Why Remove the White Ribs from Peppers?

The white, spongy strips you see when you open a pepper are the structure to which the seeds are attached. For the plant, this area is a transport and protective tissue, and chemically it differs from the pepper's flesh. In hot peppers, the substance that produces the heat is concentrated mainly here. Seeds are thought to be hot because they touch these ribs; they do not produce the heat themselves, but it gets on them. That is why the hottest part of a hot pepper is often the area closest to the stem. For this reason, which part of a hot pepper you taste first also changes the result.

This information has a direct practical use. If you want to use a hot pepper but keep the heat moderate, cut the pepper in half and scrape out the white ribs with a knife or spoon; the pepper's aroma and flavor remain, while most of the heat is removed. Conversely, if you want a hotter result, leave the ribs in intentionally. In other words, the ribs work like an on-off switch for heat. This also lets you get two separate uses, one hot and one mild, from the same pepper.

Sweet peppers are different, but the result is the same. They have no heat; the issue is texture. The white ribs are more fibrous than the rest of the flesh and do not soften even with long cooking; you can feel them when eating stuffed, sautéed, or roasted peppers. They also have a slightly bitter taste. For this reason, when preparing bell peppers for stuffing, scrape the ribs with a knife and do not leave a whole piece inside. For peppers that will be roasted, remove the ribs after roasting while peeling off the skin. The same toughness is even more noticeable in dried bell peppers, where the ribs must be removed.

There is a practical way to remove them cleanly. Cut around the pepper stem in a cone shape with a knife, then pull the stem upward; the seed core often comes out whole with the ribs. Shake out the remaining pieces by turning the pepper upside down and tapping it gently. Scrape out any strips left inside with a small knife or the edge of a spoon; do not rinse the inside with water once it is cleaned, because water dilutes its flavor. Wash the outside of the pepper under running water and dry it before you cut it. If you are making stuffed peppers, you can save the stem as a lid, but be sure to clean out the inside.

The seeds themselves are also usually removed, but not because they are hot. The seeds harden during cooking, leave a grainy texture in the sauce, and can easily darken in the oven or pan and add a slightly bitter taste. Put the removed seeds and ribs in the same bowl and discard them. If you have handled a hot pepper, wash the knife and cutting board immediately. If you want to dry the seeds for planting, put them in a separate bowl and dry them in the shade. If you need to hold chopped peppers, refrigerate them in a covered container and use them within a few days.