when is a pod ripe (mature)?

[Al-from-Chile]

say, you got a pepper that matures in red ... when is it ripe?
 
once it turned completely red?
 
a few days after it turned completely red?
 
when are pods at its prime?
 
thx, Al

 

[Justaguy]

I prefer to pick mine 3-5 days before full red. I like the flavor better and when I freeze them they continue to ripen slowly in the freezer. I have found that they will go about another weeks worth of color change in the freezer. That change takes 3-4 months in my experience, but that is fine for me.

 

[compmodder26]

I believe it was Alabama Jack that said that in terms of heat, a pod will have peak heat just before it is fully ripe (just before it fully reaches it's final color throughout the whole pepper).  Afterwards the capsaicin starts to be converted into sugars.  In terms of flavor, you probably want to pick when it is fully ripe (all color changes have ceased) as then you start to get some extra sweetness from the pepper due to the sugar conversion.