The mysterious "Peppadew" pepper

[gssgarden]

Sorry Addict but this is what came up from your Peppadew plant. Much to big (golf ball size) for a Dew and way hotter but I still like it anyway.

Greg

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[tomatoaddict]

I don't know Greg....Mine look like that but aren't golf ball size. Don't forget too that the Peppadews in the jar have been processed and shrink in size. I'm no expert on them for sure. I saw some pics of the plants on another site and mine look like them.

[tomatoaddict]

I think you are right Greg. Now that mine are really popping, I think they are too big to be a Peppadew. The shape doesn't look quite right to me either.

[gssgarden]

Here's my latest pickins. Nice hot flavor. Loaded with seeds. Back to the drawing board huh Addict?

Greg

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[tomatoaddict]

Yep Greg... back to the drawing board. You can never trust those illicit seed cartels. LOL.. I think I am on to a new hot trail...we'll see. These imposters are good just not the real McCoy.

[Patrina_Pepperina]

They look mighty fine with thick walls tho!

PP

[maryinoregon]

I read this thread some time ago and the name stuck in my head. Yesterday I went to the olive bar in a local supermarket to get my mom a pound of mixed olives and anything else that looked interesting. Imagine my surprise when I saw a container filled with something the sign called Peppadews. I looked and saw one with a few seeds in it. I put it in my one pound container and thought I would have to look up this thread again. I tasted it. It does taste sweet/hot. I thought it had been processed with sugar. Maybe not? It looks something like a hot cherry pepper. I'm thinking I may go back and check the peppers to see if I can find more with seeds. Anyway, I have three seeds for next year. I wonder if they will grow?

[Earl]

Folks,
They had Peppadews in the local Kroger olive bar [$8 lb.], and checking them out I saw some still had seeds in them. I got 52 nice looking seeds out of 4-5 peppers. Since they're not cooked I can't think of anything they could have put in the marinade to kill the seeds. I rinsed/washed them with soapy hot water to get the oil off of them. Once they dry I'll see if I can get 4 to germinate.

If they do I'll post here and share them. In the meantime, everyone check the local olive bars for Peppadews and check for seeds.

[robin303]

Thanks Earl for the heads up. Let us know if they work.

[Earl]

I got the brine ingredients for Peppadews you find on olive bars like at Kroger grocery store. I've been trying to germinate a few seeds for a week, but no luck yet. One would think that the below ingredients wouldn't harm the seeds.

Peppadew
Sweet Piquante Peppers
40% water, sugar, vinegar [cane], salt, ascorbic acid, and calcium chloride [same as Pickle Fresh=Ball canning pickle crisper]

Here's info on cane vinegar and the reason the brine tastes so good. I'll be using a lot of cane vinegar from now on.

What is Cane Vinegar?

Cane vinegar is a mild vinegar that you will see in frequent use in Philippine cooking, and on many islands where sugar cane is grown and harvested. It’s been compared to rice vinegar in its mildness, though there are certainly different grades squeezed from sugar cane. It’s not exactly sweet and instead has a mildly sharp taste that is useful for pickling ingredients or making sauces.

In the Philippines, you may see cane vinegar called sukang iloko after the northern region of Illocos, where much of the vinegar is made. It may be labeled sukang maasim, which does not denote region and simply translates as vinegar or sour vinegar. In Asian or Filipino grocery stores in the US, you may find sukang massim more often than sukang iloko.

You can find cane vinegar in many large grocery stores in the US since it is also manufactured in places like Hawaii and California. It’s becoming increasingly popular as an alternate vinegar to some more traditional offerings like wine or apple cider vinegar. Many people describe the taste as sour but fresh and like its light taste in a variety of foods.

Cane vinegar is used in dishes with sweet and sour sauces, and surprisingly, in many dishes that are certainly not Philippine in origin. Sauerbraten benefits from cane vinegar and some people now use it as the principle ingredient in pickled herring. The Vinegarman, a self-titled Internet expert on vinegar recommends cane vinegar added to hummus to give it an extra kick. He further suggests adding a bit of cane vinegar to a delicious lemon custard recipe.

In Philippine cooking, one of the classic dishes is adobo, where chicken and pork are simmered in vinegar, bay leaves, garlic and spices. This sweet/sour dish is quite popular, and easy to make in any country. It’s delicious served over rice. Braised pork leg or paksiw na pata is another popular Philippine dish, usually made with several cups of this alternate vinegar.

You might try cane vinegar especially with pork and chicken dishes. Some cooks recommend it as part of a marinade to tenderize meat. Since it has a lighter flavor then many other types of vinegar, food tends not to take on its flavor quite as much. It will taste more piquant, but have less of a strong vinegar taste. Some people like to add a touch to dressings for fruit salads since it will have bite but won’t interfere with natural fruit flavors.

[ddsack]

Earl,

I will be very impressed if you get those pickled pepper seeds to germinate. I'm thinking of how vinegar "cooks" fish when they are pickled, the flesh actually changes to a white color from the translucent state. Don't you think that the seed coat will eventually be softened and penetrated by the vinegar if the seeds sit there long enough? Or is the percentage of vinegar to water in the brine too low to kill the viability in your opinion? Great idea if it works! Please keep us informed of your progress, ok?

[Earl]

I've tried to germinate 4 seeds from the Deli Peppadews for the past few weeks [in a ziploc with wet paper towel]. 2 turned black, the other 2 just sit there. I think the Peppadews headed for Deli sales [when being prepared] are either blanched or maybe even boiled for a short time. Thus no seed viability. Yesterday, I boiled some peppers before canning to see if the mouth feel was the same with the Pepperdews and it was similar.

I found some cane vinegar [called Datu Puti] at a local Asian store. I'm working on the right ratio of water, sugar and vinegar to get the taste of the liquid that comes with the Deli Peppadews. If I get close I'll post results.

[babylark]

I tried making some pickled mini bell peppers. I topped and seeded them. Then I soaked them in a weak salt water brine overnight. I rinsed them once and then added warm pickling mix. I used about the ratio posted above, but with Cider vinegar cause I didn't know where the heck to get Cane Vinegar.

They have been in the fridge for a week of so. They are still crunchy, but have the great pickled taste.

They aren't peppadews, but they are really good. I like them with fresh mozzarella.

[daylilydude]

Peppadew Pickled Peppers

Cut off stem and deseed unless you want burning hot peppers. It's best to use surgical gloves, as the peppers can make your fingers burn. Cut off the stem end and scrape out the seeds with a small teaspoon. Try to remove all the seeds. Dissolve about 4 tablespoons sea salt in just over 2 cups water. (We have metric measurements: 60g salt to 600ml water.

In another submission of this recipe, the author gave the following instructions: Leave overnight in a brine consisting of 2 ounces kosher/coarse salt and about 2 1/3 cups water). Drop peppers into brine after deseeding, and leave them in for a few hours or overnight. (Increase brine mixture according to volume of peppers!) Put a plate or other weight on top if necessary, to stop them from bobbing on top.

Before continuing, be sure your jars, caps and rings are very clean and sterilized in boiling water. Leave in the hot water until ready to fill the jars.

Syrup ingredients:

1-1/2 cups good vinegar, grape or wine or malt (5% acetic acid)

1-1/4 cup sugar

1 cup water

a few pieces sliced fresh ginger

some fresh garlic cloves

2 tablespoons crushed peppercorns (the mixed peppercorns are nice)

some bay or lemon leaves

a little sea salt

Additional ingredients: 2 whole green chili peppers, reserved, optional extra small whole green chili peppers for garnish

Combine the syrup ingredients in a non-reactive pot that is large enough to hold the peppers. Stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Then bring to a rolling boil. Take care, as the mixture does foam up a bit.

In the meantime, rinse the brined peppers. Place in a colander or sieve and shake to remove as much moisture as possible. Add the peppers along with the green chili peppers to the boiling syrup. Boil for a minute or two. Use a slotted spoon to fill the jars with the peppers. Push them in; you want to fill the bottles nicely! Then pour over the boiling hot mixture. Use a small rubber spatula along with gentle tapping and rotation of the jars in to fill the pepper hollows with the syrup. You can add a green chili to each jar for decorative purposes if you like. Final filling should be to 1/2-inch of the top.

Wipe the rims of the jars. Cap the jars and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes at altitudes up to 1000 feet, 15 minutes from altitudes of 1000 to 6000 feet, and 20 minutes above 6000 feet. Leave for about 2 - 3 weeks before use.

This recipe fills 2 ordinary (supermarket size!) 375 ml bottles, i.e. each about 1 1/2 cups. Don't work with huge quantities -- rather make in smaller batches, it's easier and safer. * I use white grape vinegar because it's pure white. I dislike the cheaper spirit vinegar. Use whatever is available to you. Cider vinegar is also fine, except that it's slightly colored

[tomatoaddict]

I've gotten 3 new sources for Peppadews this year. All of them swear it's the real deal. Soooooooo, I will be growing them out from all three... I'll keep you all updated.