Portuguese Goat Heart
The Portuguese Goat Heart is a sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum) from Portugal, valued for its thick, juicy walls and distinct heart or bell shape. Despite some confusion with hotter peppers from Portugal, this variety has a very low to non...
- Origin
- Portugal
- Heat: Very mild or no heat, typically with 0 to 2,500 Scoville Heat Units (SHU). The heat level can vary slightly depending on growing conditions and maturity.
- Origin: An heirloom pepper from Portugal.
- Appearance: Large (up to 4 inches), heart-shaped or bell-shaped pods with thick, red walls when ripe.
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Culinary Uses:
- Stuffing: Its large size and thick walls make it an excellent choice for stuffing with cheese, meats, or grains.
- Frying/Grilling: Suitable for frying or grilling, which enhances its sweet flavor.
- Pickling: The thick walls and sweetness make it a great option for pickling.
- Drying: Can be dried and ground into a sweet, aromatic paprika-like powder.
- Fresh: Its sweet and crunchy flavor is perfect for salads and snacking.
Start indoors 8–10 weeks before last frost. Germinate at 26–30 °C on a heat mat; peppers stall below 22 °C. Pot up to 10–15 cm before hardening off outside after nights stay above 12 °C.
Feed balanced through bloom, then bump potassium for fruiting. Stake taller varieties. More detail in our full Canadian growing guide.
Match the pepper to the technique: thin-walled varieties blister fast in a hot pan; thick-walled ones roast or stuff beautifully; fruit-forward ones make balanced sauces and pickles. The variety's flavour profile is your shortcut — see Choosing the right pepper for a use-case guide.
