2024 Chilli Growing Thread

[dl8860]

Well now. Spent a while this afternoon chopping a load of those cayennes, habaneros and a singular scorpion to go in brine for fermented sauce.

Removed an insane amount of stems, pith and seeds. Having never worn gloves before and having chopped chilis in the past, I thought so long as I wash my hands properly after and am careful during, then it'll be fine.

Turns out very not fine. I've made plenty of sauces/jams in the past. I don't know if it's because I've never carefully removed the pith and seeds like this, or the sheer volume, or if it was that ONE scorpion, but I am sat here 4 hours later still feeling the capsaicin burns on two fingers on my left hand. In fact I just mindlessly itched my left eyelid and I'm now feeling it there too.

Lesson firmly learned, nitrile gloves are on order as I'll be doing more soon for jam!

Jar doesn't look that full but it's bigger than it looks and is fairly rammed.

Terrified of my remaining scorpions now...

 

[Daytrader]

Nice job, just use your other hand when having a pee

 

[Junglist]

That looks lovely and I enjoyed reading about your discomfort, sorry.

I had some of Sauce Shops Scotch Bonnet chili jam and it was so delicious it's got me tempted to grow my own and try.

 

[dl8860]

Latest haul, more Cayennes, Habaneros, and a couple more scorpions and finally... the ghost peppers, two on the bottom right. I had 4 bhut jolokia plants and only one has produced. In hindsight it was the one with the biggest water tray, maybe a clue for next year there... There's 4 or 5 more fruit on there still ripening. Plenty more scorpions coming too.

Finally got round to making some chilli jam.

Did a first batch with 1 bell pepper, a handful of tomatoes, maybe 3 handfuls of cayennes (couldn't be bothered to de-seed and pith these ones this time round), 3 handfuls of habaneros and 2 scorpions. Two thumbs of ginger, 5 cloves of garlic, apple cider vinegar and then a bucket of sugar. Made the four jars on the right, and wow this was hot. Delicious but seriously punishing.

Batch 2 (the five on the left) I bought some more bell peppers so put in 3 this time, same amount of tomatoes, cayennes, habaneros, all the gubbins, and just 1 ghost pepper. That one is a bit sweeter and lighter and the heat is a bit fresher.

I think the scorpions really are beasts, the heat is so powerful!

 

[dl8860]

A bit lame to comment on my own post but my god this jam is good.

Uses so far include stirred into reheated bolognese/meatballs, underlay for tinned sardines on toast, and star of the show for a crackers/wine/cheese supper.