Jamaican Red – fruity heat from the heart of the Caribbean
What makes Jamaican Red special
Jamaican Red chilli seeds give you a hot Caribbean chilli with a distinctly fruity flavour and beautiful red, slightly wrinkled pods. It is closely related to the Scotch Bonnet and shares its intense aromas, but with a clear profile of its own.
Background and name
This variety has been grown for generations in Jamaica and other parts of the West Indies. It is widely used in Caribbean cooking, where it brings both heat and complexity to dishes such as jerk chicken, curries and stews.
Appearance and growth habit
Plants reach about 80–100 cm and are very productive. The pods are flat and bumpy with a slightly twisted look, about 4–6 cm across. They ripen from green to a vivid red and sit densely on the branches.
How hot is Jamaican Red?
About 100,000 – 150,000 SHU
Flavour and uses
The flavour is intensely fruity and aromatic, with a sudden heat that builds quickly. It is ideal in hot sauces and marinades, or for giving any recipe a Caribbean character.
Jamaican Red is out of stock at the moment, but its sister variety Jamaican Yellow is in stock and has the same distinct Caribbean fruitiness.
Ways to use Jamaican Red
-
Cook down into a Caribbean hot sauce or chutney
-
Dry and grind into powerful chilli flakes
-
Works well in slow cooking and barbecue
Growing Jamaican Red
Jamaican Red belongs to Capsicum chinense. Sow your chilli seeds between January and March to give them time to crop well, as chinense species have a long development time. It does best in a greenhouse or a warm conservatory.
Price is for 6 chilli seeds
Sow in moist seed compost and keep warm, about 25–30 °C for the best germination. The compost should be moist but not wet. A propagator is handy for keeping the humidity up. Once the seedlings have grown a little and developed their second pair of leaves, you can lower the temperature to about 20 °C and move them out of the propagator. They do well on a sunny windowsill, in a greenhouse and outdoors in summer. For the best results, soak the seeds in Growhelper for 12–24 hours before sowing.
