Hot Pepper 'Pasilla Bajio'

In my sunny Pittsburgh, PA, yard, these umbrella-shaped plants grew to almost four feet in height, and they were just covered in scads of...Read More leathery, narrow, dark peppers. I started them in April for planting out in May. It took these plants a long time to put out flowers in comparison to my other varieties, because they were busy growing to staggering heights! Once they started to blossom and fruit, there were multitudes of peppers forming in no time. My largest harvest didn't come until the first week of October when frost threatened. Many were still green, but tasty nonetheless. To ensure a better harvest of fully ripe pods, I will be starting them a month earlier this coming season.

I used a few handfuls in my first pot roast of the fall season, which was placed on a thick layer of various fresh cherry tomatoes and onions, then covered in wine-- it was delicious! The peppers added a whole new dimension that was just fabulous. I dehydrated most of the peppers and will be using them in soups and stews all winter. This was my first time growing a pepper that is better dried or cooked than fresh, and I am already seed shopping for more such varieties for next year!

Highly recommended.

Pasilla Bajio
Capsicum: Annuum
Origin: Mexico
PI: 593534
Scoville units: 250
Blossom end shape:...Read More pointed
Fruit position and shape: pendant, elongate
Fruit size and color: 8 >10" green > dark brown
Calyx shape: cup shaped, toothless
Flower: erect, stellate, small
Petals/Spots: white/none
Filament color: white
Anther color: blue
Habit: sturdy, tree-like bush
Stem: smooth
Leaves: green, medium, glabrous
Germ. Time: 1 wk > 2 mo.
Maturity: 75 days
Plant height: 24-36"
Taste: .
Uses:·
When fresh, this pepper is called 'chilaca;' it is also known as 'chile negro.' 8 to 10 inch long cylindrical peppers are thin walled, and dark green ripening to dark brown. They have less than 250 Scoville units and are mainly used dried for their rich, smoky flavoring in sauces. Plants are tobacco mosaic virus resistant.

I successfully grew this large plant in 2011. It produced well with good tasty fruit. Will grow again in 2012.

September...Read More 2, 2013 - these plants are growing like crazy. They are great dried and powdered. Very tasty.

From your friends at Botanical Interests: The Pasilla Bajio offers a rich, smoky, mildly hot flavor to many dishes. It is also called “...Read Morechilaca” and “chile negro”. The name, “Pasilla” means “little raisin” in Spanish, referring to the dark brown, wrinkled dried pod. It is called “chilaca” when fresh and adds character to red chile enchilada sauce and salsas. When used as a dried pod or in powder form, it is a very flavorful ingredient in many mole sauces.