Our Favorite Pepper Varieties

May 06, 2013
Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor
The eye-popping thing about homegrown peppers—beyond the sheer volume—is the vast spectrum of heat and flavor they span.
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Peck of Peppers

Credit: Photo: Johnny Miller
Whatever a peck of peppers amounts to, it's safe to say we picked way more than that from our hugely bountiful crop, plenty for pickling, roasting, grilling, and slicing fresh. Some of ours delivered lemony tang along with searing heat, while others were sweet and apple-crisp.

See More: Cooking with Peppers

 

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Lemon Drop Peppers

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor
These dazzling hot peppers have fantastically complex citrus notes that aren't clobbered by their moderately high heat (between jalapeño and cayenne). Great for fruit salsas.

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Fish Peppers

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor
Perhaps slightly hotter than a serrano and about 3 inches long, they're an African-American heirloom popularly used in the 19th century for fish and shellfish cooking.
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Korean Dark Green Peppers

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor
Not quite as hot as Thai chiles, these are still spicier than serranos. One plant will yield hundreds of peppers, so think in terms of preservation: Pickle, or roast and freeze.

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Thai Long Sweet Peppers

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor
Don't let the name fool you—these are very hot! Thai Longs grow to about 6 inches. They're ideal for grilling or roasting until charred, then chopping up into spicy salsa.

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Red Cheese Peppers

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor
Glossy, brilliant red skin with sweet flesh that's thicker than bell peppers. They're small—about 3 inches—and flat, but gorgeous and worth the effort to stuff and roast.
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Chocolate Beauty Peppers

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor
This sweet bell pepper starts out green and then turns purple-brown as it ripens. Intensely sweet when ripe, it's versatile enough to eat raw, grill, roast, or sauté into pasta sauce.

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Golden Treasure Peppers

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor
A 9-inch-long sweet pepper that's a snap to prep: It has relatively few seeds, all located by the top stem and easy to slice right off. This Italian heirloom has thick flesh and tender skin.

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Melrose Peppers

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor
When young and green, it tastes like a green bell pepper; when red and fully ripe, it's sweet and richer. Hugely popular in Chicago among Italian-Americans.
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Jimmy Nardello Peppers

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor

Named for the son of Italian immigrants, this sweet pepper looks like a long cayenne.

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Purple Cayenne Peppers

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor

Think beyond red cayenne and try this violet variety with pointed purple pods. It's especially pretty in patio pots.

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Gypsy Peppers

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor

Displaying a virtual sunset range of color, the elongated sweet hybrid bell is reliable and prolific.

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