Pimentos.

[blissful]

I always thought pimentos were a 'special vegetable'. Today on the Food Network, Sandra Lee said they were sweet red peppers pickled.
That doesn't make sense to me. They might be brined and not really pickled, but are they really red peppers? As in, just a red bell pepper? I thought they were something different.
I already googled that, and there are different answers, no one agrees.
Does anyone know what pimentos are? Are they a specific type of pepper?
Thanks in advance for what you know. Someone should know. ~Bliss

 

[ChefJune]

They are spelled "pimientos," and yes, they are made from red peppers.

 

[Andy M.]

...Does anyone know what pimentos are? Are they a specific type of pepper?
Thanks in advance for what you know. Someone should know. ~Bliss

Just to confuse things a little.

A pimento is a little red pepper that is pickled to stuff olives or sold in a jar. It has an alternate spelling of pimiento.

The same word is also an alternate name for allspice, a dried berry that is used ground as a powder mostly and it has nothing to do with the red pepper.

Go figure.

 

[blissful]

Thanks for both your answers, I have no idea on spelling or what they are. I'm learning! ~Bliss

 

[BreezyCooking]

I'll confuse this a bit more - particularly since I've grown them.

Sandra Lee notwithstanding, "Pimientos" aren't just any old "sweet red pepper", & they aren't always pickled. They're a specific variety of somewhat oval heart-shaped sweet pepper that turns red when fully ripe. Much sweeter than red bell peppers, they're closely related to the Hungarian sweet "Paprika" peppers (of which there are hot varieties as well).

There are a number of varieties, all fun to grow & delicious to cook with. Terrific raw, stuffed, pickled, & - in the case of the Paprika types - can be dried & ground to make your own paprika for cooking with. If you're able to grow regular bell peppers &/or common varieties of hot peppers in your garden, you can easily grow these lovelies as well, although they do sometimes take a bit longer to ripen.