Paprika...Simply ground peppers?

[mensplace]

I found the Dulce Rojo and Alma listed as the primary Hungarian paprika peppers, but know that they also make paprika in several other countries such as Spain, where the peppers are first smoked. Wouldn't grinding the Latin American peppers also be a viable alternative. I LOVE Paprika, hot or sweet. Maybe it is the inherent sweetness of those two that separates them from the pack, but would think that some of the many other sweet peppers would also be likely candidates. In fact, I would love to try some of the many other styles used in pepper powders, but with more sweetnes than just the heat of cayenne or tabasco and less bitterness. Guess I could use the oven as a slow drier. However, most of the pre-dried Mexican peppers seem far more bitter and biting than sweet. Suggestions? Next week is the start of my seed growing for a first batch, though I will stagger each batch by a few weeks between each sowing.

[TZ-OH6]

Just some thoughts


I think that "paprika" is simply a translation of pepper powder=chili powder going back to the 1500-1600s when those peppers made their way throughout Europe, followed by the later culinary spread of the powder/word from Hungary into the rest of Europe.

There are a couple of NuMex peppers (definitely "chile peppers") developed/grown for paprika, but that is mainly for food coloring, so I think that you can use whatever you like for paprika, ranging from sweet red bell peppers on up. I have a hungarian pepper that tastes like a sweet red bell pepper with some heat to it, but the shape is a bit different. Traditional paprika recipes call for a good quantity of paprika powder (as a flavor agent), which sets paprika apart from something like Cayenne where just a little is used, mainly for heat.


One reason to grow a variety listed as a paprika pepper may be that you get more solid/dry matter per fruit (in addition to a pleasing flavor). They might be easier to dry than a sweet bell pepper.

[Blueaussi]

What TZ-OH6 sez!

Any pepper can be dried and ground into a pepper powder or flakes, some just hold their flavor better. I've seen discussions else web about what the best pepper blends would be to give heat to the lips, tongue, and back of the throat at the same time; and still impart good taste. Go ahead and experiment with some of your extras.

You probably already know this, but it's not a good idea to rush peppers to get them out early. Peppers are more sensitive to cold feet then tomatoes. Starting extra early so you can get them out early can end up stunting the plants. You're north of Atlanta, right? I'm south of you, and I've learned to never put peppers in the ground before mid-April.

[mensplace]

Originally Posted by TZ-OH6

Just some thoughts


I think that "paprika" is simply a translation of pepper powder=chili powder going back to the 1500-1600s when those peppers made their way throughout Europe, followed by the later culinary spread of the powder/word from Hungary into the rest of Europe. There are a couple of NuMex peppers (definitely "chile peppers") developed/grown for paprika, but that is mainly for food coloring, so I think that you can use whatever you like for paprika, ranging from sweet red bell peppers on up. I have a hungarian pepper that tastes like a sweet red bell pepper with some heat to it, but the shape is a bit different. Traditional paprika recipes call for a good quantity of paprika powder (as a flavor agent), which sets paprika apart from something like Cayenne where just a little is used, mainly for heat. One reason to grow a variety listed as a paprika pepper may be that you get more solid/dry matter per fruit (in addition to a pleasing flavor). They might be easier to dry than a sweet bell pepper.

In my understanding and experience, the thing that separates the true paprika is the strong underlying sweetness. I never had the Spanish, but have enjoyed several of the Hungarian varieties...at considerable cost in the specialty stores..and found that sweetness always to be there even under the hot varieties. With most of the hispanic style peppers I mostly just had the heat, but not any real depth of flavor. Isn't the Hungarian pepper a thinner walled variety than many of our sweet peppers? Hopefully, I can find and propagate both the Hungarian and Spanish...I am not aware of other countries in Europe with their own varieties or use of paprikas.

On another tangent, I noticed in my wanderings a newly discovered hot that has a 1.5 million Scoville rating. Imagine a child getting one of those cute little things...talk about an "attractive nuisance" from a legal liability standpoint!

Now to begin a more serious search for paprika varietals, something SWEET, thin walled, and easy to dry.

[Blueaussi]

Which superhot did you run across? Inquiring minds and all...

[mensplace]

Originally Posted by Blueaussi

Which superhot did you run across? Inquiring minds and all...

BHUT JOLOKIA is the new "hottest" . Personally, at three times the heat of the hottest red habanero I see it a a problem waiting to happen...kind of like kicking a rattlesnake!

[GunnarSK]

Originally Posted by TZ-OH6

I think that "paprika" is simply a translation of pepper powder=chili powder going back to the 1500-1600s when those peppers made their way throughout Europe, followed by the later culinary spread of the powder/word from Hungary into the rest of Europe.
You can use whatever you like for paprika, ranging from sweet red bell peppers on up. I have a hungarian pepper that tastes like a sweet red bell pepper with some heat to it, but the shape is a bit different. Traditional paprika recipes call for a good quantity of paprika powder (as a flavor agent), which sets paprika apart from something like Cayenne where just a little is used, mainly for heat.

Originally Posted by mensplace

In my understanding and experience, the thing that separates the true paprika is the strong underlying sweetness. I never had the Spanish, but have enjoyed several of the Hungarian varieties...at considerable cost in the specialty stores..and found that sweetness always to be there even under the hot varieties. With most of the hispanic style peppers I mostly just had the heat, but not any real depth of flavor. Isn't the Hungarian pepper a thinner walled variety than many of our sweet peppers? Hopefully, I can find and propagate both the Hungarian and Spanish...I am not aware of other countries in Europe with their own varieties or use of paprikas.

Paprika is simply a Hungarian word meaning "little pepper" and it is the regular word for peppers in German, Polish and Czech (all the countries where these languages are spoken, are pepper growers). To quote wikipedia, "In many European languages, the word paprika also refers to bell peppers themselves".

[Blueaussi]

Originally Posted by mensplace

BHUT JOLOKIA is the new "hottest" . Personally, at three times the heat of the hottest red habanero I see it a a problem waiting to happen...kind of like kicking a rattlesnake!

Oh, ok, I thought they had unearthed a new one. There are some real hotties emerging out of Trinidad and India. I grew the Bhut Jolokia, Naga Morich, Trinidad Scopian, and 7 Pod/Pot for a couple of years, but they was just too hot for me to use much.

[mensplace]

Originally Posted by GunnarSK

Paprika is simply a Hungarian word meaning "little pepper",m and it iws the regular word fotrr peppers in Germqan,

Thank You! My American understanding was that all paprika was red, but then I began to discover a wide range of shades, heats and flavors. Too, I explored the peppers themselves and found that not all Hungarian "Paprika" peppers/chiles were even red fruits. I do have a preference for those european pepper fruits as they do have far more depth of flavor that comes through in the powders. Any suggestions beyond the Dulce Rojo and Alma. Somehow, these don't sound very Hungarian. Have you ever tried the Spanish Paprika or those of other nations?

[mensplace]

Originally Posted by Blueaussi

Oh, ok, I thought they had unearthed a new one. There are some real hotties emerging out of Trinidad and India. I grew the Bhut Jolokia, Naga Morich, Trinidad Scopian, and 7 Pod/Pot for a couple of years, but they was just too hot for me to use much.

What in the world would you actually do with the Naga Morich or Bhut Jolokia? With the number of fruits and vegetables that magically disappear from my garden, I could just imagine the disgruntled parents when little Johhny handles one of those. Even growing them in a subdevelopment like mine would be right up there with having a pit bull or swimming pool in the yard.

[velikipop]

I use the Bhuts to make powder, eat fresh, or cook in stews. And most importantly because they are beautiful and interesting plants to grow. This year I will be trying the new Chocolate Bhut and the Yellow 7/Pot.

As for paprika, yes there are some specific types that are used to make the famous paprika powder. From Hungary the most famous are the Szged and Kolocsai varieties. From Spain/France it is the Piment de Espellete.

I have lots of the Espellete seed and probably a few of the Hungarian types if you want to give them a try. Send me a PM.

Alex

[TZ-OH6]

Alot of the Bhut Jolokia growers make hot sauce out of them. Supposedly they are very flavorful before the heat kicks in. These are people who tolerance is very high. Tabasco barely rates as warm to them. There are a lot of hotsauces on the market with scoville ratings between 500,000 and 1 million scovilles. The hotter ones use capsaicin extract rather than peppers to get the heat level, which is why these guys want to use real peppers, for better flavor. These are mainly "microbrews" that you can buy on the web. You won't find them in the grocery store.

As far as I know the highest tested Scoville numbers are between 1,000,000 and 1,100,000 SHU (Scoville heat units) for Bhuts (one test from NMSU, and one from India). Some people think that the Trinidad Scorpions and one or two others may surpass those numbers but that is based on their personal taste tests.


Bhuts are also good for making extract (dried flakes soaked in vodka, then the liquid is saved and reduced down). A few drops can add a kick (but not sauce flavor) to various things such as hot chocolate/chocolate milk, red wine/sangria, bourbon. Its much easier than messing with powder/flakes.

[mensplace]

Originally Posted by TZ-OH6

Alot of the Bhut Jolokia growers make hot sauce out of them. Supposedly they are very flavorful before the heat kicks in. These are people who tolerance is very high. Tabasco barely rates as warm to them. There are a lot of hotsauces on the market with scoville ratings between 500,000 and 1 million scovilles. The hotter ones use capsaicin extract rather than peppers to get the heat level, which is why these guys want to use real peppers, for better flavor. These are mainly "microbrews" that you can buy on the web. You won't find them in the grocery store. As far as I know the highest tested Scoville numbers are between 1,000,000 and 1,100,000 SHU (Scoville heat units) for Bhuts (one test from NMSU, and one from India). Some people think that the Trinidad Scorpions and one or two others may surpass those numbers but that is based on their personal taste tests. Bhuts are also good for making extract (dried flakes soaked in vodka, then the liquid is saved and reduced down). A few drops can add a kick (but not sauce flavor) to various things such as hot chocolate/chocolate milk, red wine/sangria, bourbon. Its much easier than messing with powder/flakes.

I'm reminded of the time I wanted to make some jerk chicken and processed the habanero in a Cuisinart. NEVER again, and I can't even conceive of ever processing anything hotter...almost as bad as filling the house with horseradish esters doing the same! Imagine horseradish AND chili peppers in a sauce.

[darwinslair]

Bhuts are insane. Grew them two years ago and they did well. Beautiful peppers.

I ate one. Just one.

I can take a lot of heat. I make my own jerk sauce and it is pretty much just allspice and habenero, but the bhut.......

The heat was intense. Have never had hotter in a straight pepper. It was more like one of the more insane hot sauces (like The Bomb) but it did taste good....for about 15 seconds, and then the heat hit and started to build. It was about 30 minutes before my mouth and throat were back to an easy smoulder, and I handled it without crying or anything like that.

But my stomach burned. I have never had a pepper burn me inside. I had horrible discomfort for about 4 hours. Far worse than the burning in my mouth.

I grew the peppers again last year, but the cold summer killed every one of the plants, and I was kinda glad. For flavor and heat I grow lemon drops, which are like a mini habenero with a lemony taste. Large bush plants, ornamental, kicks up a red sauce.

If I just want some intense insane heat I have some kicking Thai Suns. For hot sauce it is Polish Cyclons. Thai Dragons for, well, cooking Thai style, and dozens and dozens of Jimmy Nardellos because I am yet to find a better sweeter fresh eating or frying pepper.

No more bhuts. I know I have a few hundred of those seeds somewhere. If I find them I better sell them before I am tempted again.

Tom

[mensplace]

Originally Posted by darwinslair

Bhuts are insane. Grew them two years ago and they did well. Beautiful peppers.

I ate one. Just one.

Tom

SO, I guess the Naga Morich is just out of the question!?