Description

Old World flavor with early, generous heat. Hot Portugal is the classic European long red chile prized for its bright sweetness and friendly kick. Think roasted red pepper, cherry, and a touch of smoke carried by a medium heat that flatters rather than overwhelms. It shines anywhere you want bold color and clean warmth from sauté pans to pizza ovens to the grill.

The plants are vigorous yet tidy, usually 2 to 3 feet tall with a branching habit that loads each stem with blossoms and long pendant pods. Medium green foliage frames the fruit beautifully so the plants look ornamental well before ripening. Pods average 6 to 8 inches, slim, smooth, and tapered with thin to medium walls. They mature from glossy green to a deep, fire engine red that signals peak sweetness and aroma. The walls roast, blister, and peel easily and they dry quickly for flakes and powder.

Take a bite and you get sweet pepper flavor first followed by a steady, clean rise of heat with a pleasant finish. In the kitchen, Hot Portugal is a natural for roasting, grilling, and pan frying. Slice into rings for sandwiches and pizzas, stuff and broil, thread onto skewers, or simmer into bright red sauces. Dried pods grind into a vivid, aromatic powder perfect for spice rubs, soups, and cured meats.

Rooted in Portuguese market traditions and carried worldwide by home gardeners, Hot Portugal remains a dependable Capsicum annuum heirloom valued for earliness, productivity, and true red pepper character. Grow it for heavy harvests, easy cooking, and a heat level you can use every day.