Pepperoncini- I don't know what I'm doing

Nan_PA_6b · August 15, 2018

Hi all,

DH bought a pepperoncini start this year, and it's now producing peppers. They're turning reddish with some green still on them. We picked one and it's sweet and spicy with zero heat. So a few questions:

1. When are pepperoncinis ripe?
2. Aren't they supposed to have some heat? (DH ate seeds and all, no heat)

Thanks,

Nan

Tomzhawaii · August 15, 2018

I got my seeds from baker creek. Same story, not hot. But it is listed as a sweet pepper too. Mine were tough and very little flavor when raw. I threw mine in the fry pan and the taste was slightly more like a pepper. I grew Fushimi after that and those were fantastic cooked or raw. Once in awhile there would be a scorcher but generally most were mild to medium heat. Both were the best producers by far. I think the fushimi grew 8-10 peppers a week for 3-4 months. I love the long growing season in Hawaii.

killab · August 16, 2018

when i buy them pickled.i seem to randomly get ones with some kick to it...but they are generally sweet

bower · August 16, 2018

I tried a couple of different pepperoncini types. Mostly they had little or no heat except right at the top of the pepper (stem end). Maybe when pickled the heat spreads throughout - I found that myself with pickled peppers. But the ones with no heat were disappointing to me. A distinctive almost sour taste in any green part was interesting but could have done better with heat.

I have an Italian pepperoncini that I got originally from West Coast Seeds in BC. It's a long thin curly type pepper with a nice rich taste and consistent very mild heat, that ripens from very pale green to red. I really like those better, but they probably don't have the classic taste of the pickled peppers.

zipcode · August 17, 2018

There are many types, so it will depend. I have one of the Golden Greeks (even those are multiple variations). They have like 0.1 heat, so barely recognizable.
You are supposed to use them green before their seeds become hard (they seem to ripen unusually fast for a pepper). For grilling or pickling etc. The walls are very thin and when the skin gets hard they are not very useful imo.

Nan_PA_6b · August 17, 2018

Use them green, you say? Then I have a lot of peppers to pick, pronto.

Nan

bjbebs · September 14, 2018

I've grown Pepperoncini Orange the last couple years. This is not your typical green pepperoncini. It's quite warm, sometimes bordering on hot. It's a very productive 30 inch plant. Thin walled and does not hold long on the plant after turning.
I will send in plenty of seed to Gary's swap if anyone wants to try it.

August 15, 2018	#1
Nan_PA_6b Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 3,194	Pepperoncini- I don't know what I'm doing Hi all, DH bought a pepperoncini start this year, and it's now producing peppers. They're turning reddish with some green still on them. We picked one and it's sweet and spicy with zero heat. So a few questions: 1. When are pepperoncinis ripe? 2. Aren't they supposed to have some heat? (DH ate seeds and all, no heat) Thanks, Nan

August 15, 2018	#2
Tomzhawaii Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Honolulu ,Hawaii Posts: 262	I got my seeds from baker creek. Same story, not hot. But it is listed as a sweet pepper too. Mine were tough and very little flavor when raw. I threw mine in the fry pan and the taste was slightly more like a pepper. I grew Fushimi after that and those were fantastic cooked or raw. Once in awhile there would be a scorcher but generally most were mild to medium heat. Both were the best producers by far. I think the fushimi grew 8-10 peppers a week for 3-4 months. I love the long growing season in Hawaii.

August 16, 2018	#3
killab Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: New York Posts: 35	when i buy them pickled.i seem to randomly get ones with some kick to it...but they are generally sweet

August 16, 2018	#4
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,794	I tried a couple of different pepperoncini types. Mostly they had little or no heat except right at the top of the pepper (stem end). Maybe when pickled the heat spreads throughout - I found that myself with pickled peppers. But the ones with no heat were disappointing to me. A distinctive almost sour taste in any green part was interesting but could have done better with heat. I have an Italian pepperoncini that I got originally from West Coast Seeds in BC. It's a long thin curly type pepper with a nice rich taste and consistent very mild heat, that ripens from very pale green to red. I really like those better, but they probably don't have the classic taste of the pickled peppers.

August 17, 2018	#5
zipcode Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Romania/Germany , z 4-6 Posts: 1,582	There are many types, so it will depend. I have one of the Golden Greeks (even those are multiple variations). They have like 0.1 heat, so barely recognizable. You are supposed to use them green before their seeds become hard (they seem to ripen unusually fast for a pepper). For grilling or pickling etc. The walls are very thin and when the skin gets hard they are not very useful imo.

September 14, 2018	#7
bjbebs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2014 Location: illinois Posts: 281	I've grown Pepperoncini Orange the last couple years. This is not your typical green pepperoncini. It's quite warm, sometimes bordering on hot. It's a very productive 30 inch plant. Thin walled and does not hold long on the plant after turning. I will send in plenty of seed to Gary's swap if anyone wants to try it.