Paprika, Cayenne, observations and questions.

[Gunslinger]

We've been drying and grinding peppers for paprika and cayenne powders. We also made some powder from the sweet Aruba cubanelles and that stuff is awesome.
Anyway, I've noticed that our powders are not as deep red as the powders that I buy. Any idea why?
Also, do you folks grind the seeds too when you make cayenne powder? I never have, but I'm thinking they might make it a bit more hot.
This is the first time we've ever made our own paprika. I guess it'd be Spanish type, since Hungarian is made from the Hungarian wax pepper, which leads me to my next question.
If I'm not mistaken, the Hungarian wax pepper is basically a hot banana pepper. So is Hungarian paprika typically hot? And can it be made from regular sweet banana peppers left to ripen to red, and still be "Hungarian?" I guess I've just never noticed Hungarian paprika as being hot.
One thing I know for sure, our powders sure do taste and smell different (fresher) that the powders we buy.

[SMOKE FREAK]

Tom...Sometimes I remove seeds and sometimes I dont...
The seeds dont really contain the heat, its mostly in the membrane that holds the seeds...
Removing the seeds will give you a cleaner looking and tasting ground pepper product...but its not necessary...
And how do they get that deep red color?
We probably dont want to know...

[Whisky Fish]

I have noticed that crushed red with a deep red color and very few seeds is quite a bit hotter with a much better "back" burn. Curious here too. Good question Tom.

[Richtee]

Hungarian paprika can be sweet, mild or hot. I'm pretty sure they have a particular strain for paprika, not the same as bananas- Walking Dude had some. But overall, what makes Hungarian paprika Hungarian is Hungary. The climate and soil- so you are bound to have some differences.

[erain]

Hungarian paprika can be sweet, mild or hot. I'm pretty sure they have a particular strain for paprika, not the same as bananas- Walking Dude had some. But overall, what makes Hungarian paprika Hungarian is Hungary. The climate and soil- so you are bound to have some differences.

prolly something like the vaidelia onion, is not really a special onion, just where its grown and the properties of the soil are what makes it vaidalia...

great questions though tom, i have ground some of the bannana and wax peppers i dehydrated last year. and mild is as far as i would go with it. certainly wouldnt consider it hot, although that would maybe be an individual evaluation.

hopefully more people who have made pepper grinds share their findings...

[Gunslinger]

From my reading, Hungarian paprika is made from Hungarian wax peppers, which are supposed to be "medium hot," whatever that means. But what Rich says actually makes a lot of sense. Like a Havana. The same tobacco cultivated and wrapped in the Dominican republic doesn't taste the same as one grown in Cuba. And that's all I'll say about that. Cigar smokers will know what I'm talking about.
As far as Spanish paprika (Pimentón) goes, it's not really pepper specific. It is typically ground from any sweet bell pepper. It is however, graded by it's intensity, from sweet and mild to hot and spicy. I would call ours sweet and mild (dulce), since it is ground from sweet pimento peppers. Whatever it is, it sure tastes good in the foods we've used it in.
I have also smoked it, and WOW!!!!! is the only word I can use to describe that.

Oh yeah, a Vidalia onion can only be called a Vidalia, if it's grown in Vidalia county Georgia. And that is federal law.

[ALX]

I have been growing and dehydrating peppers..name it(garlic,onion etc)..last 20 years and this is my experience....

All peppers originated in central/south america so shape,color,heat etc is like mentioned above with tobacco or anything...Dependent on region and breeding...Paprika is from deep red too dark brown...Heatless to hot....

I grow NuMex garnet which was developed when they had to get rid of the red food coloring dye(M-n-M's etc.)....This type grows well in my humidity...A thicker bell style is subject to fruit rot during time it takes to FULLY ripen...It is heatless as i found mild to hot paprika would fluctuate in heat to much do to my weather conditions...I add other peppers for heat....

http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/pub..._no_115=146887

Peppers are fruits and what i learned is the color, flavor is dependent on them being RIPE.....I see very few people let their peppers get ripe.


The pics here are my garnett paprika...One on right is a few days into changing from green...One on left is 3-4 weeks hanging on plant...I pick them when they start to wrinkle a bit....







Started paying attention to this many years ago when reading about color sticks for tobasco....They only use the red ripe...


http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/mai...hot-sauces.asp


I did 170 plus paprika saturday and fully ripe the liquid from cutting of stem top and slitting will stain hands...Indians used it as dye as well as commercial dye industry.

I let my red japs for chipotles age on plant a good month as well...These are not quite soft,but juices absorb into skin and they are sweet heat..The 1/2 ripe red ones are not near as good...This is true with cayene or any peppers i have grown(20 variety this year for 70 total)...I was amazed how flavor, color changed as they full Ripened.2 weeks longer on plant and my cayenes have a much deeper flavor,color..

I always felt peppers fully ripe were same as any fruit this way in taste,color.





When it comes to Paprika i never got stuck on this is the real paprika arguments...The hungarians were very competitive from region to region and had great growing conditions etc...Very distinctive and highest quality standards(i always wondered how much of the best hungarian even makes it out of region)...My paprika on plants now will not be as deep red or sweet/buttery as early crop,but still very good...


I dont grind seeds,but do grind the membranes...I found my 9 tray excaliburs at 125 degree keep the color...20 years ago i used a circular cheapy without convection fan and thermostat and i would get darker parts on peppers from inconsistent airflow and temperatures too hot...Not ideal when color is important.

I keep mine vac-u-sealed and grind 3-4 tablespoons at time...Proud to say my paprika and other peppers have won a room full of red chile competitions and had a part in the rubs we make for bbq comps(2 grand championships this year) and a bunch of individual firsts...

Best part is as mentioned before...Just awesome in home cooking compared to the store-bought...Same with my onion,garlic,herbs etc....

[SMOKE FREAK]

Yeah what he said ^^^^^

But if you let them hang on the plants to that stage you better be ready to process them right away because they wont hold long off the plant even refrigerated...

[ALX]

Yeah what he said ^^^^^

But if you let them hang on the plants to that stage you better be ready to process them right away because they wont hold long off the plant even refrigerated...

I pick,wash and slit and dehydrate within a few hours....Doesnt everybody grab a veggie off plant and use...

I do have a greek friend who likes green paprike peppers though.

EDIT.....I see your point if using fresh...I was talking about powders.....

[supervman]

Hungarian paprika can be sweet, mild or hot. I'm pretty sure they have a particular strain for paprika, not the same as bananas- Walking Dude had some. But overall, what makes Hungarian paprika Hungarian is Hungary. The climate and soil- so you are bound to have some differences.

Just like the lack of sulpher in the soil in Vadalia Georgia makes GREAT Onions~! :)

[SMOKE FREAK]

My experience, Alex, is that when they reach that level of maturity/ripeness that once removed from the plant that they wont last too long...vs. a less mature and still very ripe pepper...At that level of ripeness they do indeed have the sweetest flavor...hot pepper or not...but they just cant wait for processing/drying till later...

If youre doin yours up right away then you got no problems...Im just pointing out what might seem obvious to most... or not...

[SmokinLee]

My turn. I remove every seed from my peppers when I grind them, it's just a nice deep red powder. I have found also that you can't just string all the varieties of peppers and expect them to dry naturally. I have good luck with cayenne and Serrano's just stringing them, but jalapenos usually just rot over time. But someone mentioned that you need to use them almost right away. I have had a bushel basket half full of jap's just left on the garage floor in 50 -60 degree temps and was eating them for almost a month, sure you get a few that go bad but I was really surprised how long they did keep. Ask Rich, I brought some to a rib burn last year that were probably a few weeks old and still firm and crisp. The year before that were fresh and I just discovered that they kept well last year. One question.... I have habs this year, will they dry on a string or will I have to dehydrate. I'm still afraid to use a dehydrator since my last incident

[ALX]

My experience, Alex, is that when they reach that level of maturity/ripeness that once removed from the plant that they wont last too long...vs. a less mature and still very ripe pepper...At that level of ripeness they do indeed have the sweetest flavor...hot pepper or not...but they just cant wait for processing/drying till later...

If youre doin yours up right away then you got no problems...Im just pointing out what might seem obvious to most... or not...

I wasnt clear craig...I was just talking about for drying and making powders that it makes a big differenceto let them get riper on plant...Especially if you want a true color/flavor in powder.

I let my peppers for fresh use mature,but not to that level and paprika is not used raw much....

When i roast my Numex style green chiles i can tell from the thud they make if they are mature....I usually know when one start to blush to roast them....It can be 2 weeks from green chile to a Mature green chile etc...

[SMOKE FREAK]

My turn. I remove every seed from my peppers when I grind them, it's just a nice deep red powder. I have found also that you can't just string all the varieties of peppers and expect them to dry naturally. I have good luck with cayenne and Serrano's just stringing them, but jalapenos usually just rot over time. But someone mentioned that you need to use them almost right away. I have had a bushel basket half full of jap's just left on the garage floor in 50 -60 degree temps and was eating them for almost a month, sure you get a few that go bad but I was really surprised how long they did keep. Ask Rich, I brought some to a rib burn last year that were probably a few weeks old and still firm and crisp. The year before that were fresh and I just discovered that they kept well last year. One question.... I have habs this year, will they dry on a string or will I have to dehydrate. I'm still afraid to use a dehydrator since my last incident

Lee...I think I remember your last dehydrator incident...Hell that scared me...I went out and bought a new unit...like that would matter...just felt better...

I too have kept peppers in a cool dark environment for long perions of time...But when taken to the wrinkle stage...well I just dont think so...

BUT...I would never doubt what Alex is tellin me when it comes to growing, picking, or preserving produce...It would be like tellin Dan that he doesnt know how to cook brisket or ribs...Its not happening............

[ALX]

One question.... I have habs this year, will they dry on a string or will I have to dehydrate. I'm still afraid to use a dehydrator since my last incident

In my climate you have to dehydrate....Especially thicker walled peppers....I wasted a sunroom of em many years ago doing the ristra thingy....

I grow scotch bonnets and they are suprisingly thick for little buggers....Dehydrating is fail safe in my climate....Lost to many too mold inside pepper ......I cut em in half and dehydrate....95 with heavy humidity here today aint drying much even in my sunroom......