How the first Chilli of the Week grew into jars of gifts, bowls of heat, and a plant worth growing again.
I’d always wanted to grow Raging Bull. It’s a cross between a habanero and a biquinho — imagine a biquinho on steroids: much bigger, far hotter, and every bit as good-looking. The plants grew easily, kept a tidy shape, and the chillies themselves hung in clusters under the branches. There were lots of them, and they lived up to their name: striking to look at, and with real heat behind them.
I’m pickling some for myself, but they’re also destined to become memorable Christmas gifts. This was the very first “Chilli of the Week” we offered back in late January 2025 — for less than half the price of a fancy cup of coffee. Nine months later, I’ve had far more than my money back: jars of gifts, bowls of fresh heat, and the sheer pleasure of growing such a showstopper.
Below you’ll find a simple recipe for sweet brine — perfect for Raging Bull and other thick-walled chillies like Serrano and Jalapeño.
Sweet pickling brine base recipe
Ingredients
500 ml white wine vinegar or cider vinegar
500 ml water
150 g sugar
2 tbsp salt about 30g
Optional extras
2 to 3 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves a few coriander or mustard seeds
Method
► Sterilise jars 120c in the oven for 15 minutes and lids simmer in water for 5 minutes.
► Wash and dry chillies. Snap off the green tops they come off easily. Leave small ones whole but slit them once or twice with a knife. Slice larger ones into rings so the brine can get inside.
► Heat vinegar, water, sugar and salt plus spices if using until boiling and everything is dissolved.
► Pack chillies into hot jars and pour over brine to cover. Seal immediately.
► For long storage process sealed jars in simmering water for 10 minutes.
Storage
In cupboard unopened sterilised 6 to 12 months.
In fridge once opened 2 to 3 months.
Quick fridge pickle (skip sterilising) about 4 to 6 weeks/
Back at Number One — The Raging Bull Returns*
It’s so good I’ve had to bend the rules and put it back in the top slot. Big, bold, and hot — a cross between habanero and biquinho that really earns its name.
* Max one per order
Remember: Start Small. Harvest Big
This whole harvest began with a tray of super plugs back in spring. If you’d like the same head start, here are five reasons why plugs make all the difference.
1, More for your money – plugs cost less than larger plants, yet given a head start they’ll often overtake them.
2. Early advantage – raised indoors and hardened off, they hit the ground running as soon as the weather warms.
3. Greater choice – starting with plugs means you can grow varieties you’ll never find in a garden centre.
4. Bigger harvests – early plugs can grow into full-sized plants that fruit sooner, longer, and heavier.
5. Simple joy – there’s nothing more rewarding than watching a small plug transform into a plant dripping with chillies.
Order your super plugs now and give yourself the best possible start.
World of Chillies was set up by Sarah Hunt in 2011 to promote chilli growing and the enjoyment of everything hot and spicy.
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