Not 100% sure about Jalapeno varieties to recommend, but i know they about double their flavor when they ripen to red on the vine, at least in my experience.

And that many Jalapeno growers like to also grow Serrano's for it's similar but stronger flavor profile. The heat with serranos is also more consistent as opposed to jalapenos which are all over the map, even on the same plant.

My advice? If you have the room then try a few different jalapenos next year, Biker Billy's are popular along with a few others, but also throw in some serranos.

Sorry i can't help you with Ancho/Poblano varieties.

Here is a link that might be useful: This list may give you a few more ideas

Yep i agree with sjetski on the Serrano advice. They may be smaller then Jalapeno's but they produce very large yields of pods.

Jim

Ancho is a dried poblano. You are looking for poblano seeds.

Thank you Willard3. OK then, your opinion on poblano varieties then.

I'm glad to see someone focusing on chiles you can actually cook with and share with friends, instead of all the ghost pepper talk....

I'm growing an Ancho 101 poblano this year. I purchased it from Cross Country Nurseries. I have the plant sharing a self watering container with an Ace F1 Bell. So far there are about 20 medium sized pods and another dozen or so small buds on the Ancho 101. I can't wait to stuff these bad boys, if I get a suprlus, I will definitely try my hand at making some ancho (smoked poblano) powder.

As far as Jalapeno, I'm growing the Biker Billy hybrid. This chile is HOT! Hottest Jalapeno I've ever come across. Its super sweet when red but it will still sear your tongue!
Read more about the Biker Billy at my hot pepper gardening blog: http://peppermeister.wordpress.com/2011/08/06/pepper-profile-biker-billy-jalapeno/

Here is a link that might be useful: My organic pepper gardening blog

I like El Jefe jalapenos but then it's so hot and dry down here that most varieties will get really hot if I just stress them. Even my hubby, the pepper lover, says most peppers I grow pack a punch. Oh I forgot Ixtapa was pretty nice too.

I'm not satisfied with my poblanos so I'd like to see some suggestions too. I make a mean chile relleno but I'd like a bigger chile.

Thanks folks. From suggestions and on-line info, I think I will try F1 Grande Jalapeno and Biker Billy in 2012 unless something changes my mind. As for Ancho, wow! I didnt realize there were so many varieties. Unfortunately, the variety descriptions and info that I have found so far are vague; all pretty much sound the same. Right now I am leaning toward Ancho 211 F1 and Polano "L". Not sure why. Just a hunch. Stupid, ya, so educate me! We use anchos (poblanos) mainly for stuffing, but do not like them too big. Optimum is 4-4.5 inches. Thanks again.

I've been growing Johnny's F1 hybrid poblano and they are very nice.

Here is a link that might be useful: Johnny's

Peppermeister, most of us grow peppers that are quite edible....not just Ghost Peppers.
However, I would kindly point you to the fact that this is a Hot Pepper Forum. We happily
discuss all manner of peppers, though. Just thought your complaint could use some context.

Josh

Thanks for clearing it up Josh, I was just trying to compliment this particular subject,I didn't mean to paint everyone with such a broad stroke. I'd love to know what type of hot peppers you're growing in NoCal?

Here is a link that might be useful: Check out my hot pepper gardening blog

Willard 3, is that Johnys F1 211 or F1 Tiburon?

F1 product 2397

Peppermeister, stop on by this Thread and you'll see everything I'm growing:
Greenman's Peppers 2011

Josh

Check out
http://www.thechileman.org/results.php?page=8&chile=1&find=Any&heat=Any&origin=Any&genus=Annuum

he's got good info. I like Ancho San Luis for gorwing in my area.

Biker Billy FANTASTIC! Also my friend picked up some Mammoth Jalapeno plants at Walmart this year and gave me one. They are really good, I think they are as hot as Biker Billy and just as flavorful.

We also so picked up some of the "mammoth jalapenos" from walmart a few years ago. They were really good and very productive. Have not seen them in a few years. Wish I knew the proper name of the particular variety they were selling. Anybody? I have read on this forum that some BIG jalapeno varieties are weak flavored, so dont want to pick a large variety randomly.

My friend sent her son out to read the tag on the pepper, I had forgotten the name, and the name on the tag was "Mammoth Jalapeno" and they are mammoth.

btw, shebear, you want a spectacular pepper for rellenos? Try Beaver Dam. My poblanos weren't big enough for rellenos earlier this year and my Beaver dam's were big and ready so I grabbed a few of them, they are some of the best tasting peppers I've had, they made wonderful rellenos. I will be hard pressed to go back to poblanos.

I bought some Mammoth Jalapeno at Home Depot this year. So far, the fruits have been the size of my thumb nail - and my hands are not huge ;-)

So, as yet, I am not impressed. I could not find that they are hybrids, so I will be saving seeds should I actually get a "mammoth".

I am also in search of a fabulous poblano, so I'll try Beaver Dam.

THANKS for the topic!

Sorry to hear about your Mammoths, so far ours have been huge.

I will warn you, Beaver Dam is not a poblano, not sure what kind of pepper it is, but it's mildly warm, grows very large, and tastes wonderful. And it's great for stuffing. I'm only growing one plant this year, I plan to grow more next year.

Just realized that I mis-typed - duh - even though BD is not a poblano, I'll try it next year!!

Two things I'll do differently next year - pinch early blossoms and pepper plant support....

I agree with Peppermeister that Biker Billy is the best Jal variety - but let them ripen. I've grown them for several years.
John A

Update, my Ancho 101 are starting to turn red but they are rather small in comparison to the poblanos I see at the grocery store. They look beautiful nonetheless.
I can't wait to stuff these bad boys with some goodness. I will post recipes for stuffed poblanos on the PEPPERMEISTER site soon.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hot pepper recipes, growing tips and info are all at PEPPERMEISTER!

OK my suggestions are neither Jalapeno nor Pablano. :) But Chile Relleno and for other stuffing applications, an Anaheim Pepper does quite well. And as I've posted a few times now of all the Annuums I've tasted the Manzano so far takes the cake, as being the best tasting.
If I did like the Annuum flavor I would be growing Manzanos for sure.

HTH
Rudy