# Urfa biber (Turkish chili pepper)



## chiffonodd (Sep 2, 2020)

Have ya'll jumped on the urfa bandwagon yet?







Just got these flakes today. Urfa biber is a dried Turkish chili. The smell is absolutely intoxicating, dark smoky fruit. And it has a nice kick too like 50K - 80K Scoville. It's like ancho and aleppo had a bastard love child and raised it on a max dose of steroids.

I feel like I could eat this on almost anything, and I'm sure there are a million traditional Turkish dishes featuring this chili. But I thought I'd ask if anyone has a favorite recipe or dish for using urfa?

Drool.

- Chiff


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## Bert2368 (Sep 2, 2020)

Tried to grow Urfa biebers this Spring with seeds from "Ohio heirloom seeds". They did mostly sprout and come up, did fine through first 2 pairs of true leaves but then I lost all of them at transplant time, don't know why. All my Aleppo peppers died too.






So I ordered both of those peppers from Kalustyans a couple of days ago. Plus some chipotle chilis Colorados (moritas), more of their nice ripe Kampot peppercorns, wild Sumatra peppercorns and some long pepper. Can't wait.



Spices, Herbs & Seasonings – Kalustyan's


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## Alder26 (Sep 2, 2020)

Urfa is delicious. It can have a very rich raisiny, baking spice flavor to it as well. Really good in meat rubs.


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## ian (Sep 2, 2020)

Ordered


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## chefcomesback (Sep 2, 2020)

Urfa pepper is a key component for chopped kebab, staple of my pantry , also try isot , Slightly different heat and flavour


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## Bert2368 (Sep 3, 2020)

chefcomesback said:


> Urfa pepper is a key component for chopped kebab, staple of my pantry , also try isot , Slightly different heat and flavour



I am just a beginner with middle eastern and Asian chilis. Don't speak any Turkic languages and Google translate is fairly useless here.

Confused now. First Turkish internet reference I look at for Isot seems to say Urfa is a name used for Isot pepper? Are they different chili varieties or the same spice under different regional names or same chili processed differently as with ancho and poblano?



> The isot pepper is grown in the Şanlıurfa region in the south east of Turkey and, as such, you may find it called Urfa biber at some stores.











What is isot pepper and how to use it | The Guide Istanbul


Grown in the Şanlıurfa region in the south east of Turkey, the isot pepper is a hot spice loved by chefs and foodies around the world.




www.theguideistanbul.com


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## Qapla' (Sep 3, 2020)

Bert2368 said:


> I am just a beginner with middle eastern and Asian chilis. Don't speak any Turkic languages and Google translate is fairly useless here.
> 
> Confused now. First Turkish internet reference I look at for Isot seems to say Urfa is a name used for Isot pepper? Are they different chili varieties or the same spice under different regional names or same chili processed differently as with ancho and poblano?



Here are some excerpts from using Google Translate on text from the Vikipedi:



> Isot is the name of a type of pepper grown indigenous to Şanlıurfa. At the same time, it is the name given to the dried pepper, which is identified with the province of Şanlıurfa.
> Scoville scale: 30,000-50,000 SHU





> In the summer months, Urfa peppers are left to dry on a clean surface by removing the seeds in the sun-exposed flat areas. It can be kept for a maximum of three days. Dried peppers collected on the first day turn red, on the 2nd day they turn purple and on the 3rd day black. Later, dried peppers are pounded, olive oil and some salt are added and turned into isot.


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## chiffonodd (Sep 3, 2020)

Bert2368 said:


> I am just a beginner with middle eastern and Asian chilis. Don't speak any Turkic languages and Google translate is fairly useless here.
> 
> Confused now. First Turkish internet reference I look at for Isot seems to say Urfa is a name used for Isot pepper? Are they different chili varieties or the same spice under different regional names or same chili processed differently as with ancho and poblano?
> 
> ...



I'm no expert by any means, but most of what I'm finding online says that urfa and isot are just different names for the same chili. "Urfa" refers to the region in Turkey where the chili originated, so it's easy to see how that become one name for it. "Isot" derives from the Turkish words, "isli ot," which mean "smoked weed." 

Apparently, one of the reasons the chili tastes so special is that they're not only sun dried during the day, but also fermented by night -- they're wrapped in fabric and allowed to sweat (and retain) oils and ferment.

TBH the fact that this chili is also known as "smoked weed" is just one more reason to love it


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## Bert2368 (Sep 8, 2020)

My 2 ounce packet of Urfa bieber/Isot pepper arrived. 

I am eating the first dish I've used it in, good stuff. I should have bought MORE.

It is a pick up dish made from peppers unused in last batch of canning, left over rice & leftover pork. What mom calls "refrigerator cleaner special".

I added a tablespoon of the Isot to 2 pounds of dry pinto beans and cooked in the instant pot along with 7 cups of double strength (jelly!) stock made from trim & bones of several batches of pork ribs (some Chinese style with star anise, cinnamon, shallots soy sauce and USA style ribs made with my dry rub), another 7 cups of water, 6 grams of salt. Cooked on high 50 minutes, when pressure dropped, added chopped veges: A large sweet onion, 3 large red, gold and orange bell peppers, 3 large crushed cloves of garlic.

Served over leftover rice with leftover pork shoulder chopped into it, plus latest batch of salsa and sour cream.

It's not authentic Chinese, Mexican, middle eastern or anything else. Just tasty with a subtle after burn.


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## ceyllan (Dec 13, 2020)

This kind of spice "Chipotle" are manufactured in Turkey's Urfa province as homemade. Even if Turkey did not find this quality product that is very difficult to find outside of Turkey.





There is also pepper paste made from the same peppers, Its flavor and taste are very good.


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## Bert2368 (Dec 13, 2020)

Yes, I'm liking the urfa bieber. I made a whole beef brisket via sous vide/water smoker last week with a good bit of urfa bieber added to the dry rub, added it to the beef BBQ sauce as well. I will do so again...


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## coxhaus (Dec 13, 2020)

I like a habanero pepper in a pot of pinto beans. It has a nice flavor for beans. My wife usually adds tomatoes and hot garden peppers that we grow to a pot of her pinto beans.


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## alterwisser (Dec 13, 2020)

I’ve been on the bandwagon for a while, I go to a Turkish grocery store a lot for the great veggies they have, Ayran, Halloumi, minced lamb and the heavenly Urfa.


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## ceyllan (Dec 13, 2020)

we eat pepper paste at breakfast  it is very tasty


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## rickbern (Dec 20, 2020)

I went to see my Syrian grocer a few days ago, he was super excited, told me to come back later in the day, they got their first shipment in years of authentic Aleppo pepper. Got a big bag for two bucks. 

@chiffonodd , they’re directly across the street from sahadis which is where that Urfa biber came from. Also the Turkish peppers grow along the Syrian border I think.


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## ceyllan (Dec 20, 2020)

rickbern said:


> I went to see my Syrian grocer a few days ago, he was super excited, told me to come back later in the day, they got their first shipment in years of authentic Aleppo pepper. Got a big bag for two bucks.
> 
> @chiffonodd , they’re directly across the street from sahadis which is where that Urfa biber came from. Also the Turkish peppers grow along the Syrian border I think.


yes, Urfa is located on the Syrian border. Province that is the producer of pepper


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## Bert2368 (Dec 20, 2020)

Oooh, does he do mail order? I'm down to maybe Tablespoon of Urfa Biber.


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