The Best Time to Pick Jalapeños, Depending on How Hot You Like Them

Some crops need to be picked when they’re perfectly ripe, but growers have a bit more wiggle room with jalapeños. You can harvest your peppers at different times depending on the taste and spice level you prefer. Whether you enjoy mild peppers or peppers that pack more of a punch, here’s exactly when to pick jalapeños to get the heat you’re after.

When to Pick Jalapeños Based on Planting Time

Jalapeños get their heat from capsanthin, which is a pigmented antioxidant that develops as peppers ripen and gives fully mature jalapeños their bright reddish coloration. The capsanthin content of jalapeños typically peaks when the peppers are around 40 days old, and then declines as they get redder. That means you should harvest jalapeños around the 40-day mark if you want the hottest peppers, or earlier or later if you prefer a little less heat.

Most jalapeño plants will start fruiting 70 to 90 days after sowing plants from seed—or earlier if you plant pepper transplants. You’ll then need to wait an additional 40 days for jalapeños to mature to their peak heat level.

When to Pick Jalapeños Based on Looks

If you’ve lost count of how long your peppers have been growing, there are a few ways to judge how hot jalapeños will be and if it’s time to pick them.

• Size: Jalapeños get hotter as they grow and reach their mature length of around 3 to 4 inches. If you pick jalapeños when they’re smaller, they’ll be a little less spicy, but a little more bitter.
• Color: Jalapeños also shift from a dull green to a bright red color as they mature, and they’re at their hottest when their skin is just turning from green to red. If you want hot jalapeños pick them at this point, or harvest them while they’re still green for the mildest flavor.
• Corking: Striations or “corking” on the skins of jalapeños is the clearest indication that they’re fiery hot. If you don’t like a lot of heat, pick your peppers while their skins are still smooth and free from corking. Or wait until they’re covered in corking marks for the most spice.

How to Harvest Jalapeños

Whenever you decide to harvest jalapeños, it’s best to do so by cutting their stems with sharp scissors or a pair of gardening pruners. Pulling jalapeños or other peppers straight off the plant can damage pepper branches and dislodge growing jalapeños that aren’t yet as ripe as you want them.

To harvest, simply cut the pepper stem cleanly off the plant and leave about 1/2-inch of stem attached to each pepper. Harvesting jalapeños regularly will make your plants more productive and prolong the growing season. Just remember, it’s important to harvest all of your jalapeños before your first frost strikes as frigid cold can turn jalapeños mushy.

Storing Jalapeño Harvests

After harvesting, store whole, unwashed jalapeños in your crisper drawer for up to 2 weeks, or place chopped or diced jalapeños in an airtight container with a paper towel to absorb extra moisture. If you can’t use your peppers right away, you can also freeze them whole, chopped, or diced, without any need to blanch them first. There’s also the option to dehydrate jalapeños with a food dehydrator, or pickle and can them using the water bath canning technique.

If it’s heat you’re after, keep in mind that the way you process jalapeños can affect their spice level too. Jalapeños will be hotter if you use them fresh and keep their seeds and pepper ribs in tact. However, you can reduce the “spice factor” of jalapeños by removing their ribs and seeds, cooking them fully, or canning them in vinegar.