When's the right time to pick the peppers?

MiLK_MaN

MiLK_MaN

Hello,

Finally got my first ever ripen home grown chillies yesterday, a yellow scotch bonnet.

Now, whats the recommendation on picking? Does the heat and/or flavour improve with ripening, or is the heat and/or flavour consistant once the fruit has reached its matured size?

Some websites say its best to pick peppers as they ripen given that it induces the plant to want to produce more, but if its a trade off for taste, I'd rather let the peppers go.
 
I don't remember who it was, maybe habman that posted an article that said the pepper is its hottest when it first starts turning red (or its ripe color)...and I have always thought, the more you pick, the more they will produce...remember, the plants sole purpose in life is to produce viable seeds and that is accomplished when the pepper pods are fully ripe...right, wrong, or indifferent, I pick a lot of peppers when they are green before they ripen and that seems to induce more flowers and buds...
 
I believe the flavor is usually best when fully ripe but it would also be sweeter when ripe so it may taste a little less hot than under-ripe
 
The best time IMO is at the height of it being ripe. When it's that bright red or yellow or what ever other color with no hints of any other color around.
 
Agreed, ripe is best, but a little of the capsaicin is converted to sugar when fully ripe, so it might be a hair less hot.. (or so I have heard)
 
when they look like this :)
nagas.jpg
 
lol, VERY cool! :D
With the recent harvest (not much of it, but still...) I pick them as soon as the color turns bright. bright red, bright orange, bright purple etc... usually means as soon as they fully ripen.
 
I do the same as Omri unless I don't need the chillis at the time. I have had little ripe pods on my Orange Habs for months and I've just left them on the plant.
 
If you are completely impatient for a chile, go get one at the market.

Leave your ripening chiles alone to complete ripening.

They taste better, they are more picante and the seeds are viable after they are completely ripe.
 
IMO green peppers have their place too. Poblano, Guajillo, jalapeno, bells, etc. are acceptable green. Hmmm.. most of those are mexican or south american.....maybe those people as a whole are more impatient?;)

(Not serious lol)
 
I have to agree with the rest, pick'em when they turn a nice bright ripe color (which ever that'll be red/yellow/orange/etc..)
but like its been said sometimes you're not on top of things by harvesting them, may be too early or too late for some pods when you do harvest.

cheezy - I've also found that green kung pao chiles tasted just as good as ripe ones.

pepp3r - great looking pods!
 
I like jajapenos when they are very red .
habs when they just turn there proper color.
long red cayenne when they are green to eat fresh or very ripe to dry.
I am sure my nagas will get eaten in all there stages of ripeness .
 
I think it's a preference, but I honestly only pick peppers at there peak ripeness. Like my aunt used to always say. You can't rush good cooking. In other words patience pays off and I like them ripe. Also, I heard that if your going to use some of the seeds for planting later on ripe seeds produce far better because they've matured. I don't like them over ripe though. (As in starting to get soft, but still good. Full ripe color but still firm is best I believe.
 
Hmm... I like green and ripe chiles the same. Each has its use. Jalapeños are good for pico de gallo when they are green. otherwise they are too sweet. Habaneros are definitely better when ripe but if I am going to use them in a sour sauce or dish then green is the way to go.
 
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