NuMex Big Jim

The Numex Big Jim is one of the largest chilli pods of any New Mexico-type cultivar, regularly reaching 25-30 cm in length. Bred at New Mexico State University and released in 1975, it was developed for stuffing - the "Big Jim" name refers to the size suitable for chiles rellenos rather than the breeder. Mild heat, thick walls, and excellent roasting characteristics have made it a Southwestern home-garden favourite for nearly fifty years.

History & lineage

The Numex Big Jim was developed at New Mexico State University's Chile Pepper Institute and released to the public in 1975. The breeder, Roy Nakayama, named the cultivar after Jim Lytle - a longtime chile farmer from Hatch Valley whom Nakayama had worked with for decades. Lytle was renowned in the New Mexico chile community for his oversized chiles, and Nakayama dedicated the cultivar in his honour. Nakayama and his predecessor Fabián García are the two figures most responsible for shaping the modern New Mexico chile industry. Where García developed the foundational New Mexico No. 9 cultivar in 1921 (the chilli that launched commercial New Mexico chile production), Nakayama focused on developing larger, more productive cultivars suited to mechanical harvesting and processing in the second half of the 20th century. The Big Jim was his signature release. The Big Jim held the Guinness World Record for the world's longest chilli pepper for many years, with documented pods exceeding 35 cm. The record has since been broken by various commercial cultivars, but the Big Jim remains the benchmark for size in the New Mexico chile family. NMSU has continued to release related cultivars - Sandia Hot, Heritage Big Jim, Lumbre - building on the Big Jim genetic foundation. Unlike many specialist chilli cultivars, the Big Jim has remained a mainstream home-garden variety in the American Southwest. It's reliably stocked by major US seed suppliers and grows well across a wide range of climates, making it one of the most accessible "authentic" New Mexico chiles for growers outside the region.

Culinary uses

Specifically bred for stuffing - chiles rellenos are its signature use. Excellent roasted and peeled for green chile sauces, frozen whole for year-round use, or strung into ristras when ripened red. Pairs well with cheese, pork, and bean fillings. Mild enough for general cooking and sandwich use, with the size making it practical for many preparations where smaller New Mexico types fall short.

Growing it in the UK

Annuum is the forgiving group, and the right place to start. Seed germinates readily in warmth, the season is short enough to finish outdoors in a good summer, and February to early March is soon enough to sow. Germination is given as 7-14 days. 80 days to maturity is an ordinary season here — sow in February and it will ripen without a fight.

At 60–90 cm this is a substantial plant. Give it a 10-litre pot or a greenhouse border, and stake it before the fruit sets rather than after. The record puts the yield at heavy, so start feeding weekly with something high in potassium as soon as the first fruit sets — a plant carrying that much will run out of steam otherwise.

Thick walls suit it to stuffing, roasting and fresh use rather than drying.

Read from this variety's own record — the figures are in the panel opposite.