Growing Chili: Intensely Red Jamaican Bell Peppers

Growing Chili: Intensely Red Jamaican Bell Peppers

Jamaican bell (aka Nepalese bell) are one of my absolute favorite peppers. I just love the intense red color and the shape of them. In this post I will tell you my impression of this variety of Capsicum Baccatum. This season I have also grown Poblano (Capsicum Annuum), Apocalypse Scorpion, Reaper Chocolate (both Capsicum Chinense), and an unknown variety (Capsicum Anuum).

Fruits from a Jamaican Bell plant
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Jamaican Bell

This variety is an unique and unusual chili that got its name because of the similarity of the little bells that the monks use in the Buddhist monasteries around the Himalayas (they are also known as Nepalese bell).  The fruits are reminiscent of Bishop’s Crown but are bigger and more powerful. The strength of this chili is mild to medium, the underside and the edges are mild while the top and the middle, containing the seeds, can become really spicy.

A bell pepper
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Beautiful shape and color!

I took a bite out of one and it was very mild. In fact, I was a bit disappointed that the chili fruit was so mild. I put the whole fruit in my mouth and.. Yes, they have some sting (not like the Reaper I ate, but that’s another story!) Jamaican bell do, however, have a lovely taste. The plants can grow quite tall (up to 120 cm) and will carry a lot of fruit. I had to use strings to support the plant due to all the lovely red fruits it produced!

A tough chili variety?!

Apart from Slim Cayenne, that I been growing the last couple seasons (but not this year) this is Jamaican bell one of the easiest chili varieties I have grown. This year I germinated three seeds and the plant grew quite quickly. I went for a business trip to Croatia and let my girlfriend take care of my chili plants. She forgot watering one of the Jamaican bell plants. This particular plant also got some vinegar into the soil and I had to put it in the shower and let the water flow through the soil. It still survived and gave me like 16 pods!

Two chilies
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What to do with chili peppers

The two plants I had gave me so many fruits now that I for a while was unsure what to do with them. Since I really enjoy a good hot sauce I made one. I will probably post the recipe later but I mixed some Jamaican bell peppers with an unknown Capsicum Annuum variety (I tasted the sauce on some tacos today, I think it was quite good!). Sliced Jamaican Bell are also a delicious topping on your hamburgers add a little, but not to much, sting to your stews. But I do recommend to fill them up with your favorite cheese and bake them in the oven. Yummy!

Hot chili sauce made of jamaican bell and unknown capsicum annuum variety
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Hot sauce made of Jamaican Bell

To summarize, I think Jamaican bell is a very nice chili. They have a nice red color and shape. I did not have a problem growing them and I think they are suitable for new chili growers. If you don’t like super hot chilies they are also quite mild and make a really good addition in your cooking. Now I would like to know what you think of this chili variety and what you do with your fruits! Give me your best hot sauce recipes, your food recipes, and other things that I could do with them! For example, have you dried them?

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