The Hot Pepper Picking Hack That Maximizes Your Spicy Harvest
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Are you a hot head? You know, one of those extreme flavor seekers whose shelves are loaded with bottles of scorching hot sauces? Once you've finally decided to plant peppers in your garden for a delicious harvest, you might want to acquaint yourself with certain signs that will let you know they are ready to pick — and to give yourself the strongest flavor kick. If you're looking to maximize your spicy harvest, checking for streaks on certain types of hot peppers can let you know it's time to grab a pair of pruners and a basket.
Hot peppers (Capsicum annuum), also known as chilis, are the fiery siblings of more mild-mannered bell peppers. These searing fruits contain concentrations of spicy capsaicin, a chemical that causes a hot or burning sensation, and which is measured in Scoville Heat Units (SHU). Chili fanatics love growing and tasting peppers with high concentrations of capsaicin, for a harvest that is just as much of an adrenaline rush as it is a flavor sensation. However, you don't have to be a fanatic seeking out extreme SHUs to enjoy a hot pepper, so it helps to know this hack for interpreting the streaks you might see before you harvest.
When streaks tell you its time to pick -- and when they don't
Some hot peppers develop streaks on them as they mature — tiny cracks that are white, tan, or light brown in color. This is called corking and is caused when the flesh of the fruit grows faster than the skin, similar to stretch marks. Looking for corking can be a hack to let you know when your jalapeno peppers are ready to be picked with maximized spiciness, since capsaicin tends to increase with maturity. However, streaks can also occur on underripe fruits, so you'll have to also wait until the chilis have also turned red as a sign that you'll be picking a harvest with the best, most well-rounded flavors and spice levels.
Not all hot peppers are prone to developing these types of streaks as they mature. Jalapeños are one of the types of chilis that cork, and gardeners often prize a harvest with these tiny cracks on the skin. Cayennes, one of the spicy pepper types you can grow in your garden, can also appear this way. And some varieties are more prone to corking than others. One type that looks like it is wrapped in a net of scars, similar to certain types of melons, is the 'Farmer's Market' Jalapeño from Refining Fire Chiles.