prefer them because they are a thicker pepper and produce a more pleasing look.

  • John A
    11 years ago

    Mr Beno - The thicker flesh peppers are usually better for pickling, so those cherry peppers you've already started should be winners. I agree with comments above about Hungarian Wax. They're also good in stir fry. I also pickle Biker Billy's and Fresnos.
    John A

  • mctiggs
    11 years ago

    At the risk of being a follower, Hungarian hot wax or Wenk's Yellow Hots I grow specifically for pickling. Perhaps it's just the condition of my soil, or the cooler conditions, but they are consistently the highest producing pepper plants I grow. The heat is noticeable but not detrimental, and the thickness of the fruits ensures the pickles don't become papery or mushy.

  • kuvaszlvr
    11 years ago

    If you want to be different you can try Jaloro, it's a yellow jalapeno, or you could try Purple Jalapeno. Nice heat and flavor on both. Maybe even Black Hungarian, but they are pretty mild.
    Pam

  • thebutcher
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks all for all your great help I will probably get Cascabella, Hungarian Hotwax and maybe pick up a plant or two of Wenks and Jaloro. I just found out that Cross COuntry Nusaries is about 30 min away so I will probably stop by there to get some plants started while I germinate the other seeds I choose.

    Thanks again,

    - Mr Beno

  • esox07 (4b) Wisconsin
    11 years ago

    I find the HHW to be a pretty good producer also. It seems they start producing early and I get a few and then it seems they just keep producing steady unlike some others that come in waves where they are all ripining up at once and they you have to wait many weeks for a second harvest. I like the colors too but if you want production, pick them when they are full size but still yellow. It will spur the plant to start producing more right away. They do get noticably hotter when they ripen however if heat is your big concern.
    Bruce

  • peppermeister1
    11 years ago

    I agree with the HHW and the Jaloro.

    I'm a big fan of pickled sport peppers. They are smaller and a bit hotter than pepperoncini and grow in abundance. The color is boring as the flavor is best when they are pale green.

    I grew Wenk's Yellow Hots last summer and they develop a cool pastel yellow while ripening and a beautiful red-orange hue when ripe. great to slice and pickle. Crispy and hot and a Southwest USA heirloom.

    My final recommendation is the Beaver Dam. It has super crispness and nice heat. Pickled slices of heaven on almost any sandwich. The BD puts on quite a show as it gradually ripens from lime green to deep red.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Article about Sport Peppers

  • kuvaszlvr
    11 years ago

    OMG! Beaver Dam is one of my absolute favorites, but I never thought to pickle it, (I guess mostly cos it is a very big fruit) I use it like a poblano, wonderful stuffing pepper, also great to skin and add to eggs.
    Pam

  • John A
    11 years ago

    Forgot to mention earlier - Serranos also make good pickles.
    John A

  • gponder
    11 years ago

    Please consider growing Mariachi or Beaver Dam. Both are main stays for me. They ripen yellow to orange to red. Nice medium heat, thick skinned, flavorful and pickle marvelously!!! Excellent, dependable producers. You won't be disappointed . Both are superior in production and in flavor for me compared to Hungarian Wax.

  • thebutcher
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks again everyone, I will consider them all, if I run out of Germination time, I will try to pick up a couple of plants of each in May.

    But I think in the meantime I will purchase some Yellow Hot wax or Cascabelle and Beaver Dam seeds. I kind of like the idea that BD are bigger and I can cut them up in my own style.

  • daisydawnny
    11 years ago

    I know this Ukrainian guy who pickles HHW in a red sauce and they are awesome! Wish he would give up the recipe lol, I am working on it.

  • woohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
    11 years ago

    Butcher: Don't mistake cascabel with cascabella-- 2 totally different peppers.

    Kevin

  • kuvaszlvr
    11 years ago

    daisydawnny, if you get it, post it here, I'd love to see it. I am thinking of posting one of a friend's, she's from Trinidad, and the way they eat fruit is to cut it up, mix it with water and vinegar (yep, vinegar and fruit, mostly pineapple, apples, good firm fruit), salt, and pepper sauce. Sounds weird but she brought some up for me, it was wonderful, nice lingering heat. I've never tasted pineapple like that before. Now I just have to find out how her husband makes his pepper sauce.
    Pam

  • thebutcher
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks again everyone and thanks for the seeds SmokeM. So this is what I got now for my pickling.

    - Large Red Hot Cherry peppers
    - Hungarian Yellow Hot Wax Pepper
    - Beaver Dam
    - Guarrito (Yellow)
    - Penquin
    - Charapita

    - Caribean Red Hot Hab (just to spice some batches up a notch.)

    I will also pick up a couple plants of the others in a couple weeks from CC Nurseries.

    Now it is time to Germinate and try to get the best tasting Pickle Recipe! That one by the Ukraine guys sounds great.

    Thanks again all and will send photo updates as the begin to pop.

    -Mr Beno

    This post was edited by thebutcher on Sat, Apr 27, 13 at 16:27

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    10 years ago

    You have an excellent list, there.
    Great selections.

    Josh

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