Paprika (What is this?)

[Bob in St. Louis]

Hey all,
A gal at work was given this three pack of paprika without much background to where it came from or the exact difference between the three flavors.
I was hoping y'all could help out. She offered one bag to me as a gift "my choice". I chose the white one as it "appears" more spicy.
That worked out great as that was her least favorite.
Our most specific question is, what's the difference between the red and green bags?

Thanks!!

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k60/BobinStLouis/Food/IMG_0327_zpsypw2d5te.jpg (http://s85.photobucket.com/user/BobinStLouis/media/Food/IMG_0327_zpsypw2d5te.jpg.html)

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k60/BobinStLouis/Food/IMG_0326_zpsrw0kpybl.jpg (http://s85.photobucket.com/user/BobinStLouis/media/Food/IMG_0326_zpsrw0kpybl.jpg.html)

[WareZdaBeef]

1 sweet red dried peppers, 1 sweet green dried peppers, and one hot dried peppers, most likely red?

What im trying to say is, does the bag represent the color of the dried, powdered peppers?

[ssv3]

This should help a little Bob. Obviously all Hungarian but seems like different species of regional peppers that are hot or sweet.

http://europeantraveler.net/archives/taste-of-europe/paprika.php (http://europeantraveler.net/archives/taste-of-europe/paprika.php)

[Bob in St. Louis]

Ahh, good question. The only bag we opened was the white one (the one I took) and the paprika is fire engine red (like you'd expect paprika to be)..

EDIT: Thanks Steve, I'll check it out! :)

[Titch]

Is paprika a common seasoning in the US?

[Norm]

Yes it is Titch, a lot of rubs have it in them. I use a smoked one for chili also.

[Bigbears BBQ]

Heat levels range from édes (sweet, mild) to félédes (semi-sweet, medium-hot) to erös (hot). Füszer on the package just means "spice," and orlemeny means "powder." What's important is the type of paprika you choose.

Különleges (Special): The brightest red paprika of all, with a good aroma and very mild, sweet flavor.
Édesnemes (Noble Sweet): Bright red in color but with only a mildly spicy flavor. Most of the paprika exported to the rest of the world is this type.
Csípmentes Csemege (Delicate): Mild-tasting, richly flavored, light- to bright-red paprika.
Csemege (Exquisite Delicate): Similar in color and aroma to "Delicate," but with a slightly spicier taste.
Csípös Csmege (Pungent Exquisite Delicate): Similar in color and aroma to Delicate and Exquisite Delicate, but a bit spicier in flavor. One of the most popular of the hotter varieties of paprika in Hungary.
Félédes (Semi-Sweet): Medium-hot paprika.
Rozsa (Rose): Paler-red in color, with a strong aroma and hot-spicy taste.
Erös (Hot): The hottest variety, pale rust-red to light brownish-yellow in color.

[Bob in St. Louis]

Wow, that's much more info than I expected!!!
So... pardon my ignorance, I still can't find the differentiation between the green and red.
Obviously I'm missing something?

[SirPorkaLot]

Wow, that's much more info than I expected!!!
So... pardon my ignorance, I still can't find the differentiation between the green and red.
Obviously I'm missing something?



dried bell peppers = paprika

Different color peppers and different varieties of bell peppers produce different flavor/heat amounts.
Maybe the red is from red bell peppers and the green is from green bell peppers?

[Bob in St. Louis]

dried bell peppers = paprika
REALY!?!?!?! :shocked:
I didn't know that. Huh... interesting. Thanks!

[northof8]

Quick try to translate shows osztalyu means class A and the green has edesnemes which is sweet noble. What's the difference? I don't know, ask some Hungarian.:biggrin1:

[nmeyer414]

so according to what has been posted, the green is:

Édesnemes (Noble Sweet): Bright red in color but with only a mildly spicy flavor. Most of the paprika exported to the rest of the world is this type.
Csípmentes Csemege (Delicate): Mild-tasting, richly flavored, light- to bright-red paprika.


and the white is:

Édesnemes (Noble Sweet): Bright red in color but with only a mildly spicy flavor. Most of the paprika exported to the rest of the world is this type.

Csípös Csmege (Pungent Exquisite Delicate): Similar in color and aroma to Delicate and Exquisite Delicate, but a bit spicier in flavor. One of the most popular of the hotter varieties of paprika in Hungary.

and the red bag: (basically its a sweet blend)

Csípmentes Csemege (Delicate): Mild-tasting, richly flavored, light- to bright-red paprika.

[SmokinJohn]

Wow, that's much more info than I expected!!!
So... pardon my ignorance, I still can't find the differentiation between the green and red.
Obviously I'm missing something?

^^^^ +1

[Moose]

dried bell peppers = paprika

Different color peppers and different varieties of bell peppers produce different flavor/heat amounts.
Maybe the red is from red bell peppers and the green is from green bell peppers?

REALY!?!?!?! :shocked:
I didn't know that. Huh... interesting. Thanks!

From the link that Sako provided:

"Many different kinds of peppers are cultivated in Hungary, including those grown specifically to be dried and ground into paprika. These include several kinds of long red peppers commonly used for making the milder paprikas, and small round red "cherry peppers" used for some of the hotter varieties of the spice."

Based on this as well as the pictures on this page, they don't appear to be bell peppers:

http://europeantraveler.net/archives/taste-of-europe/paprika.php

[Mikhail]

I use a lot of smoked hot paprika. Great stuff. Paprika goes in everything, and if you have ever had a great Chicken Paprikash you'd know why.

[IXL]

When I was growing up in Oklahoma, my family didn't even keep black pepper on the dining table. We did, however, have two varieties of paprika: rip-your-tongue-out hot, and mild/sweet. My dad always ordered it in from somewhere, as it sure as hell wasn't local to our not-one-traffic light-in-the-whole-town town. It's not like we're Hungarian or anything. Dad could be a bit "different"....in good ways.

[m-fine]

Is paprika a common seasoning in the US?

Yes, generic paprika is very common, but the attention to variety and quality is rare outside of certain ethnic groups.

[SirPorkaLot]

From the link that Sako provided:

"Many different kinds of peppers are cultivated in Hungary, including those grown specifically to be dried and ground into paprika. These include several kinds of long red peppers commonly used for making the milder paprikas, and small round red "cherry peppers" used for some of the hotter varieties of the spice."

Based on this as well as the pictures on this page, they don't appear to be bell peppers:

http://europeantraveler.net/archives/taste-of-europe/paprika.php



It is my understanding the the vast majority of commercially available paprika in the US comes from the red bell pepper.
There is Spanish and Hungarian varieties that probably use other peppers as well

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paprika

[SmokinJohn]

Is paprika a common seasoning in the US?

Yes. I mix it with SPOG to season ahi before searing it, and it pairs well with grilled corn.

[LYU370]

Paprika is a chile and therefore a legal ingredient to put in chili. :-P

[WareZdaBeef]

Paprika is a chile and therefore a legal ingredient to put in chili. :-P

God forbid if you add a "chile" and not cook it down to the point where you can still see it. At least thats what i have been told by some die hard chili heads from texas.

That would be considered vegetable beef soup.