Hungarian paprika.
-
Mikedog
- Reactions:
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Wed Nov 29, 2023 7:12 am
Re: Hungarian paprika.
Hello friends. I am a pepper lover, mostly the sweet vegetal types. I agree with Worth's comment (May 1) about North American peppers being a reasonable substitute for "real paprikas". The New Mexico State University has some very mild Chile that work well. Oh I must also say I love the cat avatar Worth uses. Looks so much like a departed companion 
.
.-
karstopography
- Reactions:
- Posts: 9716
- Joined: Thu Apr 16, 2020 7:15 am
- Location: Southeast Texas
Re: Hungarian paprika.
I really seriously doubt some home gardener in the US even by growing the same pepper plants grown in Hungary would be able to replicate the flavor profiles of the various grades of Hungarian paprika.
In my experience, anything made or produced at a small scale, homemade, home brewed, home distilled, etc. never quite tastes like some well known mass produced or widely recognized type.
Maybe the homemade is better or maybe worse or just different.
Homemade Dried peppers turned into flakes or powders are often very good, not necessarily a carbon copy of anything.
I dry Cayenne peppers and my cayenne pepper flakes and powders always taste a little different than the store bought ones. Objectively, I like mine more. Subjectively, mine are way better. The flavor is brighter with my version.
I have several times made the national chicken dish of Hungary using all quality Hungarian paprika and a blend of my own paprika and Hungarian. Delicious either way. Main thing is to get the amount of heat desired dialed in.
In my experience, anything made or produced at a small scale, homemade, home brewed, home distilled, etc. never quite tastes like some well known mass produced or widely recognized type.
Maybe the homemade is better or maybe worse or just different.
Homemade Dried peppers turned into flakes or powders are often very good, not necessarily a carbon copy of anything.
I dry Cayenne peppers and my cayenne pepper flakes and powders always taste a little different than the store bought ones. Objectively, I like mine more. Subjectively, mine are way better. The flavor is brighter with my version.
I have several times made the national chicken dish of Hungary using all quality Hungarian paprika and a blend of my own paprika and Hungarian. Delicious either way. Main thing is to get the amount of heat desired dialed in.
"No occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the earth, and no culture comparable to that of the garden."
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
-
Dindin@6
- Reactions:
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Sun Jun 08, 2025 11:57 am
Re: Hungarian paprika.
While I don't have experience in growing proper Hungarian peppers i can say the following with confidence: Mix your pepper types, species and colors if you can. Annums, Baccatums, Chinense. It'll produce a richer and more complex tasting powder. Personally i would load up on Annums and Baccatums but go easy with Chinense as they can throw off the flavor, but it depends, if they are mild Carribean seasoning types then the flavor may blend better.
If i were doing mostly annum types as the original poster mentioned then i would focus more on the reds but also mix some yellow orange and greens, but not too much.
I don't do powder every single year, i prefer canning and freezing, but am cautious about bad mold spores landing on them, they can cause lingering intestinal issues. Dehydrate, rapid cool down, then jar immediately.
If i were doing mostly annum types as the original poster mentioned then i would focus more on the reds but also mix some yellow orange and greens, but not too much.
I don't do powder every single year, i prefer canning and freezing, but am cautious about bad mold spores landing on them, they can cause lingering intestinal issues. Dehydrate, rapid cool down, then jar immediately.