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patgrizzlyhunter

What is your Top 3 favorite peppers to grow?

patgrizzlyhunter
13 years ago

I know it is a little hard to pick just 3 but was just wanting some info to help make my selection to grow next season. thanks

Comments (45)

  • zanderspice
    13 years ago

    Orange Manzano
    Thai #1 (Prik Kee Nuu type)
    Yellow Scorpion CARDI

  • nc_crn
    13 years ago

    It all depends on what you want to do with it and how much heat you desire.

    I mostly use my peppers in strips or chunks and not for heat which means 2 of my 3 favorites are low/medium heat long peppers with thick flesh. My 3rd favorite I love for it's productivity, small size, and easy-to-mix-right heat levels whether green or red.

    Poblanos and Anaheims for strips/chunks/roasting...Serranos for the heat.

  • wordwiz
    13 years ago

    I'm not into heat either. My fav is Hungarian Hot Wax. I like Jalapeno, mostly for smoking and turning into spice or not smoking and adding to salsa. I hope to find a warm - not super hot, but warm banana next year.

    Mike

  • wayright
    13 years ago

    Hmmm.. not into heat? did I stumble into the wrong forum?
    J/K :)
    3 of my fav's are, Donne Sali,Jonah, and Trinidad Scorpion.
    All 3 have wonderful flavor and heat combo!
    Kevin

  • ajijoe
    13 years ago

    Jamaican hot chocolate habanero
    Aji Yellow
    Wild Brazil
    no special order i love them all
    all are great tasting and very prolific

    thanks your friend Joe

  • vikingkirken
    13 years ago

    Mariachi - almost no heat but great as a more interesting substitute for bell peppers, and crazily prolific

    Serrano - great flavor, I like it better than Jalapenos, and the heat is perfect for salsa or guacamole (at least to me!)

    Anaheims - for roasting to use in green chile recipes

  • redtailforester
    13 years ago

    So difficult to settle on just three. I agree with earlier posts about what they are used for. The muse is upon me and at this very moment, my 3 favorites are:

    Fresno - wrap 'em in bacon and grill 'em
    Goat Horn - dry them puppies out and crush 'em
    Chiltepin - everyone needs a little cap fix; nice to add some fire to a dish

  • romy6
    13 years ago

    I'm a rookie but so far the cayenne is my favorite(Grilled). 2nd would be tabasco ( easy to grow and great for my special salsa) and last would be by red habs. When i want to burn my butt.

  • jolokster
    13 years ago

    I would have to say trinidad 7 pod,aji limon, and finally jamaican hot chocolate hab.They all have good heat and most importantly great flavor.

  • genoprizebull
    13 years ago

    Over the last few years I've grown many different peppers thanks to the folks on here,I'm grateful to all who have shared their seeds with me and think about the generosity I've experienced here every time I sign on,which is almost everyday.The ones that I've grown cosistently over those few years are: jalepeno,cayenne and anaheim
    Hope it helps
    Gene

  • rick_in_va
    13 years ago

    Serrano, Aji Crystal, Golden Treasure. - Rick

  • shoontok
    13 years ago

    1. Hot Hungarian Wax
    2. Habanero
    3. Jalapeno

    and the runner ups. Cayenne, Serrano, Pepperoncini.

  • bob_in_pc
    13 years ago

    Jalapenos, Anaheims, and Caribbean Reds are my favorites. I like to smoke the jalapenos and make chipotles (I love adobo sauce); the Anaheim is great for roasting and stuffing; and the CR's are simply fun to grow as well as being very versatile for kicking up salsa, making powders, doing Thai food justice.

  • euarto_gullible
    13 years ago

    In order to narrow down the answers, we would need to know:

    1. What level of heat are you looking for?
    2. What do you plan on doing with the peppers? ie. fresh eating, making salsa, roasting, smoking, making powder, pickling, making sauces, etc.

  • reyna1
    13 years ago

    So far
    my absolute favorite has to be the chiltepin for its hardiness, and its quick heat and flavor.

    next would be labuyo, again for its hardiness and love its flavor as well.

    finally, I like jalepenos for stuffing.

    chiltepin
    labuyo
    jalepeno

  • bjs33
    13 years ago

    Heritage Big Jim
    Chiltepin
    Trinidad Scorpion

  • thenewmidwestchilehead
    13 years ago

    I would have to agree with the Heritage Big Jim. It is like an Aneheim, but has much more chile flavor and some heat. I love the fact it is so big (the biggest chile in the world), and has lots of meat and the seeds are easy to extract. Great for stuffing as a rellano, or roasting, peeling and turning into diced green chile.

    My second would have to be the jalapeno. Yes, you can get them at the grocery store, but you can't get red ones there and you need red ones to smoke them and turn them into chipotles. The green ones are fine in salsas and sauces, but the chipotles can be added to anything for a smoky, spicy kick. I know you can get chipotles in adobo at the store too, but the canning process with vitamin C and/or vinegar changes the taste quite a bit (the same is true of diced green chile). Make your own chipotles or chipotles in adobo. Just a very versatile pepper.

    Finally, my current third favorite is the African Fish. Beautiful verigated plant and chiles, and from what I have tasted so far (which isn't much), the fresh peppers have some heat and the dried peppers have some heat and richness. As I grow more varieties my tastes may change, but these are my three current favorites.

  • billyberue
    13 years ago

    1. Rat Turd varieties
    2. Bulgarian Carrot
    3. Serrano

  • cymbidia
    13 years ago

    thick skinned Poblanos and Anaheims for rellenos
    banana peppers(because of large number of fruit and early production 4 -6 weeks before any of my other peppers) for salads

  • tmacmillan
    13 years ago

    Hey vikingkirken, do you let your Mariachis ripen completely?

    I tried them for the first time this year, and it took forever but I let them get deep red first. They were at about the same level as my Tabascos.

  • seattleman1969
    13 years ago

    My consistent 3 are always:

    1 (Or more) Tabasco (McIlhenny original type)
    1 Long Yellow Cayenne
    1 Good quality large Jalapeno for grilling, stuffing, and salsa

    I usually add in some chinense and will be growing another rocoto (Bolivian) this year.

  • Tiarella
    12 years ago

    1. Tabasco - large prolific plants with multi-use peppers that don't take up much space in the freezer
    2. Hot banana - stirfry with sweet onions for fajitas
    3. Fish - beautiful foliage

  • sworegonjim
    12 years ago

    1. Jalapeno - for stuffing, salsa, everyday uses
    2. Serranos - love the flavor and the kick is just about right
    3. Green Chiles - Big Jim, Joe E. Parker, 6-3, Pablano, Anaheims and the like

  • sworegonjim
    12 years ago

    In my previous post, #3 should have been Heritage 6-4, not 6-3, typo...

  • brien_nz
    12 years ago

    1. Jalapeno for best combination of heat, flavour and productivity.
    2. Habanero for terrific flavour.
    3. Rocoto/manzano for flavour, productivity and cold tolerance.

  • NoahE
    12 years ago

    Fatalii is number 1.
    Jalapeno is second just for poppers.
    Third changes every year. Absolutely loved the Yellow 7-pot last year as well as Yellow Scorpion Cardi.

  • Spongey600
    12 years ago

    well last year was my first year growing peppers i only had 3 plants.

    Gold bell
    Jalepeno
    Hungarian Wax
    they all produce well and tasted great. but i have 8 growing right now and I know once i taste them all this list will change! HAHA

  • catwhisperer2009
    12 years ago

    I personally would grow one late-maturing 'baccatum' like perhaps Lemon Drop, for the fruity flavor and good amount of heat (like about 50,000 scovilles, similar to a good Cayenne's heat). I'd also grow an 'annum' or 'frutescens' - something that will ripen earlier; Black Cobra is a good one. And I'd definitely grow a "frying" pepper, such as Hungarian Wax. Frying peppers are peppers you fry a little in your pan, which really add a lot of flavor to your dish. I'm trying new varieties each year, this year I'm growing an Orange Manzano, which has a fiercely loyal following, and I'm looking forward to tasting it.

  • JGMopar
    12 years ago

    1 Red Manzano
    2 Yellow Fatalii
    3 Trinidad Scorpion Butch-t

  • northeast_chileman
    9 years ago

    Isn't amazing how times have changed!

  • dac596
    9 years ago

    1. Lemon Drop for powder.

    1. Cayenne for chili and cooking heat.

    2. Santa Fe Grande for a mild pepper.

  • kuvaszlvr
    9 years ago

    I love Padrons, I cook up some tapas with them at least 2x a week, they aren't hot, but they are good fried in olive oil and salted.

    Poblanos, great for stuffing.

    Biker Billy.

    Pam

  • seysonn
    9 years ago

    I agree, NEC.

    Now more and more people are into HOTs and super hots than 4 years ago.
    Anyway, I am trying over a dozen new varieties this year. The hottest is probably Red Habanero. So I don't know what my top 3 favorites are. So I triple the number to 9.:-)
    1- Manzano ,yellow. (my number one)
    2- Lemon Drop
    3- Chinese 5C
    ============
    4- Thai Hot
    5- Habaneros
    6-Jalapeno (Productive, meaty)
    ============
    7- Sangria
    8- Bishop's Crown
    9- Pepperoncini

  • DMForcier
    9 years ago

    If I was to grow only three?? That's tough.

    In descending order of heat:

    1. Butch T
    2. Fatalii (yellow)
    3. Some good jalapeno

    If you were to ask me tomorrow I'd probably have changed my mind.

    Dennis

  • cottonwood468
    9 years ago

    I love my one year old Bhut Jolokia, covered in ripe pods. Beyond that, I am on a quest to see which Jalapeno I like best and which sweet bell pepper I like best. For growing in Chicago.

    Mary E.

  • seysonn
    9 years ago

    I like Jalapenos. They are a good mild alternative to bells. They are meaty and tender, when picked green. In my garden they are also prolific. I think mine is just common Jalapeno.

    The next one up is perhaps HHW. I want them for frying and pickling.

    The third in my upper range of heat tolerance is Habanero. I use fresh ones in cooking. But mostly , I make hot sauce with them. This year I am also growing red variety. I have yet to compare the orange color with it.

  • Mecdave Zone 8/HZ 9
    9 years ago

    1. Giant red bells that the grocery store sells cheap year round. I use them in everything including as a base for smoked chili powder blends.

    2. Yellow Bhut Jolokia. First time growing them and have only produced 2 ripe pods so far, but was totally surprised by the relatively mild heat (for a super hot) and orange flavor. I'm sure later pods will be hotter, but I really hope not. These were good eaten raw.

    3. White Naga/Bhut. This is a recent development from Pepperlover.com. Never have I had such a huge burst of flavors followed by huge heat from a pepper. I wish I could describe the flavors, but the heat (did I mention the heat?) soon overpowered my senses. I saved the seeds and am hoping it grows true. I really want to make some smoked white powder out of them next year. (Note: They may be named White Bhut Jolokia on her website)

    PS My favorite pepper plant is the habanero shrub. It has produced 170 pods so far and has at least another 100 on it now. I would consider it a favorite, but I'm kinda burned out on them and have since found better flavored peppers.

    This post was edited by mecdave on Tue, Oct 7, 14 at 19:00

  • kuvaszlvr
    9 years ago

    She has? (white naga) It's not listed on her site - if you search naga.
    Pam

  • DMForcier
    9 years ago

    Okay, changed my mind.

    In descending order of heat:
    1) Bhut Jolokia
    2) Big Sun Habanero
    3) Mako Akokasrade

    I can always buy jalapeno.

  • Mecdave Zone 8/HZ 9
    9 years ago

    "She has? (white naga) It's not listed on her site - if you search naga." Pam

    Ha, yeah I've been keeping an eye on her site hoping she would offer them up again. I bought an assorted box from her off another forum that allows sales that included 2 of the pods. That's the only time I've seen them offered. New cross, short supply I guess.

  • ronnyb123
    9 years ago

    Are you sure you didnt get the "white ghost" that she has on her site. I assume those would be good too.

    I saw those on Fatalii.net and they are actually cream colored.

  • Mecdave Zone 8/HZ 9
    9 years ago

    You may be right Ronny. I went back and checked my PMs with Judy and she did call them Nagas, but they do look like the White Bhuts on her site. Description fits too.

  • kuvaszlvr
    9 years ago

    I might have to change mine... but I don't know what to delete (honestly, narrowing it down to 3 varieties is really a Herculean task). This weekend I picked a couple of Valencias (and yep, these are sweet belles) Now, I've eaten them before, and I've always really liked them, but I just don't remember them being this outstanding. Those were the sweetest, most flavorful, and juiciest peppers I've ever had. Peppers so many times tend to be on the dry side, but these were really juicy. I've decided that next year I'm going to grow at least 5 plants. Now to figure out how to make room for more sweets.
    Pam

  • centexan254 zone 8 Temple, Tx
    9 years ago

    I can say I would go with more than 3 if I could. To keep it to the request of the OP I will list 3 of my go to peppers.

    1. Gypsy (Sweet pepper) Prolific. Sets in heat up the near 100 degree mark. If ripened to red they are candy sweet, and have a nice crunch to boot. All 4 of mine still have peppers on them, and set more every day. Also they are beginner friendly, and take little space. They stay compact for the most part while giving off flushes of pods.

    2. Thia Hot (small hot pepper) Highly prolific, compact. User friendly for growing as well. Nice spicy peppers with a sweet start followed by the heat.

    3. Pablano (Mild hot pepper) They did very well this year. I got lots of pods before the heat shut it down. Now that the weather has cooled it is loaded with sagging branches again. This time with even more than last time.

  • Lars
    9 years ago

    If what I actually have is any indication, then my top 3 are:

    1. Habanero (mostly for hot sauce & pickles)

    2. Serrano (for general cooking)

    3. Cayenne (I dry some of these for later use)

    As noted above, I can always buy jalapenos (as well as Serranos, for that matter), but I do grow jalapenos and several other chilies, including the small sweet ones. I've tried growing Poblanos and did not get much from the plants, and so I thought I could just buy those when I need them.

    Lars

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