Tabasco

Spiciness: 8 (30.000 - 50.000 SHU)

General Info: Tabasco (Capsicum frutescens) has probably been the most famous chili variety in the world for almost 150 years. The variety originates from the state of Tabasco in Mexico, and became world famous in 1868 when the company McIlhenny in Louisiana used it to make their well-known Tabasco Red Pepper Sauce . Tabasco chilies were preferred for the sauce because the chilies are very flavourful and also because, in spite of their thin fruit flesh, they contain a lot of juice. To make Tabasco sauce the chilies are crushed, salted and then fermented for up to three years in oak barrels. The fiery juice is then thinned with vinegar, which gives the sauce its typical flavour. To date, Tabasco is grown in Louisiana and in Central and South America on a large scale.

Plant growth habit: The high-yielding Tabasco plants grow bushy and can reach heights of up to 120 cm or more. After approx. 70 - 90 days ripening time, many approx. 1 x 4 cm large chilies develop from the many small, white flowers. The chilies ripen from green to yellow and orange to a bright red colour. The chilies grow, as is typical for the Capsicum frutescens species, not hanging, but upright.

Cultivation Tips: In our climate it is recommended to cultivate the chilies in pots, as the plants are perennial and can therefore be overwintered more easily. From the second year, the plants usually bear a particularly large amount of fruit.
The Tabasco Seeds can be purchased in our Shop.

Culinary: In addition to making sauce, Tabasco chilies are also suitable for fresh consumption, as well as for pickling, drying and making chili powder. In the Cajun cuisine from Louisiana, Tabasco is an important ingredient in recipes such as Jambalaya, Gumbo or Calalou (spinach soup). There, the still green Tabasco chilies are also pickled in vinegar.
A recipe for making your own Tabasco sauce can be found here.