Grind peppers with or without seeds?

[PrairieChilihead]

I asked this question in the middle of another thread, but would really like some professional opinions. I've always left the seeds in my peppers when dehydrating and grinding them up to use as a condiment. I removed all seeds from a batch, while leaving the placentas intact and found that the resulting powder was livelier and more flavourful. I really noticed with the next batch that had seeds left in that there was a bit of an "off" or musty flavour. Just chewing up a seed, I notice no heat.

Question is, do you grind up the seeds when making a powder or remove the seeds first? If the latter, is there really a reduction in the heat level?

 

[rainbowberry]

Some people say that the seeds can make it bitter but I leave seeds in for however I consume a pepper.

EDIT: Not a professional opinion.

 

[Armadillo]

This is a very interesting question. If you read the different sources they tell you different things about the capsaicin in the seeds. Some say they're less hot than the rest of the pod, some say they're not hot at all. I chewed some habanero seeds for fun and they had some mild heat. But was that the remains of placenta and juice or the seeds themselves? So do they add taste to the powder or do they just attenuate it?

 

[TXCG]

For peppers tabasco sized and smaller I just leave seeds in. For larger peppers I de-seed. I don't mind the taste of ground seeds, doesn't seem to take away from the overall flavor, but I agree it does attenuate heat a little bit because of the extra volume.

 

[AlabamaJack]

I, like RB, do not ever remove anything but the stem when I use peppers...and like she said too, I am not a professional either

 

[imaguitargod]

Unless it's a Rocoto, I always leave the seeds in.

 

[cheezydemon]

Color is the only concern. If you are wanting a bright red powder.......de-seed.

For me. who cares?

 

[Caustic Casey]

Whatever doesn't fall into the bottom of the excaliber, goes into the shaker...

 

[P. Dreadie]

When ever I make chili I grind what ever mix of peppers I'm going to use in a coffee grinder. Like AJ I use all but the stems. If seeds are supposed to make it biter guess I never noticed because I add brown sugar to taste.

On some things like Pork Adobado where I use whole ancho peppers and boil them to soften. I do take the seeds out. Any whole dry pepper I'm going to soften like this I take the seeds out. My reason is the blender may leave a few seeds whole which people don't seem to like.

P. Dreadie

 

[cheezydemon]

.........................good answer!.....I think.

Why give up the volume? Bitter??????? My favorite beer is a double IPA, so I may not be qualified, but I have never noticed the least bit of bitterness in ANY pepper powder I've made.

AND I DON'T DE-SEED!

 

[wordwiz]

I'm too lazy to take seeds out. Dehydrate, mill. If the sauce isn't hot enough, add another gram or two of powder.

Mike

 

[PrairieChilihead]

Interesting. I've always left the seeds in, too. I never said that I thought the seeds made the powder bitter. The seeds have no actual flavour, that I can detect. Nor any heat. I noticed when deseeding peppers (to save the seeds) and grinding the peppers up, that the resulting powder tasted more "natural" and lifelike - more like the taste of the fresh pepper. The very next batch of Scotch Bonnets and Caribbean Reds ground up together with the seeds left in, had a musty, earthy after-taste, which is what my powders always seem to have. I wasn't actually doing an experiment. It was just the way that it worked out. Now I'm thinking that the seeds degrade the flavour of the powder. I suddenly wondered if anyone else had ever noticed such a thing. The next batch I do I will carefully pull out the seeds, leaving the placenta intact, and not grind them up. I mean, I chewed up a seven Pot seed just to see if there was any heat in it and there wasn't. So why include the seeds?

This is a new thought process for me. Thanks for your input, everyone.

 

[Armadillo]

It's also a matter of time. Keeping the placenta when removing the seeds is quite laborious but removing the placenta would mean losing a lot of heat.

 

[okie joe]

I myself leave the seeds in there for the flavor of the whole chillie. But like said previously if you want a clean red look take seeds out I like little surprises every now and then from those seeds

 

[Skyjerk]

So why include the seeds?

This is a new thought process for me. Thanks for your input, everyone.

I expect that the seeds DO alter the flavor slightly, however
I leave the seeds in because I'm lazy. I make powder from thai
reds and de-seeding large amount of those is very time consuming.

"Giant pain in my ass" would more accurately describe it. The difference in flavor
isnt enough for me to justify the work involved.

I have WAY better ways to spend what little free time I have

Plus, there's no real way to get all the seeds out without removing a bunch
of the placenta with these peppers, thus the powder isnt as hot if I were to
de-seed.

 

[uUu]

So why include the seeds?

This is a new thought process for me. Thanks for your input, everyone.

I think the seeds makes the food look better! And if you see the seeds you know its hot!

Anyway, good point!

 

[jbeery]

We are everything but the stem type folks. Only reason we take seeds out is for the next years garden. So I guess we are just cheap and lazy.

 

[Omri]

No seeds = low fat.
You do get a more pepper-ish flavor without seeds, but I like leaving the seeds in.

 

[cmpman1974]

I take the seeds out of larger peppers. I leave them in bird types and smaller pods. I don't have that much time! I find the powders look much nicer without seeds when it comes to super hots and other C. Chinense.

Chris

 

[talas]

Definetly de-seeded,But have done a few peppers with seeds and the results where good Pimenta De Neyde,Dorset,7pot and the flavors where good,Definetly if you have enough pods try both ways,Discover
which flavor you enjoy most