What does everyone do with their pods?

obeychase · Mar 29, 2015

I tried last year to grow my pods and all failed, as I am a new grower and didn't fertilize any of my plants last season. Now I have all of my plants growing indoors under my T5 light I purchased from Home Depot and it had been growing the shit out of my plants. I tolerate scovilles jalapeño and under. (Disgraceful I know). But, I do grow some superhots for the novelty and hopefully I will powder some this fall and make some sauce. I'm currently growing:

Brazilian Starfish
Bhut Jolokia White
Bhut Jolokia Red
Moruga Scorpion
Chocolate Habañero
Püresi Bibber
Hot Paper Lantern Hab

And I will most likely pick up some jalapeño plants from the nursery in the coming months.

My question is, for the people who grow endless superhots, what exactly do you all do with them? I understand hot sauce, powders, etc. but honestly why the 100+ plants? I'm just curious

Runescape · Mar 29, 2015

http://thehotpepper.com/topic/35087-nearly-overripe-podswhat-to-do-with-all-them/
http://thehotpepper.com/topic/26716-what-do-all-you-growers-do-with-your-pods/
http://thehotpepper.com/topic/32019-what-to-do-with-so-many-pods/
http://thehotpepper.com/topic/44841-how-do-you-use-your-frozen-pods/

moruga welder · Mar 29, 2015

First for the love , the Heat , and yes the Flavor . Wanting to grow one of each variety , its a addiction thats hard to explain . The Euphoria one gets from seeing this tiny seed evolve to a seedling then a plant to the fruiting and the end result of a twisted , bumpy , knarly , colorful pod . What else can i say ? :onfire:

Hybrid Mode 01 · Mar 29, 2015

moruga welder said:
First for the love , the Heat , and yes the Flavor . Wanting to grow one of each variety , its a addiction thats hard to explain . The Euphoria one gets from seeing this tiny seed evolve to a seedling then a plant to the fruiting and the end result of a twisted , bumpy , knarly , colorful pod . What else can i say ?

I couldn't have put it better myself! :cheers:

SavinaRed · Mar 29, 2015

I make hot sauce with most, smoke and dehydrate allot of pods and will make powder out of some of them. I also freeze some pods to use in sauces over the winter months.

moruga welder · Mar 29, 2015

Hybrid Mode 01 said:
I couldn't have put it better myself!

why thank you ! :onfire:

D3monic · Mar 29, 2015

SavinaRed said:
I make hot sauce with most, smoke and dehydrate allot of pods and will make powder out of some of them. I also freeze some pods to use in sauces over the winter months.

How's the texture of a defrosted pod? Do they get mealy or mushy? Could you defrost one and still cook with it reasonably or would it break down to nothing? I figured on freezing a bunch this year but was unsure of end result. Would love to be able to grab a handful of pods and defrost for dinner and such.

CAPCOM · Mar 29, 2015

Fresh, powdered, sauced.
Indulged and shared.

D3monic said:
How's the texture of a defrosted pod? Do they get mealy or mushy? Could you defrost one and still cook with it reasonably or would it break down to nothing? I figured on freezing a bunch this year but was unsure of end result. Would love to be able to grab a handful of pods and defrost for dinner and such.

freezing pods breaks down the cellular structure and basically turns them to mush. cooking with them in that state pretty much completes the physical change. But flavor and heat are for the most part preserved.

Hybrid Mode 01 · Mar 29, 2015

D3monic said:
How's the texture of a defrosted pod?

I freeze a lot of my harvest each year. They do get pretty mushy when they thaw, but they're really easy to slice when they're still frozen. The flavor keeps really well in a chest freezer at about -10.
I always put a layer or two of pods on a cookie sheet and freeze them individually - so they don't clump together when frozen. They all stay nice and round and individual this way. Even if I fire roast them first.

chocolatescotchbonnet · Mar 29, 2015

Superhots: Dehydrate for powder
Not so superhots: Salsa, pickled, & hot sauce
Not so super hots & sweet used to cook with or eat raw
Edit: And to save seeds...!

SavinaRed · Mar 29, 2015

D3monic said:
How's the texture of a defrosted pod? Do they get mealy or mushy? Could you defrost one and still cook with it reasonably or would it break down to nothing? I figured on freezing a bunch this year but was unsure of end result. Would love to be able to grab a handful of pods and defrost for dinner and such.

I just blend them with all the other ingredients and then cook the sauce. It turns out just fine IMHO.

hottoddy · Mar 29, 2015

Sell at farmers markets for $2 apiece. Mwahahahaa ...!!

moruga welder · Mar 29, 2015

hottoddy said:
Sell at farmers markets for $2 apiece. Mwahahahaa ...!!

thats not a bad idea ! we have one every saturday morning . surely sell a couple ! :onfire:

obeychase · Mar 29, 2015

First for the love , the Heat , and yes the Flavor . Wanting to grow one of each variety , its a addiction thats hard to explain . The Euphoria one gets from seeing this tiny seed evolve to a seedling then a plant to the fruiting and the end result of a twisted , bumpy , knarly , colorful pod . What else can i say ? :onfire:

I couldn't agree more!!!!

Elvis Has Left The Forum · Mar 31, 2015

moruga welder said:
First for the love , the Heat , and yes the Flavor . Wanting to grow one of each variety , its a addiction thats hard to explain . The Euphoria one gets from seeing this tiny seed evolve to a seedling then a plant to the fruiting and the end result of a twisted , bumpy , knarly , colorful pod . What else can i say ?

I agree also! :cheers:

However, with this being my first year of growing hot and super hot peppers, most of my pods will be dried for seeds and given to other noobs to pay it forward... I have a fairly large area to grow, so I want to grow as many different varieties as I can. This way I will have a lot of varieties to offer other THP members... The members of THP have been so generous to me! I just hope that I can help others as much as y'all have helped me...
Also because I love to grill, smoke and BBQ, I want to make my own hot sauces, rubs and BBQ sauces. Since I have no idea what flavor each variety will impart, I will be saving a few pods of each variety to experiment with and share with my other friends.

moruga welder · Mar 31, 2015

FL Born said:
I agree also!

However, with this being my first year of growing hot and super hot peppers, most of my pods will be dried for seeds and given to other noobs to pay it forward... I have a fairly large area to grow, so I want to grow as many different varieties as I can. This way I will have a lot of varieties to offer other THP members... The members of THP have been so generous to me! I just hope that I can help others as much as y'all have helped me...
Also because I love to grill, smoke and BBQ, I want to make my own hot sauces, rubs and BBQ sauces. Since I have no idea what flavor each variety will impart, I will be saving a few pods of each variety to experiment with and share with my other friends.

thats the spirit my friend ! :onfire: