Grow Scotch Bonnet Peppers and Make Authentic Jamaican Jerk Sauce at Home

Most gardeners think of peppers as a go-to crop. The reasons are clear:  Peppers grow fairly easily, tolerate hot weather, and are versatile in the kitchen. Each season, we grow hundreds of peppers from sweet mini-Bells to scorching Habaneros to supply our local organic gardeners. Everyone’s got their favorite, and a preferred level of spice.  But one single pepper seems to draw an unreasonable amount of attention:  The Jamaican Scotch Bonnet.

 Each time we grow a batch of these fiery, oddly shaped peppers, they seem to disappear in the blink of an eye.  We’ve had customers drive from over an hour away just to get Scotch Bonnets.  Some walk out with a dozen or more of them! You may be wondering why someone would need a dozen Scotch Bonnet Pepper plants… we were confused at first, too.  In this article, one of our beloved team members explains why the Scotch Bonnet is essential to Caribbean cuisine.

These small, bright yellow delights are a staple in Caribbean cuisine, especially in Jamaica, where they are used in various dishes, such as jerk. Named after a Scottish tam o’ shanter  bonnet, these peppers have a Scoville unit rating of 100,000-350,000.  Compared to Jalapeno’s Scoville rating at 2,500-8,000, these little peppers pack some serious heat. But this is not the only thing that makes them so special.   It's the sweet, fruity flavor profile, in addition to the heat, that keeps pepper enthusiasts coming back for more.  In fact, the pepper can be added green and whole to dishes like rice and peas in order to add its signature flavor without the heat.

We asked our resident Caribbean food expert, Maurice, about his beloved Scotch Bonnet.  If you’ve ever had the opportunity to chat with him in the nursery or at a plant sale, you know how passionate he is when speaking about the food from his native Jamaica.  From Callaloo to Julie mangos to Costa Rican mint… oh excuse me Maurice…..Jamaican mint to salt fish and Ackee to Red Stripe, Maurice has the nursery staff drooling for Jamaican food on a daily basis.

Maurice was quick to point out that true Scotch Bonnets are only ever yellow in color.

“If you find a red or purple pepper labelled as a ‘Scotch Bonnet’, its been mixed with another type of pepper.  Every Jamaican person knows that a Scotch Bonnet pepper is a yellow pepper.”

Additionally, he says that most grocery stores sell Scotch Bonnets that have been mixed with Habanero peppers in order to extend the shelf life of the pepper.   A true Scotch Bonnet pepper has a rough texture on the exterior, a smooth skin is a telltale sign that the pepper’s parent plants have Habanero genetics.

Maurice loves Scotch Bonnets so much that he eats at least 3 whole peppers every day!  Its in every lunch and dinner - a staple ingredient in all his cooking.  When the plant isn’t actively producing, Maurice has pickled Scotch Bonnets so he can be sure to meet his 3 pepper per day quota.

Maurice noted that the plant is a perennial - he calls it a “Scotch Bonnet tree” which makes sense because a large, perennial pepper plant’s stem tends to get thick and woody.   It can tolerate full sun to partial shade and likes a lot of water in order to produce a copious amount of peppers.  Peppers in general can be prone to white fly so keeping an organic insecticide handy is helpful to maximizing yield.

Adding a Scotch Bonnet pepper plant to your garden isn’t just about adding a spicy pepper to the collection - its about bringing bold flavor, color, and a touch of the Caribbean right to your food forest.  Whether you’re a seasoned spice lover or simply looking to expand your culinary knowledge, this plant delivers both flavor and heat in one easy to grow package.  Don’t miss the chance to cultivate something truly unique - grab your Scotch Bonnet pepper plant today and turn up the flavor with every bite.