Padron pepper: why are some spicy and others not?

Eat padron pepper This is a food lottery. You set your best intentions, but you have no idea what you are going to get. Sometimes they bite and sometimes they don’t. OR some bite and some don’tas they say in Galicia. But for what?

The reason why they sting, both these and other peppers, is clear. all come from plants of the genus Bell pepperwhich contain an alkaloid called capsaicin. This is a substance that is produced from defensive goal, since when it enters the mouth, it attaches to heat receptors, giving rise to a sensation that is also similar to pain. Thus, herbivores know perfectly well not to bite there. But of course people also suffer (or enjoy) the consequences.

Not all peppers contain capsaicin, but those that do contain very different doses of this alkaloid. There is pepper habaneros, with very high doses, so they are really spicy, while others just leave a slight aftertaste on the tongue. In the case of the Padron pepper, this is variety of peppers, which is already cultivated in many parts of Spain and even in other countries. Galicians, considered to be the true Padrón peppers, belong to denomination of origin Herbón. But, leaving aside the nomenclature, how can it be that in the case of the same variety, not all of them have the same amount of capsaicin?

Capsaicin in Padron Peppers

In fact, the level of capsaicin is very dependent on the weather. It has been observed that a greater amount is formed when the plant is exposed to stress. Therefore, if the fetus is formed during droughtor with insolation too high, there will be more capsaicin.

This applies to all peppers. Curiously, in the case of Padron pepper, due to the place where it is usually grown, big difference in temperature and precipitatione.g. between June and August. This will cause those growing in August to bite much harder than June ones. But even within the same factory there can be differences, since not all peppers are formed at once. If the weather changed a lot from one day to the next, it is more likely that the same plant has variety.

How do you know if they bite?

Pepper Padron has almost become a game. Families and groups of friends walk around the plate of roasted peppers, looking into their faces for the slightest expression of heat and pain. It’s funny, but is there a way to know if it will sting before you try it?

Galician farmers and chefs have their own tricks. It is said that if a pepper has a lot of capsaicin, it will be larger and duller, and when folded it will be slightly crunchy. On the other hand, those that don’t sting are smaller, brighter, and don’t squeak. But this It’s not an exact science.

what can we do is bite the tip Peppers The highest concentrations of capsaicin are found inside, next to the seeds. For this reason, the tip can be the first contact that is not too aggressive. If the tip stings a little, be prepared for the rest. If nothing stings, the rest may only slightly pinch.