Consumer Q&A: A Peck of Pickled Peppers

Q: What is rooster spur pepper? I saw the seed advertised in the Market Bulletin.

A: It is a hot pepper with two-inch long pods that ripen to a bright red and that are shaped like the spur on a rooster. Use them fresh or dried to add flavor and heat to chili, sausage, beans or other dishes.

Q: Which is hotter – a Korean pepper or a Thai pepper?

A: On a scale of one to 10 with 10 being the hottest, Korean peppers rate six to seven, and Thai peppers rate seven to eight. Other common hot peppers rate as follows:

• Cherry: one to five
• Ancho/poblano : three
• Wax: three to eight
• Jalapeno: five to six
• Serrano: six to seven
• Cayenne: eight
• Tabasco: eight to nine
• Scotch bonnet: nine to 10
• Habanero: 10

The heat in hot peppers can fluctuate depending on where and how they were grown and among different varieties within the type of pepper. 

There are more differences between peppers than just how hot they are, however. They have different flavors. These flavors can also vary depending on how ripe the pepper is when harvested and whether it is fresh or dried. 

If you are experimenting with hot peppers, keep milk nearby. Drinking milk or eating a dairy product such as ice cream or yogurt will help quell the burning if you are not used to eating hot, spicy foods or if you get a pepper that is a little hotter than you expected.  

Q: Do you have any tips for freezing peppers? 

A: Rinse the peppers and let them dry. Slice them into strips, rings, cubes or halves depending on the size and type of pepper and how you plan to use them. Remove seeds and the pale ribs. Place the peppers in a single layer on a cookie sheet and put them in the freezer until completely frozen. Pack the frozen peppers into a freezer bag and return them to the freezer.

The step with the cookie sheet will keep the pieces from freezing into a solid block, especially if you are packing them tight into a freezer bag. If you are only loosely packing a few pieces of peppers, the step is not as important.

Small peppers such as cayenne, habanero or jalapeno can be frozen whole and sliced when you get ready to use them. They can also be used whole when cooking pots of dried peas, beans and such.