Pimentón de Murcia

Appearance & taste

Pimentón de Murcia is ground from fully red, bright red peppers. The powder is completely sweet, has a typical, penetrating smell, a high fat content and a high colouring power. Colour and aroma remain stable for a long time. It is ground so finely that it passes through a sieve with a mesh size of 1.19 mm.

There are two grades, which differ among other things in their colouring strength: “Extra” with at least 120 and “Primera” (class I) with at least 90 ASTA units at grinding. Both contain at most 14 % moisture and at most 0.003 % capsaicin. Vegetable edible oil may be added up to 8 % of the dry matter, artificial colourings may not. The label states the grade and the type of drying: “secado al sol” (sun-dried) or “secado en secadero” (dried in a drying chamber); there is also a numbered control label.

Production

Pods of the Bola and Americano varieties from the growing area are used. They are sown with seeds from the best plants of the previous harvest, which are stored in a cool, dark place, traditionally in earthenware vessels or tin boxes. In the past, producers raised the seedlings in “Almajaras”, cold frames covered with reeds or brushwood; today plastic covers or seed trays protect them from the cold. Planting out never takes place before 15 April; traditionally St Mark’s Day on 25 April is considered the best date.

The harvest is staggered and done by hand: on each plant the producers pick only the fully ripe pods with the strongest colour and the lowest water content. The pods are then traditionally dried in the sun on wickerwork or on slopes, or with controlled hot air in drying chambers, down to at most 14 % moisture. They are ground in stone mills in several steps using the Alcantud system developed in Murcia. A master miller regulates the pressure of the millstones, speed and quantity and compares each batch with the previous one. Grinding and packing must be done quickly so that the moisture does not change.

Origin & history

The area lies in the south-east of the Iberian Peninsula. Less than half of the land lies below 200 m, the larger part between 200 and 2,000 m. The climate is Mediterranean with continental features and semi-arid, with 200 to 500 mm of rain a year. The soils are considered saline. According to the specification, its properties as a spice and colouring are due to the variety and to cultivation on these soils.

According to the specification, the first seeds came from America in the 16th century; since then the system of growing and processing has remained unchanged. Cultivation began in the Segura valley and then spread to the Campo de Cartagena, the Campo de Elche and the Guadalentín valley, which is now the largest production area.