Lemon Drop Pepper History

Lemon Drop Peppers really smell and taste like lemons. Fruits are excellent for drying and have only 10-15 seeds per fruit. Expect an uncommon amount of fruit from this plant. Hot, 100 days from transplant. This bright yellow, citrus-flavored chile is also known as Kellu Uchu in Peru, where it originated. The pods grow to 2-3 inches long and ½ inch wide with wrinkled skin. Its unique lemon taste has caught the attention of those who love the citrus flavor of habanero but just can’t quite handle the intense heat. The Lemon Drop is a fantastic substitute. Although the heat is intense, it does not linger. Instead, it leaves behind the nice, lemony flavor

Lemon Drop Pepper Plant Instructions

Pepper plants require full sun to produce the largest and healthiest fruit, so pick a site that won’t get shaded out by trees or other garden plants. Soil should be well-draining and rich in organic matter.  A soil consistency somewhere between sandy and loamy will ensure that the soil drains well and warms quickly.  Soil pH should be on the acidic side—5.5 to 6.5, ideally. A week before transplanting peppers into the garden, introduce fertilizer or aged compost into your garden soil. Avoid planting peppers in places where you’ve recently grown other members of the nightshade family such as tomatoes, potatoes, or eggplants—as this can expose peppers to disease.

The soil temperature must be at least 70°F for seed germination, so keep them in a warm area for the best and fastest results. Use a heat pad under the seed tray, if necessary. Plant seeds about ¼-inch deep.

Preserving And Storing Aji Lemon Drop

Peppers can be dried in the oven at a very low temperature.

Step 1: Prepare the peppers

Choose freshly harvested peppers with no soft spots. Cut larger peppers into uniform pieces so they dry quicker. Small peppers can be dried whole. Use gloves when handling hot peppers.

Step 2: Place the peppers on baking sheets

Spread the peppers out on baking sheets and place in a 150˚F oven. Leave the door open a crack to allow moisture to escape. Check on the peppers every 30 minutes and rotate and remove the ones that are dry. Depending on the peppers, drying in the oven can take 1-2 hours. The peppers are dried completely when brittle.Store fully dried peppers in airtight jars away from sunlight.

Lemon Drop Pepper Recipes

This hot sauce is a perfect last-minute dash of heat and flavor. Despite its benign color, it’s fairly hot, but not as face-meltingly spicy as a brew whipped up from habaneros.

Pepper Nutrition

Lemon Drop peppers provide some carbs and offer a small amount of protein and fiber. They are rich in various vitamins and minerals but usually eaten in small amounts — so they don’t contribute significantly to your daily micronutrient intake. Lemon Drop Peppers are rich in antioxidant plant compounds that have been linked to various health benefits. Most notable is capsaicin, which is responsible for the pungent (hot) taste of  peppers. Peppers are associated with several health benefits. They may promote weight loss when combined with other healthy lifestyle strategies and may help relieve pain caused by acid reflux.

Other Pepper Varieties Worth Checking Out

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