The tabasco pepper is a chili pepper originating from Mexico, best known for being used to make the famous Tabasco sauce. The peppers are vibrant red and offer a nice level of heat. Learn more about them.
Scoville Heat Units: 30,000 - 50,000 SHU
Capsicum Frutescens
The tabasco pepper is a variety of the chili pepper species Capsicum frutescens, like the Naga Jolokia. It's a very pungent pepper grown mostly in the Gulf Coast states and Mexico. It is mostly known as the pepper used to make the very famous hot sauce, Tabasco sauce. It's one of the most well known peppers next to the jalapeno pepper.
Origin of the Tabasco Name
The word, "tabasco", is the name of a state in Mexico. The name of the pepper came first, which was later adopted by the famous hot sauce by McIlhenny Co.
Tabasco Pepper Appearance
The fruit is tapered and usually grow under 2 inches long. The color is usually creamy yellow to red, and turn yellow and orange before ripening to a vibrant, bright red. You can see the wonderful colors from these pods that I picked from my own garden.
How Hot is the Tabasco Pepper?
Tabasco peppers range in heat from 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville Heat Units on the Scoville Scale. Compare that to an average jalapeno pepper, which averages in at 5,000 SHU and you'll find the tabasco is 6-10 times hotter. They are more comparable to the popular cayenne pepper in heat and also flavor. It is quite a hot pepper.
Tabasco sauce, the brand hot sauce, measures in much lower, at 2,500 to 5,000 SHU.
Growing Tabasco Peppers
Tabasco pepper plants can reach a height of up to 5 feet tall (60 inches/1.5 m), though smaller plants are more normal. They’re very productive plants, holding many pepper pods at one time. The peppers start out green, then turn yellow green and ripen to bright orange then vibrant red. Peppers usually can be picked 80 days after germinating.
They grow better in warmer temperatures, above 75°F (24°C), and in well-drained soil with a pH between 5.5 and 7.5. They have a low tolerance for frost, as do most chili pepper plants.
Tabasco pepper plants are somewhat bushy, though you can trim them back as needed to accommodate room for your other pepper plants.
Personally, I have grown tabasco peppers for a few years and highly recommend them, though they prefer warmer temperatures and full sun. Grow them in a sunny location if you are able. The plants are always very productive and produce fruit, and they’re easy to grow in a simple home garden. I have a great growing season last year with lots of pods produced, and I am currently in zone 5, where temperatures don't always stay consistent and warm overnight.
I love making my own homemade Tabasco sauce with them, and cooking with them in general.
Can You Pick Green Tabasco Peppers?
Yes, you can pick these peppers when they're still green, but they are much better when they mature and turn bright red or orange-red. They are sweeter and fruitier with a much better overall flavor when they have ripened. However, if it is the end of the season and you are concerned about frost, then it is best to pick them green and attempt to finish ripening them indoors or use them to make a salsa verde or cook them into other meals.
Learn how to ripen unripe peppers indoors.
What to do with Tabasco Peppers
My favorite ways to cook with tabasco peppers are for making fresh salsa, making homemade tabasco hot sauce, and dehydrating them to make spicy tabasco chili powder. These peppers make a great salsa roja that is nice and spicy and great for game day gatherings, parties and other events.
For making hot sauce, I make fermented and non-fermented versions and love them both. I usually keep it simple and include nothing but tabasco peppers, vinegar and a bit of salt. Very tasty! They make an outstanding Louisiana style hot sauce.
Dehydrating is simple, as I use a dehydrator. I usually leave them to dry overnight until they are very dry and brittle, then grind them into powders for use as a seasoning. Learn more about how to dehydrate chili peppers for making chili powders here.
They're also good for general cooking. I often chop some and freeze them, cook use them to cook down with onions and celery as a base for soups, stews and other sauces with a bit of a kick to them. I do like my foods spicy.
Where to Buy Tabasco Products, Plants and Seeds
Purchase tabasco sauce or purchase tabasco seeds other products at Amazon (affiliate link, my friends). You can also check out my chili pepper plants and chili pepper seeds resources pages.
Try making your own Homemade Tabasco Sauce!
Got any other questions? Drop me a line anytime. I'm happy to help.
NOTE: This post was updated on 1/27/20 to include new information and photos. It was originally written on 9/23/13.
Lee says
Perhaps harvest whole branches with unripe fruit and hang ripen indoors. Most peppers do not know their branch has been separated and will continue to ripen.
Mike Hultquist says
Yes, this works. I can confirm.
Michael Bailey says
Can you make a Tabasco pepper oil from these? Olive oil, avocado oil?
Mike Hultquist says
Absolutely, Michael. See my post on How to Make Chili Oil: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/cooking-with-chili-peppers/how-to-make-chili-oil/
Howard Hughes says
Once you pick the peppers is the plant finished or does it reproduce annually?
Mike Hultquist says
Much depends on your climate. Tabasco plants usually go dormant in the winter and can be over wintered, but in ideal warmer climates, pepper plants can keep producing, as they are perennials.
Howard Hughes says
Thanks for the info, so once they are red, I can pick them? Although they are about an inch long?
Mike Hultquist says
Yes, you can pick them. That's pretty normal size.
Christina says
This is our first time growing Tabasco peppers. When they are green, they are firm. We’ve noticed that when they turn red they soften. Is this the way they are supposed to be, or are you supposed to use firm red Tabasco peppers when canning sauce?
Mike Hultquist says
Christina, the red tabasco peppers should be firm as well. It could be they are ripening and going bad on the plants (getting too soft, rotting). It's possible you need to pick them sooner, or there is an issue, such as heat or not enough nutrients.
Darlene R. says
My Tabasco plants have black peppers. Why didn't they start out green??
Mike Hultquist says
Possibly the wrong plant? Or a strain/hybrid of tabasco?
Nancy Kimberly says
Thank you for this amazing resource. With the high temperatures this summer in South Louisiana we only got mostly hot peppers thriving in our garden. I am desperate to preserve them.
Mike Hultquist says
Glad to help, Nancy. Good luck with the harvest.
Judy Boles says
Can I make tabasco hot sauce using mostly green peppers? I started two plants late and had to harvest while most of the peppers are still green.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Judy, yes, you can make this style sauce with any peppers. You'll get more of that fresh/green flavor, but let me know how it turns out for you. Enjoy.
Chris says
I grew some this summer and I can’t believe how hot they are. I swear I was eating a ghost pepper!!
nyles cota says
Stan, we all want to see this beauty! Also am curious what part of the world you’re in as well.
Stan Chrzanowski says
I have a three year old tabasco plant that's 9 feet tall that I've trained into a tree. I can send a picture if you want of me standing under it. It bears a few times a year and heavier each time, and the latest crop is bright green now. I suspect they'll turn red in a couple of weeks. I do intend to take a picture when that happens. The mockingbirds love the fruit.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
That is AWESOME, Stan! I would LOVE this! Tabasco peppers anytime! Very nice. What part of the world?
Michael says
My first attempt at growing Tabasco peppers is going well. I'm sure my location helps, I live about 20 minutes away from Avery Island.
Does anyone a a recipe that mimics the Tabasco company's fermentation? I know they add no liquid to the ferment and just use salt in an oak barrel, with a salt cap to seal it. I guess I'm looking for a ratio of salt to pepper weight.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Great to hear, Michael. I have a number of links that can help you with making a similar sauce. Here goes:
How to Ferment Peppers (Make Pepper Mash): https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/cooking-with-chili-peppers/how-to-make-fermented-pepper-mash/
Fermented Hot Sauce Recipe: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/fermented-hot-sauce/
Homemade Tabasco Sauce: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/tabasco-sauce/
Andrew says
I was curious to know what a good ratio would be using my tabasco peppers in the salsa verde and salsa roja
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Andrew, I would use 1-2 to start, then see you how you enjoy it. If you'd like it hotter or more tabasco pepper flavor, you can easily incorporate more, easily a dozen or more. That'll bring the heat! Let me know how it goes for you.
Jon says
Is Frank correct? This is my first time growing them and I've started stringing them. Will that work or will they rot? Thanks
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Jon, if you don't have the proper conditions for air drying - very warm and very dry - your peppers are prone to rot. A dehydrator is the best method for drying, or at least in the oven. Check out my post on Dehydrating Peppers: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/preserving-chili-peppers/dehydrating-peppers/. Good luck!
Elton says
Can the tabasco plants survive through the winter? Like the 5 foot tall ones?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Elton, it really depends on your climate and temperatures. You can bring them indoors, but those are quite large!
Francis "Frank" Buhrman says
Two things about growing Tabasco peppers that might be worth mentioning. First, unlike cayenne, serrano, jalapeno and many other peppers, they don't continue to ripen after being picked (at least in my experience). I think this is why the commercial pickers traditionally were given a "baton rouge" (red stick) painted the color the peppers needed to be when picked. Second, if you want to dry them, you need a dehydrator, because they're too juicy to air-dry well - when I tried that, I lost most of the peppers to rot. They're a fun addition to the garden, though, and you're spot on about them being quite productive, even in a more northerly climate.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Frank! I appreciate the comments.
Lee says
Perhaps harvest whole branches with unripe fruit and hang ripen indoors. Most peppers do not know their branch has been separated and will continue to ripen.
Jake Tedesco says
Pedro, I did not harvest enough tabasco peppers this year to start my fermentation. Can you ship fresh or dried peppers? Thank you.
Lyndon Pousson says
Home Depot has the plants
Dave Bragg says
Hello Folks
I live in the pacific northwest and tried to grow tabasco peppers this year. Guess I know now why nobody up here grows them! hoping to find some place to purchase some fresh tabasco peppers. I had originally wanted to make pepper sauce as xmas gifts but hope to give them out next year. If you know of any place that sells them (not seeds) i would really appreciate the help. I've searched the internet several times and keep coming up empty.
Thanks, Dave
REPLY: Hi, Dave, you can check out the Plants resources page I have on the site. Here is the link. I hope it helps! https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/resources/chili-plants -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
pedro m barberena says
my website is not ready yet, but I have been growing Tabascos for years and make a great hot sauce that is becoming very popular here in Nashville, I grew up in Texas and always sold out within 2-3 months, but I can work something out with you on fresh peppers, I already know you can't buy fresh tabascoes unless you buy it by the kiloton overseas and have to pay for shipping and taxes etc.etc. I am also on FB but don't advertise my hot sauce on there
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Pedro.
josh says
Pedro,
I would love to purchase some peppers if you have some available. Please send me an email with the specifics, and I will be happy to buy some from you. Dried is OK, fresh is best (but i understand that isn't easy). I don't need a Kiloton, but would be interested in something more like 10-20 lbs of dried peppers.