Hinkelhatz Hot Pepper

Named by its Pennsylvania Dutch growers, the Hinkelhatz is a rare heirloom pepper which translates to “chicken heart,” a description of its size and shape. The peppers are usually red or yellow, though a very rare orange variety exists. The Hinkelhatz is traditionally used exclusively for pickling. The Pennsylvania Dutch cooked and pureed it to make a pepper vinegar, a condiment often sprinkled on sauerkraut. The pods are covered with tiny bumps and wrinkles and measure 1 1/4 inches in length tapering to a blunt point. The plant is bushlike, small and compact, measuring 1 1/2 to 2 feet tall.

Where can you buy Hinkelhatz peppers?

Hinkelhatz peppers are hard to find outside of Pennsylvania Dutch country. If you’d like to experience the peppers, your best bet would be to grow your own. You can purchase Hinkelhatz pepper seeds online.