Big Jim pepper facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Big Jim pepper |
|
|---|---|
| Species | Capsicum annuum |
| Cultivar group | New Mexico chile |
| Origin | United States |
| Heat |  Low |
| Scoville scale | 500–3,000 SHU |
The Big Jim pepper is a special type of New Mexico chile pepper. It's a specific kind of plant called a cultivar from the Capsicum annuum species. This pepper is known for being mild on the Scoville scale, which measures how spicy peppers are.
This pepper is grown a lot in New Mexico, where it was first created. It's a very popular ingredient in New Mexican cuisine. Big Jim peppers are both sweet and mild. They are usually picked when they are still green.
These peppers are really big and have thick walls. They often grow to be over a foot (about 30 cm) long! They are almost always used to make roasted green chile dishes in New Mexico.
The Story of the Big Jim Pepper
The Big Jim pepper was created at New Mexico State University (NMSU). A scientist named Dr. Roy Nakayama developed this pepper. He worked with Jim Lytle in 1975. The pepper is named after Jim Lytle!
The Big Jim is a mix of different New Mexican chile peppers and a pepper from Peru. It holds a special place in the Guinness World Records! It's known as the largest chile pepper in the world. Individual peppers often grow longer than 14 inches (about 35 cm).
When these peppers are green, they are mild. But as they get ripe and turn red, they become spicier. People rarely use them when they are red. They are almost always used to make green chile dishes.
Like most New Mexico chile types, Big Jim peppers can vary a bit. Some peppers from the same plant might be very mild (around 500 SHU on the Scoville scale). Others might be a bit spicier (up to 3,000 SHU).
