Jalapeno question

Finney · 03-11-2006, 09:45 PM

I have heard that, but not totally sure it is true.
I've heard that in general, the smaller the pepper, the hotter it is. But that is talking about different types. (I think)

Uncle Al · 03-12-2006, 06:04 AM

There are lots of varieties of jalapenos. Some are mild (usually found in grocery stores) to some that are very hot. So, I might be wrong, but this time size doesn't matter.

Al

john pen · 03-12-2006, 05:06 PM

I heard that a few weeks ago on the food channel during a special on peppers...nothing to back it up though...

zilla · 03-12-2006, 06:52 PM

Thats a bunk myth, It all has to do with Growing Environment, Specific Jap cultivar, and pollination or actually (Cross Pollination). If you get some seeds and grow them in the hot Texas sun and then take seeds from those peppers and grow them the next year and do that for a few years you end up with a smaller pepper, with darker colors. Purples, reds oranges and they are hotter than holy shit! It takes a few years to get the cultvar settled back to where it should be from the hot house peppers at the store. The big green ones at the store are usually Texas A&M peppers that are mild by design they call the variety TAM. Real garden grown jalapeno peppers are much hotter than most folks can take. My buddy grow them out west of here and I'll tell ya what. Those are the hottest damn things I ever had. With the exception of garden grown Habs. This type of Jap is not suitable for ABTs. At least anywhere but Texas.

Nick Prochilo · 03-12-2006, 07:38 PM

Leave it to the Texans to screw things up!

ScottyDaQ · 03-13-2006, 07:03 AM

I've also heard that if a jalap has a blunt end, it's more likely to be hot than one that has pointy end (or was it the other way around?). It had to do with growing time if I recall.
Not to blatantly plug but, maybe someone on my forum knows.

zilla · 03-13-2006, 09:11 AM

So many urban myths , so little time.

Bill The Grill Guy · 03-14-2006, 02:04 PM

If there is an issue with the peppers being too hot, just blanch them before using. At work for example, we have some people who dont like them hot. So, I just put a pot of boiling water on and after deseeding and devaining them, I drop them down in the boiling water for a minute and the peppers come out more mild.

K Kruger · 03-16-2006, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill The Grill Guy

I drop them down in the boiling water for a minute and the peppers come out more mild.

This is what many commercial popper makers do to mild them up for the masses.

Note that the peppers continue cooking from residual heat after blanching. Plunging them immediately into ice water will stop the cooking and firm them a bit; drain, then continue with your recipe.