Bulls Horn Peppers
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Bull’s Horn peppers form large, elongated pods averaging 20 to 30 centimeters in length and have a conical, tapered shape ending in a point on the non-stem end. The pods often display a slight curve and the surface is smooth, glossy, and covered in shallow creases and indentations. Bull’s Horn peppers are known for their thin skin and ripen from green to shades of bright red, orange, or yellow, depending on the variety. Underneath the surface, the semi-thick flesh is lightly striated, encasing a central cavity filled with pale ribs and round and flat, cream-colored seeds. The flesh has an aqueous, crisp, and succulent consistency and typically bears 3 to 4 interior lobes. Bull’s Horn peppers are fragrant and are edible raw or cooked. Raw peppers offer a mild, sweet, and subtly fruity flavor with vegetal undertones, varying with degree or ripeness. Cooked Bull’s Horn peppers soften into a tender texture and develop mild, sweet, and savory nuances.
Seasons/Availability
Bull’s Horn peppers are grown in both hemispheres and are available year-round.
Current Facts
Bull’s Horn peppers, botanically classified as Capsicum annuum, are sweet peppers known for their elongated shape belonging to the Solanaceae or nightshade family. The slightly curved, tapered pods grow on bushy, leafy plants reaching 40 to 50 centimeters in height, and the pods are typically harvested 70 to 90 days after sowing. The name Bull’s Horn pepper encompasses many types of sweet peppers that exhibit a long, horn-like shape. In Italy, the peppers are known as Corno di Toro and Corno di Bue, translating to mean “Bull’s Horn” and “Ox Horn.” Bull’s Horn peppers are grown worldwide as a specialty sweet pepper in commercial markets and are favored by farmers for their easy-to-grow, adaptable nature and high yields. The peppers are notably associated with gardens in Italy, and several heirloom varieties are grown in the country. Corno di Toro Rosso are red varieties, while Corno di Toro Giallo are yellow varieties. Outside of Italy, Bull’s Horn peppers are sometimes written as Bullhorn peppers and Bullhorn Capsicums in markets. Bull’s Horn peppers are a versatile culinary ingredient in raw and cooked dishes. The sweet peppers have a mild flavor and can be incorporated whole or sliced into pieces in a wide array of savory preparations.
Nutritional Value
Bull’s Horn peppers are a source of vitamins C and E to strengthen the immune system while guarding the cells against the damage caused by free radicals, fiber to regulate the digestive tract, and calcium and phosphorus to support bones and teeth. Peppers also provide potassium to balance fluid levels within the body, magnesium to control nerve functions, iron to develop the protein hemoglobin for oxygen transport through the bloodstream, and other nutrients, including beta-carotene, B vitamins, and vitamin K.
Applications
Bull’s Horn peppers have a mild, sweet flavor suited for raw and cooked preparations. The elongated peppers should be washed, and the seeds and membranes removed before use. Once prepped, raw peppers can be chopped into salsa, shredded into slaws, or tossed into salads. Bull’s Horn peppers can also be drizzled in olive oil, salt, or balsamic and served as a simple appetizer or layered into sandwiches. In addition to fresh preparations, Bull’s Horn peppers are commonly stuffed and baked as a main dish. The pepper’s cavity provides ample room for cheeses, meats, spices, and grains, and they can be halved and filled or the ends removed and cavity stuffed. Try grilling or roasting Bull’s Horn peppers or cooking and pureeing the peppers into dips, sauces, and chutneys. In Italy, Bull’s Horn peppers are simmered into peperonata, a stew-like dish made from garlic, tomatoes, and sweet peppers. They are also prepared in a variation of bagna cauda, a dipping sauce for vegetables and bread, and chicken scarpariello, a pepper, chicken, and sausage recipe. While less common, Bull’s Horn peppers are sometimes incorporated into ratatouille or cooked and stuffed into various sandwiches. They are also marinated, stir-fried, or pickled. Bull’s Horn peppers pair well with tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, herbs such as mint, oregano, basil, and parsley, meats including veal, beef, poultry, and ham, capers, olives, and cheeses such as feta, ricotta, parmesan, and cheddar. Whole, unwashed Bull’s Horn peppers will keep fresh for one week when stored in a cool, dry, and dark place, such as the refrigerator. The pods can also be dried or canned for extended use.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Sweet peppers are featured in an annual festival held in the municipality of Carmagnola in the Piedmont region of Italy. The area is nicknamed one of “Italy’s Pepper Capitals” among Italian residents and is known for producing four main types of peppers, including a Bull’s Horn type called Corno di Bue, meaning “Ox Horn.” Sweet peppers are primarily grown in the region between the cities of Turin and Cuneo, and this area is known for its ideal climate for pepper production. Peppers were said to have been introduced to this area by a merchant named Domenico Ferrero, and over time, the sweet pods became a signature crop, especially after World War II. Around the same time as the pepper’s rise to fame, the Carmagnola National Pepper Fair was established to honor the peppers' history in Carmagnola. The Carmagnole National Pepper Fair has been officially held for over seventy-five years and includes various competitions, a pepper market, networking events, and live entertainment. There is also a Peperone or “Pepper Day,” where local restaurants feature peppers as star ingredients to showcase the traditional crop.
Geography/History
Bull’s Horn peppers are descendants of wild Capsicum species native to South America. Capsicums have been traced to areas of the Andes Mountains in Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador and later expanded into central-eastern Brazil, northern Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay. Many peppers within the Capsicum species have been cultivated for thousands of years as a food source. In the 15th and 16th centuries, Spanish and Portuguese explorers encountered peppers in the New World and carried them back to Spain. After their European introduction, peppers were domesticated throughout the Iberian Peninsula and were eventually introduced into Southern Italy. Bull’s Horn peppers are believed to have arisen from sweet peppers planted in Italy, and the mild, fragrant pods became a widespread pepper. Bull’s Horn peppers also spread in cultivation throughout Europe and were later planted in regions worldwide, including the United States, Asia, and Australia. Today, Bull’s Horn peppers are sold fresh through local farmer’s markets, select grocers, and wholesalers. They are also grown in home gardens as a culinary ingredient.
