Thunder Cacho

Thunder Cacho is a Danish hybrid combining Thunder Mountain Longhorn and Cacho Negro, creating what its breeder called 'the meeting of two mountains'. Long, slender, gently twisted pods ripen to a deep mahogany brown-red with a polished finish. The variety excels at drying, developing smoky, complex notes of dried fruit and cocoa that surpass its fresh profile.

Culinary uses

Best suited for drying into flakes or powder where its smoky, fruity character develops fully. Also works well in slow-cooked dishes, stews, and mole-style sauces where moderate heat and depth are desired.

Growing it in the UK

Germination is given as 7-14 days. 90 days to maturity is an ordinary season here — sow in February and it will ripen without a fight.

At 100–150 cm it is one of the tall ones — a greenhouse border, a cane in from the start, and room to lean. Yield is moderate, so a single plant is a taste and two or three are a supply.

Thin walls and a high drying score mean it dries well — thread the pods on a string somewhere warm and they will keep for a year.

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