Charleston Pepper

What Is Charleston Pepper?

Charleston pepper (Capsicum annuum) is a long, thin, slightly curved, light green pepper variety. It is usually sweet, though some peppers may occasionally be mildly hot. Its thin skin and plump flesh make it slightly thicker and larger than sivri peppers.

It is a staple frying pepper in Turkish cuisine and is also well suited to stuffing or roasting, peeling, and using in salads and meze. It is abundant and at its best in summer.

Charleston Pepper Nutrition Facts

Like other green peppers, Charleston pepper is a low-calorie vegetable with high water content; 100 grams contain about 20 kcal. It is rich in vitamin C. Since verified data specific to this variety are limited, these values are approximate and based on green pepper values.

What Are the Benefits of Charleston Pepper?

With its low calorie content, fiber, and vitamin C, Charleston pepper can be part of a balanced diet; it is a light, refreshing vegetable.

This is general information. Charleston pepper is a food, not a medical treatment.

How to Choose Charleston Peppers

Fresh Charleston peppers should be glossy, firm, and attached to fresh stems; wrinkled, soft, or blemished peppers have lost freshness. The skin should be smooth and bright green.

• The skin should be glossy, bright green, and smooth.
• The peppers should feel firm and not be wrinkled.
• The stem should be fresh and green; a dried stem indicates staleness.

How to Store Charleston Peppers

Charleston peppers stay fresh for about 1 week in the refrigerator crisper in a perforated bag. Since moisture speeds up spoilage, store them unwashed and wash them before use.

How to Use Charleston Peppers in the Kitchen

Charleston peppers are most often fried or charred, and are also used stuffed or chopped into dishes. Fried and served with yogurt-garlic sauce, they are a classic summer meze.

How to Fry Charleston Peppers

Wash and dry the peppers, then fry them whole in hot oil, turning until the skins blister and soften. Season with salt and serve with yogurt-garlic and tomato sauces.

Can Charleston Peppers Be Stuffed?

Yes. Their plump flesh and convenient size make them suitable for filling with an olive-oil-based or meat filling and cooking.

What Recipes Use Charleston Peppers?

Fried peppers, charred pepper salad, stuffed peppers, and vegetable dishes are among the best-known ways to use Charleston peppers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Charleston peppers hot or sweet?

They are usually sweet, though growing conditions may occasionally produce mildly hot peppers; this is natural.

What is the difference between Charleston and sivri peppers?

Charleston peppers are longer, have somewhat thicker flesh, and are usually sweeter than sivri peppers; sivri peppers are thinner and more often hot.

Why do peppers splatter in hot oil?

Water in the pepper turns to steam when it touches hot oil and causes splattering; drying the peppers thoroughly and pricking them with a fork reduces splattering.

Can Charleston peppers be frozen?

Yes. Wash, dry, and chop Charleston peppers before freezing them for winter; their texture softens after thawing, but they can still be used in cooked dishes.

How do you char Charleston peppers?

Turn the peppers over a direct flame or under the oven broiler until the skins blacken. Then cover them in a container to steam, peel off the skins, and use them in salads or meze.