most versatile pepper varieties

jillian · September 3, 2015

I have only grown jalapeno, habanero, bells, jimmy nardello, and ancho. I want to add a few more peppers and need some help from some of you pepper pros. I am looking for versatile peppers (fresh eating, frying, roasting) mild/medium heat. I already grow habanero and that is quite hot enough for me. I would also like a sweet yellow type similar to the jimmy nardello. In my web searches it appears that there are different varieties of say the anaheim, hungarian wax, cubanelle, etc. Is this correct?

Oh lordy it is confusing to me. I do not want to grow a ton of peppers so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. There is a lot of great info here in this forum, I love reading and looking at all the pics! However all the info has boggled my small brain, lol.
Sooooo, please help me narrow this down. Versatile, mild to medium heat, and preferably prolific. Thanks!!!!!

Rairdog · September 3, 2015

I am replacing most of my bells with Corno di Toro's (yellow and red) for thick walled. They give me better production and flavor. Cubanelle's are similar but not a tasty IMO.

If you like habs you will love Aji's. Especially limon and mango. Great fruity flavor and better production for me than habs.

Check out Numex for some thin walled to compliment ancho's if you want to make powder. I need to improve this area next season. All mine are to hot to make chile, tacos...etc.

Send me a pm and SASE and I will send you some aji and toro seeds.

jillian · September 3, 2015

Thanks Rairdog, sent pm! And I now have Corno di Toro yellow on my list of seeds to order. Looked it up and looks like the sweet yellow I was searching for. Great suggestion!

Rairdog · September 3, 2015

Corno di Toro

Aji Limon is bottom right and the one above it it Beni Highlands. Great flavor slightly less hot than habs. The rest are super hots.

Gerardo · September 3, 2015

Nardellos fit the bill, mostly. Were they satisfactory? I dig 'em.

Worth1 · September 3, 2015

Okay lets get one thing clear, an Ancho is a dried Poblano.
Ancho means wide, as when they are dried they are flat and wide.
An Anaheim is a type of New Mexico chili which is also the hatch chili.
I couldn't grow a Hatch chili in Texas to save my life because I dont live in New Mexico.
Hungarian wax is a killer pepper.

Corno di Toro red and yellow (Horn of the bull) are very good and prolific peppers.
Chili Arbol I cant say enough good about.
A real must in every kitchen.
I buy dried Chili Arbol by the bags full and make my own powder with them.
They aren't quite as hot as cayenne but one heck of a lot more flavor.

I'm going to stop.
I get as excited about peppers as most people do about tomatoes.

If I was asked right now to give up one or the other for the rest of my life I would easily say I'll take the peppers.

Worth

jillian · September 3, 2015

Beautiful pics Rairdog!! And Worth thanks for the suggestions, I will check into the Chili Arbol! And I call the ancho/poblano "ancho" bc that is what my seed packet is labeled (Ancho San Luis) lol. I have never dried them but love to roast and stuff them.
Thanks everyone! Tomatoville is awesome....for tomatoes and everything else!

jillian · September 3, 2015

Worth, looked up the chili arbol, is that a very hot pepper??

Worth1 · September 3, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by jillian

Beautiful pics Rairdog!! And Worth thanks for the suggestions, I will check into the Chili Arbol! And I call the ancho/poblano "ancho" bc that is what my seed packet is labeled (Ancho San Luis) lol. I have never dried them but love to roast and stuff them.
Thanks everyone! Tomatoville is awesome....for tomatoes and everything else!

I know I have seen the seeds for sale.

Worth

rhines81 · September 3, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by jillian

I have only grown jalapeno, habanero, bells, jimmy nardello, and ancho. I want to add a few more peppers and need some help from some of you pepper pros. I am looking for versatile peppers (fresh eating, frying, roasting) mild/medium heat. I already grow habanero and that is quite hot enough for me. I would also like a sweet yellow type similar to the jimmy nardello. In my web searches it appears that there are different varieties of say the anaheim, hungarian wax, cubanelle, etc. Is this correct?

Oh lordy it is confusing to me. I do not want to grow a ton of peppers so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. There is a lot of great info here in this forum, I love reading and looking at all the pics! However all the info has boggled my small brain, lol.
Sooooo, please help me narrow this down. Versatile, mild to medium heat, and preferably prolific. Thanks!!!!!

What I did this year was to seriously ask myself what I wanted out of growing peppers and why.
I love to make Chili and hate buying generic chili powder which contains a multitude of things other than peppers so recipes need to be adjusted each time a new 'chili powder' is tried. I wanted a more controlled ingredient chili powder using fresh self-made blend of cayenne, cubanelle, jalapeno, paprika and Anaheim. Salt, black pepper, cumin, garlic etc ... should be measured separately. I also LOVE Jalapeno poppers so I grew tens of those plants as I can eat several dozen peppers per week. I also grew bell peppers knowing full well that I hate green bell peppers but I love them when they reach the red stage (I think green Cubanelles are almost equivalent to the red bells). Hopefully I won't feel the need to grow the bells ever again after this year. Poblanos I grew because nothing beats a stuffed Ancho and they are very hard to find around here in the grocery.
So I have basically 2 lists: "Frequently used" (Jalapenos, Cayenne (as dried), Poblanos and Cubanelles) and "Hard to finds" (Paprika (fresh), Anaheims, Poblanos and Cubanelles - yes I listed them on the previous list, but they are also hard to find fresh around here).
Other peppers like Habaneros, Poppers, etc... are nice to have not as frequently used in quantity but still fun to grow. Available space would dictate how many nice to haves I would grow. The older I get the more practical I am and don't enjoy the next day of ripping my gut out with super hots. The Chili Arbol I may just try next year to see if it mixes with my lifestyle

If I had to grow only one it would be the Jalapeño. Choice of two, I would add the Poblano because they are great stuffed. Three to choose from I would add the Cayenne because I use that sh1t on everything in powder or hot oil form. Anaheims would be 4th and Cubanelles 5th choice.

rhines81 · September 3, 2015

I love my poppers stuffed with sausage and cheese

No gardening skills required for these wild blueberries, delicious and plentiful around here

Lorri D · September 3, 2015

I second or third the Corno di Toro's...looks like lots of people like them here. They are the only large pepper that I can get ripe where I am.

I also like lipstick and donkey ears and good 'ol banana peppers.

Lorri D · September 3, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhines81

I love my poppers stuffed with sausage and cheese

No gardening skills required for these wild blueberries, delicious and plentiful around here

Do you have any problems with BBM or Drosophila flies on your blueberries?

jillian · September 4, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhines81

What I did this year was to seriously ask myself what I wanted out of growing peppers and why.
I love to make Chili and hate buying generic chili powder which contains a multitude of things other than peppers so recipes need to be adjusted each time a new 'chili powder' is tried. I wanted a more controlled ingredient chili powder using fresh self-made blend of cayenne, cubanelle, jalapeno, paprika and Anaheim. Salt, black pepper, cumin, garlic etc ... should be measured separately. I also LOVE Jalapeno poppers so I grew tens of those plants as I can eat several dozen peppers per week. I also grew bell peppers knowing full well that I hate green bell peppers but I love them when they reach the red stage (I think green Cubanelles are almost equivalent to the red bells). Hopefully I won't feel the need to grow the bells ever again after this year. Poblanos I grew because nothing beats a stuffed Ancho and they are very hard to find around here in the grocery.
So I have basically 2 lists: "Frequently used" (Jalapenos, Cayenne (as dried), Poblanos and Cubanelles) and "Hard to finds" (Paprika (fresh), Anaheims, Poblanos and Cubanelles - yes I listed them on the previous list, but they are also hard to find fresh around here).
Other peppers like Habaneros, Poppers, etc... are nice to have not as frequently used in quantity but still fun to grow. Available space would dictate how many nice to haves I would grow. The older I get the more practical I am and don't enjoy the next day of ripping my gut out with super hots. The Chili Arbol I may just try next year to see if it mixes with my lifestyle

If I had to grow only one it would be the Jalapeño. Choice of two, I would add the Poblano because they are great stuffed. Three to choose from I would add the Cayenne because I use that sh1t on everything in powder or hot oil form. Anaheims would be 4th and Cubanelles 5th choice.

I like the way you think! I am adding the anaheim and cubanelle to my grow list for next year. Your poppers look heavenly! I usually stuff with cheese and wrap in bacon, but I may have to try your recipe

I may have to try the Chili Arbol as well, thanks Worth

jillian · September 4, 2015

LorriD, these pics are gorgeous! The corno di toros are on my list!! I have never eaten a fresh banana pepper, but I always have a jar of them in the fridge.....love them in salads and on sandwiches!
Has anyone ever grown the datil sweet hot pepper? Wondering is this is similar to the jimmy nardello only with a little heat?

Thanks everyone for the thoughts and replies!

September 3, 2015	#1
jillian Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: North Carolina Posts: 880	most versatile pepper varieties I have only grown jalapeno, habanero, bells, jimmy nardello, and ancho. I want to add a few more peppers and need some help from some of you pepper pros. I am looking for versatile peppers (fresh eating, frying, roasting) mild/medium heat. I already grow habanero and that is quite hot enough for me. I would also like a sweet yellow type similar to the jimmy nardello. In my web searches it appears that there are different varieties of say the anaheim, hungarian wax, cubanelle, etc. Is this correct? Oh lordy it is confusing to me. I do not want to grow a ton of peppers so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. There is a lot of great info here in this forum, I love reading and looking at all the pics! However all the info has boggled my small brain, lol. Sooooo, please help me narrow this down. Versatile, mild to medium heat, and preferably prolific. Thanks!!!!!

September 3, 2015	#6
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Okay lets get one thing clear, an Ancho is a dried Poblano. Ancho means wide, as when they are dried they are flat and wide. An Anaheim is a type of New Mexico chili which is also the hatch chili. I couldn't grow a Hatch chili in Texas to save my life because I dont live in New Mexico. Hungarian wax is a killer pepper. Corno di Toro red and yellow (Horn of the bull) are very good and prolific peppers. Chili Arbol I cant say enough good about. A real must in every kitchen. I buy dried Chili Arbol by the bags full and make my own powder with them. They aren't quite as hot as cayenne but one heck of a lot more flavor. I'm going to stop. I get as excited about peppers as most people do about tomatoes. If I was asked right now to give up one or the other for the rest of my life I would easily say I'll take the peppers. Worth Last edited by Worth1; September 3, 2015 at 07:46 PM.

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September 3, 2015	#2
Rairdog Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2014 Location: Noblesville, IN Posts: 112	I am replacing most of my bells with Corno di Toro's (yellow and red) for thick walled. They give me better production and flavor. Cubanelle's are similar but not a tasty IMO. If you like habs you will love Aji's. Especially limon and mango. Great fruity flavor and better production for me than habs. Check out Numex for some thin walled to compliment ancho's if you want to make powder. I need to improve this area next season. All mine are to hot to make chile, tacos...etc. Send me a pm and SASE and I will send you some aji and toro seeds.

September 3, 2015	#4
Rairdog Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2014 Location: Noblesville, IN Posts: 112	Corno di Toro Aji Limon is bottom right and the one above it it Beni Highlands. Great flavor slightly less hot than habs. The rest are super hots.

September 3, 2015	#5
Gerardo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: San Diego-Tijuana Posts: 2,594	Nardellos fit the bill, mostly. Were they satisfactory? I dig 'em.

September 3, 2015	#11
rhines81 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Zone 5A, Poconos Posts: 959	I love my poppers stuffed with sausage and cheese No gardening skills required for these wild blueberries, delicious and plentiful around here

September 4, 2015	#15
jillian Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: North Carolina Posts: 880	LorriD, these pics are gorgeous! The corno di toros are on my list!! I have never eaten a fresh banana pepper, but I always have a jar of them in the fridge.....love them in salads and on sandwiches! Has anyone ever grown the datil sweet hot pepper? Wondering is this is similar to the jimmy nardello only with a little heat? Thanks everyone for the thoughts and replies!