Frying Peppers

[Setec Astronomy]

After years of not much success with bell peppers, last year I decided to grow some Italian peppers. I also grew a couple Artisan Dolce de Minervino, which is a frying pepper...I didn't like them much because they had a lot of seeds and a very thin skin, they were fairly small, and it was hard to get the seeds out. I tried to save one of the plants over the winter, but it got some sort of pest or blight and got all funky in the garage over the winter so I cut it down.

I planted a new Dolce this year, and I just got the first ripe pepper--and it had no seeds, not even immature ones. Did I let them sit on the plant too long last year until they grew seeds? Or was this seedless one just a mutant? Or are they not supposed to have seeds and the ones last year were all mutants? (that's a dumb question because I grew the plant from seeds). Is there some trick to picking them at the right time to not have seeds?

[pepperhead212]

I've gotten some early peppers on many varieties that had no seeds. Not sure how this happens, but I knew (or I thought I knew!) they weren't hybrids, so seeds would have to produce eventually, and they did, in each case, and continued throughout the season.

[Tormahto]

You did the right thing by leaving them on the plant a long time. I've never found extracting pepper seed hard. I just cut the fully ripe pepper open, cut out the clump of seeds, and let the clump dry, as is.

Jimmy Nardello is basically THE go to, for frying peppers.

[Setec Astronomy]

I've gotten some early peppers on many varieties that had no seeds. Not sure how this happens, but I knew (or I thought I knew!) they weren't hybrids, so seeds would have to produce eventually, and they did, in each case, and continued throughout the season.

I was afraid you were going to say that.

You did the right thing by leaving them on the plant a long time. I've never found extracting pepper seed hard. I just cut the fully ripe pepper open, cut out the clump of seeds, and let the clump dry, as is.

Jimmy Nardello is basically THE go to, for frying peppers.

I'm taking the seeds out to eat the pepper, not save the seeds. These Dolces tend to be curled, etc., and not easy to seed.

[Tormahto]

I figure that one must be good with a knife to extract seeds from Corbaci peppers.

[karstopography]

Corbaci is a pretty good frying pepper. It isn’t quite as sweet or meaty as Jimmy Nardello. Corbaci has been a little more productive than Jimmy Nardellos here side by side.

Corbaci has done real well as a pepper to dry on the sun drenched copper sheet. Adds a nice sweet note to the overall paprika blend.

[Shule]

@karstopography
I never tried frying Corbaci, but that sounds interesting.

I loved the production and the look of the fruits. Were your fruits very flavorful, raw?

[karstopography]

So eaten raw while light green, no, not much flavor at all. Once they get to the orange turning red stage, they really sweeten up. Mine ripened tip first so that turns colors first.

I’ve been most excited to dry them though because I’ve gotten excited about making paprika. They dry about as fast as Greek or Italian pepperoncini or Shishito, but Corbaci is lot sweeter than those.

We don’t seem to fry or eat a lot of raw sweet frying types in salads or whatever like Jimmy Nardellos. I am Still trying to figure out what peppers I like best and why. I like bell peppers for various things. I like some of the hot peppers for other recipes. What’s nice about Corbaci is it could be good raw or fried or dried. Jimmy Nardellos have been harder to sun dry here, so if I don’t want to eat those then when they are ready and ripe, I’m at a loss with what I should do with them. Maybe the Corbaci holds on the plant at ripe a little longer than Jimmy Nardellos. Seems like the Nardellos once they go all red, it’s better pick them very soon. They streak from green to brown to a mix of brown, green and red. Corbaci go light green to yellowy-green to orange to red. They ease into each stage.

[worth1]

Jimmy Nardellos are good with the spicy Italian sausage peppers and onions dish.
Also great as a layer component in lasagna.
Chopped up or pureed and put in pasta sauce.
Give me a pepper and I'll find a use for it.

[mama_lor]

The secret to frying peppers is to have them very immature, so the seeds are soft, slightly crunchy, also the skin is very thin. The ultimate frying pepper is the Padron without a doubt (you are supposed to pick them small), amazing flavor. You need to be prepared for some bitterness however.

Some early set peppers tend to have very few seeds. Try later in the season and I doubt they'll have few seeds. There are varieties that have fewer seeds, usually long peppers, especially some modern hybrids.

[Setec Astronomy]

The secret to frying peppers is to have them very immature, so the seeds are soft, slightly crunchy, also the skin is very thin.

Hmm...I'm going to try to pick these earlier than I did last year, then.

[karstopography]

I think I’ve been picking most of my Shishitos too late as the seeds are most definitely not soft. Home grown Shishitos have been a disappointment as compared to store bought, my Shishitos invariably lack any heat and are low on flavor. They do work out as a good pepper for drying with good flavor once they get uniformly red.

I usually seed the Jimmy Nardellos as I like those red and ripe, in my experience growing these, those get extra sweet only when fully red.

[worth1]

I don't know about y'all but a red ripe pablano fried up is to die for.
Even the green ones are good.

[karstopography]

@worth1 please explain! Fried up how?

[Shule]

@worth1 please explain! Fried up how?

While you're at it, how do you fry a regular frying pepper?

[worth1]

@worth1 please explain! Fried up how?

While you're at it, how do you fry a regular frying pepper?

In a little oil on the comal/griddle until the peppers are slightly charred.
The same way I do onions.
Of which I'm doing right now as we speak.

[Shule]

@worth1
Do you use the same process for both the red Poblanos and other frying peppers?

[worth1]

@worth1
Do you use the same process for both the red Poblanos and other frying peppers?

Yes here is an example.
Pepperocini and a couple of habaneros for a hamburger for tonight's supper.
The onions are already cooked.
These were just picked a moment ago.

20220725_184129.jpg

[mama_lor]

Home grown Shishitos have been a disappointment as compared to store bought, my Shishitos invariably lack any heat and are low on flavor.

There are many varieties which pass as Shishito. Also, I thought they are not supposed to be spicy.

I have tried many frying peppers, including some brought by people from various parts. I simply threw all the seeds away for all of them when I found the padron.
Ripe peppers are a different beast, there one must honestly remove the seeds, no way around it. Completely different flavor, and I can see the skin being a problem, not may peppers ripen with a thin skin. When we were children we used the elephant year types for this and removed the seeds and skins (which were so tough that they were actually easy to peel once fried).

[worth1]

As we speak I'm frying up some pablano chilies.
Along with onions.
I can't stress enough before you decide to go hog wild on spices just try them with salt, nothing else.
Maybe a dash of MSG if you so desire.

Yes I know this is in the sweet peppers section but with my culinary habits I consider pablano chilies sweet.
But yet slightly pungent.