Pot-A-Peño Peppers (10/17/2021) [TERMINATED]

[mike]

Added 24 ml Nutes, 10 ml CALiMAGic, 7 ml KoolBloom.

[mike]

Pot-A-Peno's are doing great.  I just ate a whole ripe one. They are not overly hot. I'd say 3,500 SHU. The pepper is very fruity. Almost non-jalapeno. But it still retains a bit of jalapeno taste. Funny, it didn't make my nose run, at all. When you are done the heat builds, slowly. But that heat is consistent and lengthy. The ripe flavor is nice.

I also ate a green one two weeks ago. It had very little heat. What's worse, I didn't like the taste. A few of us here call that taste "GRASSY".

[campingcorgis]

Please excuse if this is a dumb question!  By ripe, do you mean that it has turned red?  Or is there some other benchmark for ready/ripe?

[mike]

No question is ever dumb if you choose to learn something. In this case the color is the key indicator. Others are much more subtle. The Pepperoncini I am growing will change to a more yellow-green. That is when you pick them. After that, they turn pink, then red. If they get to the pink stage, it's too late. They have lost half of their flavor. 

Most peppers are much better ripe. That is when they have developed all of their natural sugars. That is really the only time to harvest the seeds, too. If they aren't ripe, the germination rates drop by 50-75%

[campingcorgis]

Thank you, mike!  That makes sense to me!  

[Shawn]

mike, great answer!  No question is dumb

[mike]

These are not changing fast enough. I've eaten 2 ripe ones. I have 3 ripe now. Tomorrow, I will make a small batch of brine. I will cut up the 3 ripe ones and submerge them in the brine. I don't need a full jar as they don't need to seal like they do when canning. As I get ripe peppers I will make similar small batches of brine. I will submerge the slices in the new brine and allow it to cool to room temperature. Then I will add it to the other slices in the fridge jar. When the jar is full, I will allow the full jar to pickle for one week before I start eating them.

That way I get the most crisp, pickled ripe slices. What do you folks think of that method?

[campingcorgis]

It seems like a reasonable plan to me!  That said, I've not done much pickling or canning.  Some, but not a lot.  My favorite thing to pickle is red onion for sandwiches, tacos and dogs!  

[mike]

Do you do those in the fridge? Do they keep any type of crunchiness?

[campingcorgis]

Jan 28, 2022 21:16:47 GMT -5 mike said:

Do you do those in the fridge? Do they keep any type of crunchiness?

Yes, well, some of them do.  Especially the ones you don't cook at all.  To do Pickled Red Onions, you mix 3 oz of rice wine vinegar with 1 tablespoon of sugar (or substitute of your choice), 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt until they dissolve.  Take 1 large red onion, do a quarter cut on it and then thinly slice lengthwise, add to the vinegar mixture, toss and let stand at room temp, stirring every now and again for about 30 minutes.  Use immediately or store in the fridge in an airtight container.  

It is especially good on tacos or hot meat sandwiches.  

[mike]

I was thinking for my wraps. Most of my diet is low-carb wraps. That's the reason I'm pickling all these peppers, for those wraps. I watched a video on pickling red onions. I like how they turn all red. I will try this.

Speaking of Tacos, my Taco Bell burned down two days ago. I only let myself eat there twice a month. I always get tacos.  

[campingcorgis]

mike , I think they would be excellent on wraps!  

Here's something a little different, but it is very popular at a hot dog pot-luck table... Tomato Relish - if there's something you don't like, leave it out!     Or switch it for something that you do like.  It might be nice to switch up your pepperoncini supply?  

As much as I love good, authentic Mexican food, I have to admit a guilty pleasure for Taco Bell!  Around here, there's a Taco Bell in any direction you choose to take.  But then, the authentic stuff cannot be found here.  I have to make it myself.  Fortunately, I've come up with good recipes for everything we might miss from So. Cal.  

Sorry for your loss!  Hopefully they will re-build!?  

[mike]

Actually, there is a very authentic place a quarter mile from there. A Mexican family owns it and has two restaurants in 2 miles of each other. Unfortunately, they are slow and expensive. But they are the best.

[campingcorgis]

Jan 28, 2022 23:20:13 GMT -5 mike said:

Actually, there is a very authentic place a quarter mile from there. A Mexican family owns it and has two restaurants in 2 miles of each other. Unfortunately, they are slow and expensive. But they are the best.

Lucky you!  

Maybe it is just the PNW.  Good restaurants, in general, are hard to find up here.  I understand there are more/better in the more populated areas, but we aren't inclined to visit such areas.  

Oh well.  Trade offs?

P.S.  If there's something in particular you might like to make at home, let me know.  Can't guarantee, but maybe I can help with a recipe or something...

[mike]

As soon as the existing green peppers turn red, I'm terminating this garden. The green peppers do not taste good.

I put five more ripe ones in vinegar today. When they cool I will transfer them to the main jar.

BTW, I posted a review on Park Seed's website. They didn't post my review. It still says ;'Be the first to review this product," I'm guessing they've gotten nothing good to post. The green peppers are flat out bad. They have little heat, too. The plants are pretty, though. I can't believe they were an AAS award winner in 2021.

[mike]

[campingcorgis]

Well, they are pretty!  Could make for some Christmas-y looking nachos if you used them along with green ones. I love nachos!  

[mike]

You don't want these green. 

[mike]

Another one headed for the fridge.

12 oz. Vinegar
2 Tbs. Splenda
1 Tbs. Salt
1 tsp. Mustard Seeds

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[mike]

Added 24 ml Nutes, 10 ml CALiMAGic, 7 ml KoolBloom