Hot Pepper

Our farm-fresh hot pepper is grown without synthetic pesticides in Lineville, Alabama and harvested at peak flavor. A fresh, local favorite for the Alabama table. Sold fresh through local Alabama delivery, farm pickup, and our farmers-market stand.

• Grown in: Lineville, Alabama (no synthetic pesticides)
• Freshness: Harvested at peak and sold fresh
• Availability: Seasonal - local Alabama delivery & pickup
• Storage: Refrigerate and enjoy fresh
• Why it's good: Nutrient-dense and picked at peak freshness

• Storage: Loose in a paper bag in the crisper, or spread on the counter if you will use them within a few days
• Shelf life: One to two weeks in the crisper. Strung up and air-dried, most thin-walled types keep for a year
• Washing: Rinse and dry well. Wear gloves if you are cutting more than one or two, and keep your hands away from your eyes afterward.
• Using: Slice thin and add early for heat throughout the dish, or split one whole and pull it out later for warmth without the burn. Removing the seeds and pale inner ribs takes off most of the sting.

How hot are these going to be?
That depends on the variety and on the weather they grew in. Heat is capsaicin, and the same plant makes more of it under drought and heat stress, so a late-summer pepper from a dry week runs hotter than an early one. Taste a sliver before you commit a whole dish.

Where is the heat actually concentrated?
In the pale pith the seeds are attached to, not the seeds themselves. Scrape that white membrane out and you remove most of the capsaicin while keeping the pepper flavor. The seeds only taste hot because they sat against it.

What stops the burn if I overdo it?
Fat and dairy. Capsaicin dissolves in fat, not water, so milk, yogurt or sour cream carry it away while water just spreads it around. Bread and rice help by physically wiping it off.

Can I dry these myself?
Thin-walled peppers, yes - thread them on string in a warm airy spot and they dry in two to three weeks. Thick-walled types hold too much water and will mold before they dry, so those want the freezer or a dehydrator instead.