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Rivet's Bhut Jolokia Plant

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    Posted: 06 September 2010 at 14:51

It has been an interesting year so far- exciting too- as my first Bhut Jolokia plant ever appears to be thriving well and loving the midwestern weather we have.
 
A little background on the Naga Bhut Jolokiafrom Wiki:

Quote The Naga jolokia, as it is commonly known—also known variously by other names in its native region, sometimes Bhut jolokia—is a chili pepper generally recognized as the hottest in the world. The pepper is occasionally called the ghost chili.

The Naga Jolokia is a naturally-occurring interspecific hybrid primarily from Bangladesh, but also from the neighbouring Assam region of northeastern India. It grows in the Indian states of Assam, Nagaland and Manipur, and the Sylhet region of Bangladesh. It can also be found in rural Sri Lanka where it is known as Nai Mirris (Cobra Chilli). In 2007, Guinness World Records certified the Naga Jolokia as the world's hottest chili pepper, 400 times hotter than Tabasco sauce.

I dont know why Tabasco sauce is used as a yardstick, since to us chiliheads Tabasco sauce is little more than flavoured vinegar. Very tasty, but irrelevant as far heat is concerned.
 
Anyway, the plant has been flowering prolifically in the past two weeks or so. A very nice sign of health; it now has two beautiful little peppers growing off it. At this point it looks as we may have a real nice crop of these dangerous chiles, and I'm still ruminating on what exactly to do with them. Of course, the I could always spike the heck out of my end-of-summer salsa I plan on making, but I don't want to ruin it for everyone. Dehydrating them out seems to be the way I am heading, and using a fresh one for a pot of chili that is on the horizon.
 
I got the seeds from this link:  WWW.DRAGONSDUST.COM  where you can get some of the best hot spice imagineable.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hoser Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 September 2010 at 04:45
Seems to me one would have to use a great deal of discretion when employing Bhut Jolokia in a salsa wouldn't one? I mean...can you mince it up small enough? Have you thought about pureeing them John, and using it ....like 1/4 teaspoon at a time? I'm just wondering how to find out what is a good amount when using them. You know?Confused
Go ahead...play with your food!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kiwi Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 September 2010 at 04:56
better test it on someone else first, and wear gloves if you ever want to touch your eyes, nose, mouth etc ever again! LOL

kai time!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 September 2010 at 05:16
Originally posted by Hoser Hoser wrote:

Seems to me one would have to use a great deal of discretion when employing Bhut Jolokia in a salsa wouldn't one? I mean...can you mince it up small enough? Have you thought about pureeing them John, and using it ....like 1/4 teaspoon at a time? I'm just wondering how to find out what is a good amount when using them. You know?Confused
 
Definitely a good deal of discretion is advisable, Dave. I'm going to skip putting any in the salsa, but I want to give your idea a try. Puree some then put a dab in the whole pot of chile con carne and see where that heads to. I heard these chiles are really finifky and hard to grow, thus I took it on as a challenge. Looks like I did okay, but now what?  LOL
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hoser Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 September 2010 at 05:28
Don't be afraid my friend....just cautiousWink
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote got14u Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 September 2010 at 07:55
Oh man I wish I would of started one. Just to get my boys to take a bite..lol...How much hotter are those then a Red Caribbean?
Jerod

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 September 2010 at 10:40
About 10 thousand times so they say
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Boilermaker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 September 2010 at 16:39
Beautiful, can't wait to hear how the peppers turn out.  I'll bet maybe one or two of these in a batch of salsa would be okay.  One should be the equivalent of 3 or 4 habaneros.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hoser Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 September 2010 at 01:42
I guess the best comparison I've seen is that a bhut jolokia is 40 times hotter than pure tabasco sauce. If you go to you tube, you'll find lots of videos of guys tasting them.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 October 2010 at 17:04
Okay, today- near a month later the plant has about six full sized peppers on it, and another dozen or so in varying stages of growth- a very happy plant. 
 
I licked my finger after handling the pepper and got nothing.....the fears of exorbitant heat are overstated.
 
My plan was to bake the pepper in the garlic baking thingy with a tooth of garlic, a teaspoon of olive oil and see what happens. Into the oven it went at 350F for 45 minutes. Took it out, set it to rest for about 5 minutes, then opened it. Didn't smell hot at all. In fact all I smelled was garlic. I cut a piece of the pepper about a quarter inch square, carefull to scrape the seeds off. Then I ate it. I chewed it slowly and felt a gentle slow wave of heat cover my mouth. Not blinding heat; nothing like taking a bite of a habanero off the plant, nor eating a couple tabascos seeds and all in the mid-day....no, this was gentle. But hot. No doubt about it, this is a very hot pepper. My head started sweating making the roots of my hair damp.
 
The flavour of the pepper was...."green". Nothing unique. "Green" as in a raw vegetable flavour much like a jalapeno. These peppers are supposed to have a unique flavour so this green-ness is no surprise. The pepper I got is clearly immature and needs a couple more weeks to turn red or ochre or whatever the case may be. No need for water, cold beer, or anything to cool down the heat. I just enjoyed it and let it taper off slowly, just like it came on.
 
I think that as the pods ripen, the heat will become more pronounced. From the pepper wall I ate, I can imagine the seeds to be disturbingly hot, better suited for a lage pot of chili or stew. Not something I'd want to eat by itself.
 
I am pampering my plant as the days grow cooler and night temps drop....really interested in seeing how these pepper pods turn out in this experiment of mine.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hoser Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 October 2010 at 06:10
You're a brave man John...I'll look forward to reading about your progress.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Boilermaker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 October 2010 at 18:43
Beautiful!Clap

Can't wait to grow some of these.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 October 2010 at 14:15
Originally posted by Hoser Hoser wrote:

You're a brave man John...I'll look forward to reading about your progress.
 
Well thank you Dave! And here's my progress report. It seems ages ago since I posted anything on the plant but it has been only about a month. It has shot up into maturity in a very short period.
 
Interesting thing about this pepper as opposed to other more common hot pepper plants, is that the bhut jolokia has an interminable "youth" season, ranging from sprout to viable plant. Took a very long time to even be certain the thing was going to turn into a hardy bush. Took near 4 or 5 months I'm guessing, since I started this from seed way earlier and didn't start counting tim euntil I had sprouts that survived the seedling stage.
 
Anyway, in keeping with this weird cycle of theirs, apparently they then "bolt" into maturity. It wasn't a month ago I had the first couple peppers and now they are all over and turning orange and red before my eyes. No exaggeration....three or four days ago there was not a single pod any other color than green. I know this because I have been bringing in the plant ever night for over a week now since the evenings are getting too cold for it. Only yesterday did I notice the red pod.
 
Today, in looking closer I see several orange ones as well, and another few in the process of changing from green to orange to red. Amazing!
 
One pepper will probably be completely red by tomorrow. I'll monitor it. There are also plenty more peppers camoflauged in the leafiness, with more good sized green ones ready to turn.... 
 
This is exciting since I did not think that I would be able to sustain the plant to maturity (and get mature seeds and pods) due to its life-cycle and our weather here in the midwest. Apparently my babying and carrying it in and out has done what it needed and at least one mature seed pod is gonna drop. That means we should have viable seeds to plant next year! I know Boilermaker has asked for some and anyone else who wants a few to give it a go.....just ask, I will be glad to share.
 
I plant to dry some of the pods in the dehydrator, and use some for cooking. But, the priority this year has always been to get viable mature pods and seeds, and at this point it seems that is going to happen. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 November 2010 at 15:40
Well....the plant has been very happy and growing / maturing just as it should. With all the red pods going on I'm thinking in a couple of weeks they will fall off and the seeds will be ready to harvest. My plan is to grow about 3 or 4 plants next summer and really take this to the next level.
 
Although they were really sensitive in their initial stages, once the plant sets itself it was a piece of cake. Looks like the dry heat at nights from the wood stove really gave it a kick in in the rump. I noticed it was really thirsty over all and made sure it got watered well, but not soaked since the plants do not like to have sodden "feet" or roots. About a pint of water a day. Gonna send seeds to Boilermaker and if anyone else wants some speak up and you will get some too.
 
The plan is to make my secret signature beef chili with some of the peppers (very little of them) instead of japs and habs. We'll see how this goes, but I am guessing it will be good.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kiwi Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 November 2010 at 15:47
haha, spot the traffic light chili :)
kai time!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Boilermaker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 December 2010 at 16:25
I'm anxious to learn if these are as hot as legend has it.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote got14u Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 December 2010 at 06:57
I love your details and how you explain your biting into the one with garlic.....great write up john!
Jerod

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 January 2011 at 10:36
Originally posted by got14u got14u wrote:

I love your details and how you explain your biting into the one with garlic.....great write up john!
 
Thanks Jerod, I appreciate that! It was a fun taste-test, and demonstrated how different an unripe pepper can be from a ripe one, as I describe in my making of "Ti-Malice" a Haitian hot pepper salsa using these bhut jolokias.
 
I shared all my pepper pods except for 3 which I will be using for seed for next year's crop. I've got a package of store-bought, dried bhut jolokias for any salsa making experiments I may do!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Boilermaker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 January 2011 at 11:17
Rivet sent me both fresh and dried pods from this plant.  I bit into one of the fresh ghost chili pods last night, it has good flavor and tremendous heat, I mean TREMENDOUS THERMONUCLEAR type heat.  I most likely will not do that again.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Boilermaker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 January 2011 at 22:28
Ghost chili update:

I sliced a few of Rivet's bhut jolokias in half and have had them marinating in vinegar for the past couple of weeks as I have seen him do in preparation for making his wonderful salsas.  I intend to make salsa from both the peppers and the vinegar.  I tasted the vinegar last night and the heat of the chilis is imparting nicely to it, the vinegar is HOT!  I'm looking forward to some bhut jolokia salsa.Clap

I can't wait to eat it with some scrambled eggs and my homemade chorizo on tortillas.  YUM!!
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