Paprika, can we make it?

[Sarrah]

I've just sat down for a rest my back period after some garden harvesting and rearranging. I cleaned and set to dry some herbs and my mind wandered to Paprika.
I know the Paprika experts seem to prefer Hungarian over other types. I personnally can't tell a big taste difference. Anyone know how you blend it? What kind of peppers go in it? We actually use a lot of Paprika I buy it bulk and it isn't cheap. Maybe this could be a new thing to try. Or share what you already do if you make your own please.

 

[A.T.Hagan]

Had a neighbor grow some years ago, but I've never grown it myself.

Here's a bit of info you might find useful:

<b>Paprika -- Capsicum annuum L.</b>
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/BODY_MV104

.....Alan.

 

[Sarrah]

Thanks for the link Alan.. there you go I didn't know it was a pepper plant called Paprika... I thought it was a blend of different peppers. It gets easier that way. Now I need to search out some Spanish and Hungarian Paprika Seed for next season. It is doable if I can locate those. Excellent...

 

[goatlady2]

I had great success growing sweet paprika for several years. I just let the peppers dry on the plant and stored in ziplocks untill needed. Split open, deseeded, and tossed in the blender for a terrific taste addition. the flavor stores better and longer as a whole pepper. the finer the processing the quicker the flavor loss. I grew the best crops interplanted with my strawberries.

 

[Gingergirl]

Not sure of your cllimate, but I'm trying paprika in Zone 5 right now. I do have a few peppers on the plants , but the plants seem a bit thin. I may be too far north. I'll try to remember to let you all know how it turns out.

 

[goatlady2]

Gingergirl, I am in zone 3/4. The paprika pepper plants do seem to be much taller and thinner than regular peppers. That's how mine were but they sure produced a lot. Planted on the east side of the house so they just got the morning sun.

 

[Gingergirl]

Goatlady,

My have a southern exposure so they should be in great shape. You are so far north, do they ripen up nice and red?

 

[summerthyme]

Johnny's Selected Seeds (among others) sells a Boldog Hungarian Paprika pepper seed which has worked very well for us for years. We are in southwestern NY state, about a 100 day (give or take 20) growing season, and they grow and ripen here well.

They are both sweet and spicy, but never too hot, and they dry down beautifully.They are an open pollinated variety, so I've been saving my own seed for several years.

Beats store bought paprika by as much as home grown sage does the store bought stuff. It's like it's an entirely different spice!

Summerthyme

 

[Sarrah]

All you folks been keeping Paprika a secret all these years.
I'll order some seeds and get with the program. We're in zone 7B and peppers do well here. I've never been a great pepper eater. A few bell, some jalepeno, aneheim and I call it good enough. I'll have to enlarge my horizons.

 

[goatlady2]

GG, Yes they did. I was amazed. They looked just like a cookbook picture and there were at least a dozen per plant from 3-5 inches long. Best I have ever done with peppers in this climate.

 

[Lady in Ash]

All these years I thought paprika was nothing more than dehydrated, ground, red pepper. Who knew . . . thanx for the info.

 

[Sarrah]

Lady in Ash you and I are out of the loop.

I spent some time yesterday searching on the web for seeds. I found some on Ebay, they were in Scotland and pricey. I found a few sites without any stock left. It has not been an easy search.
I'd like to know the name of the seed I should seek out. Perhaps I could trade some of something I have here for some seeds with one of you. Or trade a whole pepper seeds and all?

 

[summerthyme]

Like I said, Johnnys' carries a nice open pollinated variety.

http://www.johnnyseeds.com/catalog/resultdetails.html?edit_id=332&name=Boldog%20Hungarian%20Spice%20(OG)&cat_id=451&topcatid=1&subcatid=39&subcatid2=451&subcatid3=0&search_keywords=paprika&ct=hg&pagename=resultdetails.html

If the link doesn't work, go to www.johnnyseeds.com and do a search for Paprika.

I'd send you some seeds, but for some reason I got very poor germination this year, and don't trust my supply right now. I probably will renew my strain with fresh seeds from Johnnys in the spring.

Summerthyme