Recipes for Hot Peppers from the Garden

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Hot peppers, with their vibrant colors and intense flavors, can set the culinary world on fire. Check out these recipes for hot peppers from the garden. If you grow excess hot peppers, there is always something yummy to do with them.

From the mild heat of jalapeños to the extreme spiciness of Carolina Reapers, there’s a vast spectrum of heat and flavor profiles that can cater to all types of palates.

Gardening offers an enriching experience that is both therapeutic and rewarding. One of the joys of gardening is harvesting your own produce, which can lead to a wide array of fresh and tasty meals.

In this collection, you’ll find an array of delightful recipes for hot peppers that truly make the most of your garden. From sizzling sauces and fiery salsas to spicy stews and tantalizing marinades, these recipes will invigorate your meals, adding a zesty touch that can elevate any dish.

These recipes are not just about the heat, they are about exploring the unique flavors that hot peppers can bring to your table. So, let’s put on our aprons, grab those garden-fresh hot peppers, and dive into this culinary adventure! Remember, it’s not just about enduring the heat but enjoying the journey of flavors.

What to make with hot peppers

There are numerous ways you can incorporate hot peppers into your dishes. Below are a few recipes you might consider:

• Hot pepper sauce is a staple in many cuisines and is a great way to utilize hot peppers from the garden. You can make it with a blend of your favorite hot peppers, garlic, vinegar, and salt. The sauce can be used to spice up any dish or used as a dip for snacks.
• Salsa is a versatile dish that can be customized according to personal taste. You can use your hot peppers to create a spicy salsa using tomatoes, onions, cilantro, lime juice, and your choice of hot peppers. This can be served with chips, tacos, or any of your favorite dishes.
• This is a popular appetizer and can be filled with a variety of ingredients such as cheese, meats, or rice. The peppers are then baked until the filling is hot and the peppers are tender.
• Pickling is a great way to preserve your hot peppers. The pickled peppers can be used in sandwiches, salads, or served as a side dish.
• Use your hot peppers to add a kick to a hearty chili or stew. They add a depth of flavor that can really elevate these kinds of dishes.
• You can slice up your hot peppers and add them to a stir-fry. They go well with a variety of proteins and vegetables.
• Believe it or not, hot peppers can make for a delicious sweet and spicy jam or jelly. It pairs well with cream cheese and crackers for a surprising treat.
• Chop your hot peppers and mix them with onions, vinegar, and sugar to create a tasty relish that’s perfect for topping burgers and hot dogs.

Remember, hot peppers can be very spicy, so always use them judiciously. It’s easier to add more heat later than to take it away. Enjoy your culinary journey with hot peppers!

Types of hot peppers

Hot peppers, also known as chili peppers, come in a wide range of shapes, colors, sizes, and heat levels. They are measured using Scoville Heat Units (SHU), which indicate the amount of capsaicin (the compound that gives peppers their heat) present. Here are some common types of hot peppers:

• While not technically hot, bell peppers are part of the Capsicum family. They come in various colors including red, yellow, green, and orange. They register 0 on the Scoville scale.
• Poblano is a mild variety of chili pepper. When dried, it’s referred to as an Ancho pepper. They typically range between 1,000 to 2,000 SHU.
• Jalapeño Peppers are a popular pepper with a mild to moderate amount of heat. They measure between 2,500 to 8,000 SHU.
• A bit hotter than the jalapeño, serrano peppers range from 10,000 to 23,000 SHU.
• Cayenne peppers are thin and red with a curved tip. They range from 30,000 to 50,000 SHU.
• Tabasco Peppers are known for the famous sauce they produce, they pack quite a bit of heat, ranging from 30,000 to 50,000 SHU.
• Thai Chili peppers are exceptionally hot, often reaching between 50,000 to 100,000 SHU.
• Habanero Peppers are known for their unique flavor and intense heat, they range from 100,000 to 350,000 SHU.
• Scotch Bonnet Peppers are similar in heat to the Habanero but with a sweeter flavor, they range from 100,000 to 350,000 SHU.
• Once considered the hottest pepper in the world, ghost peppers are rated at over 1,000,000 SHU.
• Carolina Reaper, as far as I know, hold the title for the hottest pepper in the world, with a rating of over 2,200,000 SHU.

Remember, when working with hot peppers, especially the more potent varieties, it’s crucial to protect your skin (wear gloves) and eyes (don’t touch your face) and use them sparingly until you know how much heat you can handle.

Growing hot peppers

Nothing adds spice and excitement to the garden, or your kitchen, quite like growing your own hot peppers. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a beginner, the world of hot peppers offers an intriguing mix of flavors, heat, and colorful beauty. From the mildly warm jalapenos to the blazing intensity of the Carolina Reaper, there’s a variety for every taste and every climate.

Growing hot peppers at home can be a satisfying journey. The process of nurturing these fiery gems from seed to harvest allows you to intimately understand their growth process, flavor profiles, and their remarkable capabilities. Moreover, there’s a certain thrill in knowing that you’re cultivating some of the spiciest ingredients in the world right in your own backyard.

Click the link above to find the essentials of growing hot peppers from choosing the right variety and preparing the soil, to planting, caring, and eventually harvesting your very own spicy bounty. We discuss the challenges you might encounter and provide tips on how to make your hot pepper growing endeavor a rewarding experience.

So whether you’re planning to create the spiciest sauce, the tastiest salsa, or simply add an extra kick to your dishes, growing your own hot peppers can open a whole new world of fiery culinary possibilities. Let’s turn up the heat and embark on this exciting journey of growing hot peppers!

Recipes with hot peppers

There are so many great things you can make with hot peppers. Something we make a ton of every year is our homemade rotel. We whip up batch after batch of it and store it in 2-cup servings in the freezer. It makes a great flavoring for so many things such as:

• Chili
• Easy, Inexpensive Taco Soup that Kids LOVE!
• Chicken Rotel Spaghetti
• Rotel Dip with Real Cheese
• Rotel Pork Chops Slow Cooker Recipe

These Easy Jalapeno Cheddar Biscuits are another favorite around here. I mean who doesn’t love a delicious biscuit? And the hot peppers make them sing!

There are tons of great nacho recipes that use hot peppers. Nachos and tacos are the best!

This hot pepper jelly uses jalapenos for the spice and makes the most wonderful spread for breakfast or any time!

This Jalapeno Relish makes a great condiment for all types of food from hotdogs, hamburgers, chicken, sweet potatoes, potatoes, and if you are brave, chips!

Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers are filled with a cream cheese filling and wrapped in crisp bacon for the ultimate game day snack! They’re so easy to make and cook up in 10 minutes! 

This smoky jalapeno hot sauce recipe makes a great condiment for people who love spice.

Mango pico de gallo with jalapenos is fresh chunky salsa balanced with salt, acidity, heat, and sweetness. Terrific with Mexican dishes like tacos, grilled meats, or as a dip!

Looking for a delicious way to use your serrano peppers? This Serrano Pepper Chimichurri Sauce is the perfect way to level up any meal with bold flavor.

Pickled hot peppers are a tasty condiment used with many Asian dishes. This Serrano pepper recipe spices up the traditional jalapeno versions for a hotter effect. The hot peppers are sweet, hot, and tart at the same time. I love them so much, I can eat them straight out of the jar!

Stuffed Poblano Peppers are a healthy stuffed poblano pepper recipe filled with a southwest turkey and rice filling!

These chicken enchiladas without tortillas are a great spicy flavorful recipe for any time.

Ghost Pepper Jelly is made with Ghost Peppers, or Bhut Jolokia, one of the hottest peppers on the planet. Tame the heat of these firecrackers by making delicious hot pepper jelly.

Put your habanero garden to good use and make a batch of these mango-habanero wings. The mango-habanero sauce has the perfect kick of heat that’s perfect for chile pepper lovers.

Habanero Brownies are rich with chocolate and butter and spiced with a whole habanero pepper. The ganache on top makes these fudgy brownies even better!

If you’ve got extra fresh habaneros lying around, you’ll want to make this hot sauce which features the sweet and fiery flavor combination of mangoes and habanero, easily made in a blender.

If you’re looking for a sweet and spicy salsa, look no further than this chunky Mango Habanero Salsa recipe! The sweet mango and spicy pepper are the perfect combination and puts those habanero peppers in the garden to good use!

Growing shishito peppers? Use this delicious fried shishito pepper recipe to enjoy the best, unadulterated flavor from these peppers!

This authentic Italian penne arrabbiate recipe is best made with fresh cayenne peppers from your garden! Make it as mild or spicy as you like, depending on how many peppers you use.

For more ways to use New Mexican Chilies, check these out.