Pepper Scale Ebook - v1.2

THE PEPPER SCALE / 1
THE PEPPER SCALE
by Matt Bray
For more information on hot peppers, visit the PepperScale website: www.pepperscale.com
CHAPTER ONE
Introduction
Birth of a Pepper Head

My love for hot peppers sprang to life when I was in my early 20’s. I was a server at a Mark
Miller restaurant named Red Sage in Washington, D.C. It’s now closed, but during its time it
was well known - as any Mark Miller restaurant is - for its amazing tequila and its spicy
food.
Red Sage did it right for server training. You had to take multiple shifts your first week on the
kitchen’s prep line. There you learned the food, and - in the case of the hot peppers we used -
how to respect the spice as well.
To that point in my life, I didn’t know that much about chilies. Sure I’d had a jalapeño or two
before, but definitely nothing spicier. And the famous hot pepper thermometer, the Scoville
scale, was something totally foreign. My time in that Red Sage kitchen sparked a life-long
love and respect for these spicy vegetables. There - beyond burning my fingers and my eyes a
few too many times - I witnessed top chefs making magic with chilies, and, most importantly,
I realized how massive the world of hot peppers really is.
The Pepper Scale is the primer I wish I would have had when I first became passionate about hot
peppers. It’s not an encyclopedia of all things chili. You won’t be taught how to grow them, nor will
you be given dozens of recipes to spice up your kitchen. What you do get is an easy to read and
entertaining journey down the impressive length of the Scoville scale. It’s written to answer common
questions people have about some of the most popular chilies, in a Q&A format that’s simple to pick
up and put down. Reading through The Pepper Scale, you’ll come away with just the right amount of
general knowledge to truly appreciate these amazing peppers and all of the products out there that
feature them. There are a lot of stories to tell and a lot of spice to explore, so get ready.
The Jalapeño Reference Point

It’s also my aim to give you some context when it comes to hot peppers. You see a lot of big
numbers thrown around on the Scoville scale. Sure it’s easy to see which pepper is hotter than
the other by looking at it, but The Pepper Scale takes it a step further by offering a Jalapeño
reference point. For each pepper in the book, I let you know how much milder or hotter it is
than a jalapeño.
Why a jalapeño? Well, it’s arguably the most popular chili in the world. Most people have
tried one in their lives, and in that way it’s the perfect reference point by which to imagine the
heat. I’ve found it invaluable for setting up expectations while I’ve explored the world of
chilies, and I hope you do too.
The jalapeño reference point is found in each pepper section, along with a quick guide paired
with the Scoville scale at the back of the book.
Now let’s get to the exploring…

How to Use The Pepper Scale

First: There is no wrong way to use The Pepper Scale, but here are a few examples of how
you can use it to its fullest:
• Read it from cover to cover: Think of the Scoville scale as a journey to itself. You
really don’t understand it until you’ve at least touched on the majority of its main players.
The Pepper Scale is built to be an easy read through commonly asked questions, so you can
accomplish this in just a few sittings.
• Keep it in the kitchen (or on your mobile device or tablet) for reference: Peppers
are segmented by mild, medium, hot, and super-hot, and pepper chapters are broken down by
those easy to reference-and-read questions. You can use it to quickly learn more about the
pepper that your recipe requires.
• Use it to explore the wide world of hot sauces, pepper flakes, and salsas on the
market. These are some of the fastest growing segments of condiments in the United States,
and more and more of these products are appearing on grocery store shelves every year. With
The Pepper Scale you’ll be able to better discern the differences in flavor and heat between
each.
• Learn it to amaze your friends! The world of hot peppers can be just as complex as
grapes in the world of wine. There’s a lot of nuance. Being able to pull out even a general
knowledge of a pepper in a hot sauce can be mighty impressive.
PepperScale.com
Loving The Pepper Scale and want more? You’ll want to visit PepperScale.com.
PepperScale.com is a tribute (like this book) to hot peppers and the Scoville scale, along with
all of the amazing products and dishes that people make from them. There you’ll not only
find more information on these popular chilies, but 100+ more peppers that range across the
Scoville scale. There are also 500+ spicy recipes, hot sauce reviews, how-to videos, and a
whole lot more.
Want to get social and talk peppers and product? Join us on social media: @pepperscale on
Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, as well as our YouTube channel.
CHAPTER TWO
The Science (In Easy Form)
What is the Scoville Scale?

No scale is hotter
We all know that peppers are hot, but the Scoville scale helps us put a rating to them. That’s
the simplest of definitions for the Scoville scale. It’s a heat rating index of hot peppers
running from no heat to “oh my god, I’m going to catch on fire scorching” and even beyond.
But let’s dig a little deeper.
The Scoville scale is actually named after its father, Wilber Scoville. A pharmacist by trade
(working for Parke-Davis Pharmaceutical Company at the time), Scoville created a simple
way to measure the pungency of a hot pepper. The Scoville Organoleptic Test is based on
dilution of ground up hot chili peppers. It answers the question: How many equal parts of
sugar water do I need to add to a same-sized part of ground chili pepper until I taste no
discernible heat at all?
Wilber Scoville had a panel of tasters who took the test, sipping these concoctions of chili
pepper and sugar water in multiple-day trials until no heat was noticed. Yes, they performed
these sipping trials until they reached a level where their mouths no longer burned from the
ground hot pepper within. Aren’t you glad you aren’t on this team of tasters?
The equal parts it took to get to that moment became the Scoville heat units (SHU) we see
today on the pepper scale. For instance, one cup of ground poblano pepper (SHU 1,500)
would take approximately 1,500 cups of water diluted into it to no longer feel any burning
sensation in your mouth.
Going high tech: High performance liquid

chromatography
There is now a high tech option out there for deciphering the heat of chili peppers. It doesn’t
require the tasting method that Scoville’s original test needed. And that’s a good thing as
some of the hottest peppers in the world these days could really drive those tasters crazy.
Known as high-performance liquid chromatography (or HPLC for short) this test measures
the chemical capsaicin in chili peppers which causes the heat in the first place. But in a
nostalgic nod to the chili pepper heat measuring pioneer Wilber Scoville, scientists then
convert their results back into Scoville units. The simplest way to think of the science is
about one part of the chemical capsaicin per one million equals around fifteen total Scoville
units.
It’s all subjective: The weaknesses of the pepper scale

While we’ve talked a lot of science here, really the measurement of hot chili pepper heat -
especially with the original Scoville scale - is a pretty subjective thing. There are aspects that
affect the findings enough that different laboratories would sometimes have widely varying
results, sometimes up to 50% different!
• Human subjectivity: The Scoville Organoleptic Test relies on the variance in

people’s taste buds. People have varying degrees of the hotness they can take, meaning
results would vary from tester to tester.
• Where the pepper is grown: Peppers, like other vegetables, take on the flavors of the
earth they are grown in. That means, the heat of a certain type of pepper can vary widely
based on where in the world it originated.
• Variance in peppers themselves: Like humans, no two peppers are alike. There can
be differences in the heat from pepper to pepper.
Even the HPLC test has questions surrounding its conversion into Scoville Units. Some
scientists believe that the conversion tends to position the heat of the peppers on the pepper
scale too mildly compared to what a human tester would give.
But still, for measuring something that varies so much, the Scoville Scale is as accurate as we
need it to be. It helps spicy food lovers out there, both new and old alike, determine the heat
of all sorts of foods based on hot peppers, from hot pepper sauces to gourmet southwestern
dishes. It’s the horizon line for the hot pepper world you’re about to enjoy. Now let’s take a
deeper look at the compound behind this incredible scale…capsaicin.
Capsaicin
Wondering where that chili pepper heat comes from?
Look no further: capsaicin. It’s the little compound that could when it comes to heat. It’s the
active force behind the pungency of chili peppers, the driver behind the Scoville scale’s heat
units, and that’s not all. There are some amazing health benefits to it too.
The easy history

Capsaicin was discovered and extracted by Christian Friedrich Bucholz in 1816, just two
short years before his death. What he had extracted was rather impure, so further work by
John Clough Thresh and finally Karl Micko led to isolating and extracting the compound in
pure form. It received its current name in 1876, though Bucholz originally called it capsicin.
The name itself comes from the genus of nightshade flowering plants from which it was
originally extracted (Capsicum).
How it works: You’re eating an irritant

We’ll keep the hard science out of here because explaining the science of compounds is
rather complex (and a bit boring) for the layman. At the center of how it works is simply that
it’s an irritant to all mammals. Yes, when you are eating a hot pepper, you are actually
ingesting an irritant into your system. This is an irritant that causes a burning sensation really
anywhere where there is direct contact with tissue. That can be your mouth, your hands, and
even your eyes. If you’ve rubbed your eyes after touching something as mild as a jalapeño,
you know what I mean. It’s not pleasant.
It’s theorized that the peppers and other plants with high levels of capsaicin have evolved as
such as a protective measure against being eaten by mammals or attacked by various fungi in
the wild. But for us chiliheads, that capsaicin has the exact opposite effect. The heat adds
something amazing, and there are real health benefits as well.
The health benefits of capsaicin

You not only find capsaicin in hot peppers, you also find it in many products like capsaicin
pills, capsaicin creams, cayenne pepper pills, and a whole lot more. They are all
purchasable from your local pharmacy or online, no prescription needed. You may be asking,
"Why in the world would I do that?" Well, there are some amazing benefits to capsaicin, and
millions of people swear by it, whether that’s through eating chili peppers or in pill form.
• It’s a top natural pain relief treatment. The endorphins released from eating or
using capsaicin notch your body up to a heightened level, so much so that pain seems
to just go away. It’s really great for natural pain management.
• It’s a great metabolism booster, for the same reasons as the pain relief. It kicks your
metabolism up a notch. It can even replace caffeine in terms of increasing alertness.
• It’s an effective arthritis treatment, for the same reason as why it works for general
pain. It’s one of the best natural remedies for arthritis out there.
• Certain studies show it as an effective appetite suppressor. If you are looking to

lose a few pounds in a healthy way, eating foods high in capsaicin or taking the pills
may just work.
• Other studies show that capsaicin may kill prostate cancer cells. Like the appetite
suppression, this is not totally proven but they have been linked. There have even
been studies that show that people taking capsaicin have a lower chance of ever
getting prostate cancer, making this a no-brainer for preventative care.
• It may cure heartburn and help clear ear infections. Again, in certain studies,
capsaicin has proven effective for these physical issues.
• Best of all, there are no known side effects to taking capsaicin, but it’s still a smart
move to discuss taking it (as with any pill) with your doctor.
It truly is the little compound that could

So capsaicin has some incredible health benefits, and its heat is a culinary treat for millions
across the world, whether that be in pepper form, hot sauces, or powders. This is a compound
like no other. It’s what makes hot peppers so fascinating and healthy for you. Take the sweat
you get from eating a jalapeño as a sign that it’s doing its good work!
Remember, though: As you move up the pepper scale, be sure to treat the hottest peppers with
real respect. These things (with high levels of capsaicin and 100,000+ SHU) are seriously
hot. You may slowly want to work up the Scoville scale before tackling some of the spicier
varieties. And that’s where we begin - with the mild hot peppers.
CHAPTER THREE
Mild Hot Peppers
Family friendly!
This is a level of hot peppers that really the entire family can enjoy. At zero you've got bell
peppers. You may not think of them in the same world as hot peppers, but they do share the
same scale. In fact, they are ground zero. No heat.
The mild journey from 0 to 2,500 Scoville heat units contains heat that nearly all tastebuds
can handle. At the top range, that’s the same heat as the mildest possible jalapeño.
Remember:
Feel free to flip around. Each pepper chapter is broken down into frequently asked questions
related to the pepper’s total heat, its background, its availability, and the products you’ll most
often find it in.
Bell Peppers
Zero in heat, but not in flavor
Scoville heat units (SHU): 0
Jalapeño reference point: Zero heat, so 2,500 to 8,000 times milder
PepperScale page: http://www.pepperscale.com/bell-pepper
Photo Credit1
It’s at the bottom of the Scoville scale, but that certainly doesn’t make it less popular. The
bell pepper is by far the most well-known member of the capsicum family. They are tasty,
crunchy, healthy, sweet (at times), and of course easily found. They’re really a vegetable
staple for the kitchen.
Are bell peppers chili peppers?

Technically yes. In the real world? Not so much. They all come from the same nightshade
family capsicum, so they’re all related. But while that’s true, chili peppers are known around
the world as hot and spicy. That’s NOT the bell pepper at all. Bell peppers are known as
sweet peppers, so you’ll get few takers in the general population that believe that bell peppers
fall under the chili pepper moniker. But they are all, of course, part of the Scoville scale.
Why do bell peppers have no heat?

Bell peppers are the only member of the Capsicum family that contain a recessive gene which
stops them from producing capsaicin. Capsaicin is the natural compound which creates the
hotness we experience when eating chilies. No capsaicin means no heat and a flat zero on the
pepper scale.
Are different colors of bell peppers healthier for you?

They do come in colors like the rainbow, don’t they? You’ll find green bell peppers, yellow
bell peppers, reds, oranges, purples, and even browns and blacks. But are they different in
terms of health? Yes, but it should be said that all bell peppers are extremely good for you,
even with the lack of capsaicin.
The colors come mostly from their maturity level. Typically a pepper starts green (the green
bell pepper) and matures into one of the many variety of colors. There are exceptions. One
variety of bell remains green for its entire life (aptly named Permagreen). And there are
varieties that start out more yellowish or purple than green.
All bell peppers have a ton of vitamins and antioxidants to them. They are rich in vitamin A,
vitamin C, beta-carotene, and other vitamins and carotenoids. And the key to maxing out the
benefit is all in the color. As bell peppers mature, their levels of all of these compounds
increase too. So a fully mature red bell pepper will be chock full of these vitamins and
antioxidants, sometimes over ten times more than what they had as a young green pepper!
Red bell peppers also have the benefit of containing lycopene, a very powerful carotenoid
also found in tomatoes. It has been linked to helping prevent cancer, heart disease, and
diabetes among other amazing qualities. So if you’re looking to maximize your health
benefit, lean towards the more mature peppers.
Do different bell pepper colors taste different?

They do. Again, it’s all about their maturity level, but also mix in the soil they are grown in
and how they are kept after harvest. Typically young green bell peppers are more bitter in
taste. As they age, bell peppers gain in sweetness. Ripe yellow and orange bell peppers are
definitely going to taste sweeter than a green variety. And a red bell pepper trumps them all in
sweetness.
Where can you buy bell peppers?

Nearly anywhere. They are grown all over the world and are a vegetable staple in every
supermarket. They are popular in all sorts of recipes, especially stuffed peppers. Since bell
peppers are some of the largest in the Capsicum family, with thick walls and a lot of girth,
they are great for stuffing. Beyond stuffed peppers, they are some of the best sandwich, salad
and pizza toppers around. And many people love to eat bell peppers raw with dip.
They’re also popular to grow in amateur gardens. Bell pepper seeds and plants are easy to
find at plant stores or via online vendors. The bell pepper is so popular that there’s even a lot
of art and kitchenware designed around the shape, from antique signs to salt and pepper
shakers. And there are more than a few recipe books that can show you the ways of using bell
peppers in all sorts of meals.
This is one tasty, healthy, and versatile pepper. Likely you’re already using a bell pepper or
two in your cooking, but like its chili cousins, maybe it’s time to explore using it even more.
There are, after all, one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet.
Pepperoncini
A favorite on pizza and antipasto everywhere
Scoville heat units (SHU): 100 - 500
Jalapeño reference scale: 5 to 80 times milder
PepperScale page: http://www.pepperscale.com/pepperoncini
Photo Credit2
You’ve likely eaten many pepperoncini peppers in your life, whether you’ve realized it or
not. In pickled form, they are common in (or on) many meals, including some American
favorites like pizzas, salads, sub sandwiches, and Italian antipasto. Pepperoncini is mild,
tasty, and quite easy to find.
How hot are pepperoncini peppers?

They barely nudge the pepper scale, right down there with the pimento pepper in terms of
hotness. They’ve got a heat that borders on a tang, especially when pickled. The pepperoncini
(100 to 500 Scoville heat units) is much closer to a bell pepper than a jalapeño, which comes
in on average 40 times hotter.
So they’re tasty?
If you love a dash of spicy and pickled foods, you’re going to absolutely adore pickled
pepperoncini. It’s got that slightly sweet heat tang that brings many foods to life. This is an
Italian staple for antipasto, and they add flavor to all sorts of popular foods, from pizza and
salads to sandwiches of all types. They are also very tasty raw and cooked in a meal, but
really the pickled pepperoncini is where this chili shines the most.
Where do pepperoncini come from?

Pepperoncini hail from Europe originally, specifically Italy and Greece have deep ties to this
chili. They go by many names. The most common variation is peperoncini (one less ‘p’), but
the Italians also call it friggitello or a common general pepper name: peperone (not to be
confused with the sausage pepperoni). In English, it’s often referred to as the Tuscan pepper,
the golden Greek pepper, or the sweet Italian pepper.
What do pepperoncini look like?

In terms of size, this is a medium length (2 to 3 inches) tapered pepper sort of like the
Anaheim pepper in shape. They start a light green and ripen to a red color, though the
majority of pickled pepperoncini are of course the green variety. They are often sliced into
wheels or diced for use on pizzas and sandwiches.
Where can you buy pepperoncini peppers?

The good news is that most grocers will carry pickled pepperoncini. Look for them near the
other pickled products in the canned section, not in the vegetable area. You’ll also find great
deals on it online, especially if you are looking for bulk sizing or harder to find imported
brands for a more Italian or Greek feel.
Some markets may carry this chili fresh, but typically you’ll need to venture to a specialty
shop. And even at your local Italian grocer, they often will have whole pickled chilies and not
the fresh varieties. Call around if you are searching.
If you’ve got the gardening gene and eat a lot of these peppers, you can of course give
growing pepperoncini peppers a go. You could even pickle them yourself as a fun food
hobby. You can find pepperoncini seeds and plants online for relatively cheap or visit your
local garden shop to see if they have them in stock.
The pepperoncini is one of those chili peppers that we all know much better than we think.
You’ve likely tasted this chili and loved the sweet tang it gave to your meals. This is an easy
chili to get into and very easy to find too. Have some in your refrigerator to add a small kick
to your favorite meals.
Pimento Peppers
It’s the chili hidden in plain sight
Scoville heat units (SHU): 100 - 500
Jalapeño reference point: 5 to 80 times milder
PepperScale page: http://www.pepperscale.com/pimento-pepper
Photo Credit3
You may not realize how often you eat products that contain pimento peppers. There are so
many varieties of products that use this chili, due to its sweetness and low heat. And that’s
part of what makes it special. The pimento pepper is everywhere, sometimes in nooks of the
kitchen you don’t even realize.
How mild are pimento peppers?

About as mild as any hot pepper can be, as a short answer. They barely tick on the Scoville
scale, coming in between 100 and 500 Scoville heat units, so the heat is really a small step up
from the no heat of the bell pepper. Against our jalapeño reference point, the pimento
averages around 40 times milder.
What else are pimento peppers called?

They’ve got a few popular names. Pimentos are also referred to as pimientos, which is
Spanish for peppers. It’s also widely known as the cherry pepper because, well, its shape is
much like a large cherry. Some people also say it’s shaped like a heart.
What does a pimento pepper taste like?

These are sweeter than you might expect, sweeter in taste than a bell pepper. Overall it’s a
more succulent pepper than the bell, and that, along with the mild heat, has given it a lot of
popularity in a wide variety of products.
What types of products do you find pimento pepper in?

This may be the most amazing thing about this chili: It’s in so many more places than you
may realize. If you haven’t put it together, the pimento pepper is the exact same pimento that
you’ll find stuffed in olives. Olives stuffed with pimento peppers are of course very popular
around the globe and every supermarket carries them.
There’s also the pimento loaf–a deli sandwich meat that’s also highly popular. And who can
forget pimento cheese? That’s a major favorite in the southern United States. It gives the
cheese a sweetness and a very slight jolt of heat.
What many don’t realize is that the popular spice paprika is often made from dried pimento
pepper. So you may have used this chili more often than you think as so many recipes call for
a dash of that spice. It’s a staple in any well-stocked kitchen.
You’ll also come across pimento peppers pickled, canned, diced, and of course fresh. The
cherry pepper has become a top alternative to the bell pepper for lots of dishes, especially
salads and pizzas. They’re also a top choice for making deep-fried poppers–peppers that are
stuffed with cheese, coated with breading, and then deep-fried to create a golden crispy shell.
Really there are lots of ways to use this chili. Try using it in your favorite recipe that calls for
a bell pepper to add a surprisingly unique twist to the dish.
Where can you buy pimento peppers?

Your local grocer may carry pimento peppers in the fresh vegetable aisle, though you may
need to call around, and a specialty store (like an Italian market) may need to be searched out.
But you’re sure to still find all sorts of pimento-based products around those aisles, including
canned varieties. If you like the idea of growing pimento peppers, then you’ll want to head to
your local garden store or shop online for seeds and plants.
So no matter what you call this chili–cherry pepper, pimento, or pimiento–it’s got surprising
legs in the kitchen. Use it to spice up your dishes in dried paprika form, and don’t be afraid to
experiment with this pepper fresh in dishes. The mild heat and succulence of the pimento
pepper is sure to make you a fan.
Anaheim Peppers
A slightly sweet pepper with just a little pop
Scoville heat units (SHU): 500 - 2,500
Jalapeño reference point: Equal heat to 16 times milder
PepperScale page: http://www.pepperscale.com/anaheim-pepper
Photo Credit4
The Anaheim pepper is one of those peppers that’s big enough to be very versatile in its
usage. Plus its mild heat makes it a family favorite. Nearly everyone can take the small punch
given by the Anaheim pepper, in fact most enjoy its slight kick!
So it doesn’t have the kick of a jalapeño?

It typically doesn’t. The Anaheim is normally a very mild hot pepper, only tipping the
Scoville scale at around 500 to 2,500 Scoville heat units. That makes the Anaheim normally
at least eight times milder than an average jalapeño. But there’s a catch. Anaheim peppers can
really vary in heat based on where they were grown. For instance a California Anaheim
pepper is typically much milder than those grown in New Mexico. Those New Mexico
varieties can actually spike in heat and become just as hot (and rarely even hotter) than a
jalapeño.
Anaheim? Where does this chili pepper get its name?

From the obvious source: Anaheim, California. A farmer, Emilio Ortega, brought these
peppers to the California region in the early 20th century. Yes, that’s the Ortega behind the
famous Mexican food brand of the same name that’s brought lots of tacos, salsas, peppers,
and beans to families across the United States.
Anaheim chilies originally came from the New Mexico area, though, and because of the
many regions in which it is grown, it has many different names. That’s pretty much the case
for most hot peppers. You’ll also see Anaheim peppers called New Mexico peppers,
Magdalena, California chili, and in dried form it takes the name chile seco del norte. When
they ripen to a red color, their name changes once again. These are often known as California
red chilies or chili Colorado.
What can you cook with Anaheim peppers?

This is one of the best things about this chili, you can do a lot with it. It’s very versatile and
family friendly, even for people who typically don’t like spicy foods. It has only a slight pop
and a mild fruity sweetness that people enjoy.
Stuffed Anaheim peppers are a big treat. They are like poblano peppers in that way, and
Anaheim peppers are often used instead of the poblano in the popular dish chili rellenos. The
shapes of the two chilies are quite different, though. While poblanos look closer to a bell
pepper shape, Anaheim chilies are thinner, curved, and around five inches long. They have a
decidedly more hot pepper-like appearance.
These are also excellent salsa chilies. If you want a pepper for a mild fresh salsa, then opting
for the Anaheim is the way to go.
And here’s the kicker. For pretty much anything calling for a bell pepper, you can swap it out
and use Anaheim peppers instead. If you want your dish to have just a little more oomph to it,
this is an excellent way to do it. A poblano pepper is also a good choice for this, and it carries
around the same level of heat.
Where can you buy Anaheim peppers?

Because they are so mild and popular, these chilies pop up in all sorts of supermarket chains.
And you can buy Anaheim peppers online as well, including the plants, seeds, powders, and
salsas.
It shouldn’t be a surprise why the Anaheim pepper is so very popular. It’s easy to eat, tasty,
and extremely versatile. If heat is not your thing, but you are getting bored of the bell pepper,
try moving up to the Anaheim. You may find the bit of heat is a welcome change.
Poblano Peppers
Tasty and mild
Scoville heat units (SHU): 1,000 - 1,500
Jalapeño reference point: 2 to 8 times milder
PepperScale page: http://www.pepperscale.com/poblano-peppers
Photo Credit5
Poblano peppers are on the milder end of the Scoville scale, ranging from 1,000 SHU to
1,500 SHU. But that mildness in no way belies their popularity. In fact these hot peppers are
some of the most beloved and easily found of the bunch! In fact they are arguably Mexico’s
favorite chili pepper, especially when you consider that the poblano is also the ancho pepper.
The poblano is just ripened fully to a red color and then dried.
What are the origins of the poblano?

As mentioned, this is one of the most popular hot peppers in Mexico. It comes originally
from Puebla, Mexico. In fact, the residents of Puebla are known as Poblanos. Of course the
pepper was named after the region (and the people), but it’s still very fitting!
So the poblano pepper is mild?

It is, but it can be tricky. Poblano peppers have been known to pack a surprising punch every
once in a while. In fact, two peppers from the same plant can have a great difference in heat.
But overall, the heat is much less than other hot peppers out there. As a reference point, the
jalapeño pepper is around five times hotter on average. If you are looking for a pepper pretty
much in the middle between a bell pepper and a jalapeño, the poblano is your match. It pairs
well with all sorts of foods, and it’s a staple in Southwestern and Mexican cuisine, especially
chili rellenos.
When you ripen and dry poblano peppers into ancho peppers, the heat does rise. That’s due to
the ripening. Green poblano peppers are much less spicy than when they are ripened into red
poblano peppers. So note that when using anchos; the flavor will definitely be more pungent.
What do poblano peppers taste like?

These mild peppers have a rich somewhat earthy flavor to them. Because they are thick
peppers, there’s a lot of “meat” to them, similar to a bell pepper. The thick walls of the
vegetable make them excellent for cooking. They hold up very well as a roasting pepper,
especially with the waxy outer skin peeled after roasting. And because of their size (around 4
inches long by about 2 inches wide), they are excellent to use as stuffed peppers (like those
oh so tasty chili rellenos).
Where can you buy poblano peppers?

Poblanos are a very main stream pepper these days. You can find poblano peppers in many
supermarkets, especially in the Southwest. If you live in an urban area, check out your local
supermarkets too. Sometimes they’ll carry this chili and many others. You can also find lots
of poblano hot sauces, seeds, poblano plants, and even soups featuring the chili available at
online retailers.
This is definitely a chili that has sparked the imagination of the United States. Between the
flexibility poblano peppers have for cooking and their mild heat, it’s a chili on the rise. If
you’re scared off by the heat of a jalapeño, but you’re looking for something with a bit more
kick than a bell or even an Anaheim pepper, then give poblano peppers a turn in your cuisine.
Rocotillo Peppers
A mild alternative to the habanero
Jalapeño reference point: Equal heat to 5 times milder
PepperScale page: http://www.pepperscale.com/rocotillo-pepper
Photo Credit6
Sort of like a habanero or Scotch bonnet pepper in shape, the rocotillo pepper comes in way
lower in overall heat. It’s really a mild pepper - just a wee bit hotter than the poblano on the
Scoville scale, but with a bit more sweetness. The rocotillo is an excellent (though harder to
find) alternative to those spicier peppers. And there’s a bit of confusion out there surrounding
this chili, making it a strangely intriguing stopping point on the pepper scale.
So rocotillo peppers are mild?

Very much so. As mentioned, if you can handle a poblano pepper, you can handle a rocotillo
pepper. It’s range is 1,500 to 2,500 Scoville heat units, where the poblano’s is 1,000 to 1,500.
It’s just a small bump in heat and typically half as hot as a normal jalapeño.
There’s a lot of confusion on this chili?

Yes. It begins with the fact that there are two different hot pepper varieties that share the
same name. There’s a Capsicum baccatum variety that originates from Peru and a Capsicum
chinense variety of unknown descent. Yet, the two different varieties look nearly identical and
are very similar in overall heat.
To add to the confusion, there are also local variations to the names of rocotillo peppers in
different area of the world (not uncommon with chili peppers), and the term rocotillo has
actually been used to describe different peppers all together in some regions. There’s the real
recipe for confusion.
We’ll stick to describing the Capsicum baccatum variety here, especially since both varieties
really share a lot of the same characteristics.
What does a rocatillo pepper look like and taste like?

The shape is very similar to the popular habanero pepper or maybe even more so to the
Caribbean Scotch bonnet pepper, sort of like a Tam o’shanter hat. It appears slightly squished
with a bulging center. While young, these chilies appear yellow or green in color, but they
ripen into many different hues, particularly orange, brown, and red. In terms of taste, it’s
again a very mild heat with a decent amount of sweetness, very much like a toned down
Scotch bonnet or habanero.
These are very popular peppers in the Caribbean, especially Puerto Rico. In fact, some people
call them Puerto Rico peppers because of how often they’re used there. They are used a lot in
popular Puerto Rican meals, and they are a staple for jerk meat dishes (like jerk chicken or
jerk pork). Rocotillo peppers are an excellent substitution for the spicier Scotch bonnet or
habanero in Caribbean and Mexican dishes where less spice is preferred.
Where can you buy rocotillo peppers?

It’s a tough chili to find. You won’t typically see them at grocery stores, unless you live in the
Caribbean or areas like Miami. You will find them in speciality stores in urban areas, but it
may take some searching. They are even uncommon online, so it may take some work to find
your best solution.
But if you have it in you for the search, you are rewarded with a very tasty and mild chili.
Since rocotillo pepper works so well with Mexican and Caribbean dishes, opt for it if you
want a small zing without the intense heat of the typical peppers used in those dishes.
CHAPTER FOUR
Medium Hot Peppers
Not Too Hot, Not Too Mild…

Many people feel like these are the hot peppers in the "just right" area. They run from near
mild to chili peppers with some surprising punch.
What may be surprising to some is where the jalapeño pepper fits on this scale. It's a mild-to-
medium hot pepper, really milder than most peppers on the pepper scale. The jalapeño is one
of many stars of the kitchen in this section. Both tabasco and cayenne pepper are found here
as well, at the upper end of medium heat.
Remember:
often find it in.
Jalapeño Peppers
Not as hot as you might think
PepperScale page: http://www.pepperscale.com/jalapeno-peppers
Photo Credit7
Even those relatively new to hot peppers know of jalapeño peppers, but what’s interesting is
the overall reputation this hot pepper has. Many people think of the jalapeño as a very spicy
hot pepper, but in terms of the Scoville scale, the jalapeño is merely mild to moderate. It has
a Scoville heat unit range of 2,500 to 8,000 SHU. That’s mighty low compared to the hottest
peppers in the world, some of which top the 1,000,000 SHU mark on the pepper scale.
But most of those hotter peppers never find their way to normal grocery store shelves. There,
the jalapeño is king, and its spiciness is far more than the traditional bell and red peppers you
find right next to them.
How spicy are jalapeño peppers?

The jalapeño is pretty much the perfect amount of heat for those that like a little kick, but
don’t want to challenge their taste buds to a duel. Most people can enjoy a jalapeño. It’s one
of the great culinary peppers in the world, finding its way into Tex-Mex dishes, Thai recipes,
Spanish foods, and much more. This is truly a pepper that’s found its niche, and it’s got big
time fans all over the world.
What do jalapeño peppers look like?

At 2 to 3.5 inches in total length, this is as pod-like a pepper as you’ll ever see. Compared to
others of the Capsicum family, it’s moderate in total size. Some are stouter and some are
longer. Jalapeños are typically picked (and eaten) while they are not totally ripe and still
green in color. Though, there are those that prefer a totally ripened red jalapeño pepper. Red
jalapeños are just fine to eat, but most people go for the green. The heat comes from the
capsaicin found in the pepper, particularly in the membrane that you’ll see around the seeds
when you cut one open.
Where do jalapeño peppers come from?

The pepper originated in (you guessed it) Mexico. Over 160 square kilometers of land are
dedicated to the growing of jalapeños in the country still. It’s also grown in the United States,
particularly the southwestern states of Texas and New Mexico, which of course border
Mexico. United States cultivation of jalapeño peppers is definitely not at the same scope as
Mexico though; only about 22 square kilometers are dedicated to growing jalapeño peppers
in total in the U.S.
The name comes from a town in Mexico near where it is cultivated most often: Xalapa,
Veracruz. Xalapa has a variant spelling Jalapa that cues your more in on the origin of the
name. In Mexico, this most famous of all peppers actually goes by a few different monikers,
including chiles gordos, huachinangos, and cuaresmeños.
Where can you buy jalapeño peppers?

Jalapeños are a smart spicy pepper that can be found nearly everywhere. Whatever you call
jalapeño peppers, they are good spicy eating and a global food rock star. Use them raw in
dishes, pick up a chipotle rub (chipotle is a smoke-dried jalapeño), or grab one of the many
jalapeño hot sauces out there to add some fire to your menu. In fact Sriracha, one of the most
famous hot sauce in the world, is made from red jalapeño peppers. It’s a great hot sauce (and
hot pepper) to master before moving up to the hotter reaches of the Scoville scale.
Hungarian Wax Pepper

Tang with a spicy twist
Jalapeño reference point: Equal heat to 4 times hotter
PepperScale page: http://www.pepperscale.com/hungarian-wax-pepper
Photo Credit8
It may look like a mild banana pepper, but really the Hungarian wax pepper has a lot more
bite. In terms of spiciness, it’s more akin to a jalapeño with a chance for a bit more heat. This
is a great chili for all sorts of cooking (including chiles rellenos) and a popular one to top off
a salad with or pickle for a rush of taste.
So the heat is like a jalapeño, pretty mild compared to

other chilies?
Yes, the Hungarian wax pepper typically falls between 5,000 and 10,000 Scoville heat units,
which actually overlaps part of the typical heat rating of the jalapeño (2,500 to 8,0000 SHU).
There’s a good chance that you’ll be very comfortable with this chili’s pungency if you are
used to the jalapeño, but know there’s a chance for more. It doesn’t reach serrano pepper
territory typically (10,000 to 23,000 SHU), but it can come close.
What’s with the name?

Well, these chilies originated in, surprise, Hungary! So there is no more fitting name, but it
does go by a few others. Sometimes it’s simply known as the hot wax pepper or the hot
yellow pepper.
The other aspect of the name refers to the waxy-like texture of the pepper’s rind. This texture
and the color (before ripening) make the Hungarian wax pepper look a lot like a banana
pepper. But really that’s about where the similarities stop. Banana peppers are very mild in
heat, topping out at 500 SHU, so if you eat a Hungarian wax pepper when expecting a banana
pepper, you’ll be in for a spicy awakening.
Hot wax peppers do change color as they ripen, turning orange in hue, followed by red at full
ripening. They’re also pretty large, topping out at 5 to 6 inches in length. And while they
don’t have the girth of a poblano pepper, they’re no super-slim cayenne pepper either.
They’ve got a plumper pepper shape, actually quite like a banana.
What’s the hot wax pepper taste like?

These are excellent peppers to cook with, let’s say that first. They are very flavorful, slightly
tangy sweet with that mild heat layered over top. They grow pretty easily in lots of climates
and work in lots of dishes.
In salads, you’ll find these chilies sliced up into rings. Lots of people love to pickle wax
peppers. And they actually make a pretty good roasting and stuffing pepper as well. If you
wanted a bit more heat in a chile rellenos, you could opt for a Hungarian wax pepper instead
of a poblano. That’ll kick up the spice a notch. You can also work this pepper into marinades,
hot sauces, stews, and stir fry, just to name a few options. Try them too on sandwiches to add
a touch of heat.
The waxy rind might not sound appetizing, but it’s actually quite tasty even eaten raw. This is
a good workhorse pepper, like the jalapeño. It works all around.
Where can you buy Hungarian wax peppers?

Some supermarket chains may carry wax peppers, as they are relatively mild in heat and
sought after by lots of amateur chefs. But it’s no guarantee. You may need to go to a
speciality grocer to find them fresh. You can also buy Hungarian wax pepper seeds and plants
online. If you’ve got a green thumb and use these peppers often, wax peppers are easier to
grow than many other hot peppers.
Don’t be fooled by the bottled sliced banana pepper rings that are so prevalent in grocery
stores. They may look alike, but those peppers are very mild in comparison. If you’re looking
for Hungarian wax peppers, you may need to take an additional step to get them, but the great
flavor is well worth the effort.

Serrano Peppers
A salsa pepper of choice
Jalapeño reference point: Near equal heat to 9 times hotter
PepperScale page: http://www.pepperscale.com/serrano-peppers
Photo Credit9
If you’ve been a fan of jalapeño peppers and you’re looking for the next jump up the Scoville
scale, then a great next landing point is serrano peppers. They’ve got a clean, some say even
bright flavor, and a surprising kick to them without being scorching hot.
So this is bearable heat even for those less adventurous?

It can be, but that’s not to say these chilies aren’t hot. In terms of the pepper scale, serrano
peppers are considered around medium heat (10,000 to 23,000 SHU) somewhere in the range
of 5 times hotter than a typical jalapeño and about 10 times less spicy than a habanero pepper.
In these terms, this is an excellent stepping stone hot pepper if you feel you’d like more zing
than a jalapeño, but jumping to habanero right now is a little too much.
Some serranos are actually pretty mild, nearer in heat to the jalapeño, but it’s always tough to
gauge what you are going to get. Peppers vary widely in heat even on the same plant, let
alone pepper grown in different regions, soils, and temperatures.
Where does the name come from?

Serrano peppers hail originally from the same region as poblano peppers, the Puebla region
of Mexico. The name actually translates to “from the mountains” giving you a really good
hint on where serranos love to grow (though they are not at all frost resistant). Today, it’s
widely grown in Mexico and the United States. The main growers of serrano peppers in
Mexico actually cultivate about 180,000 tons of these chilies every single year! That’s a lot of
pepper.
What makes serrano peppers special?

As you can see, this is a very popular pepper in Mexico, and for lots of reasons. Its overall
look fits right in with the jalapeño. It’s sort of like an elongated version of it, tapping out at
about 5 inches and coming in multiple colors when ripe. They can easily be eaten raw as the
skin of this chili pepper is really quite thin, not waxy and thick like a poblano pepper. And
they make excellent salsa peppers because of this. You don’t need to peel them; after roasting,
they can be chopped and added to the salsa right away.
You can also find serrano peppers in supermarkets more often than a lot of other hotter chili
peppers, especially if you live in Texas, New Mexico, or in urban areas around the United
States.
But know, the thin skin and narrow shape make serranos not a great choice for drying. It’s
possible, but it’s not the typical choice for these peppers.
What types of serrano pepper products are out there?

Well, there are those salsas, as mentioned. There are a lot of highly popular salsa varieties
that rely on the serrano as the base pepper, especially in the medium to medium hot category.
There are also many hot sauces featuring the serrano pepper as a big part of the flavor mix, if
not the base. You’ll also find it in rubs and powders, and there are many pickled serranos and
canned serranos on the market as well if you can’t find them raw. If you can’t find these tasty
hot peppers in your local supermarket, you can find a big selection of product options online,
including serrano pepper seeds, and plants.
So if you’re looking for that step up the ladder from the jalapeño, landing on serrano peppers
is a very good choice. You’ve got the added heat without being scorching and a lot of options
in terms of eating and products. Take the dive and give the serrano some quality time in your
kitchen.
Tabasco Peppers
Uniquely juicy and very popular
Jalapeño reference point: 4 to 20 times hotter
PepperScale page: http://www.pepperscale.com/tabasco-pepper
Photo Credit10
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last century, you’ve heard of the famous
Tabasco hot sauce. Made in America and arguably the most popular (and easily found) hot
sauce on the planet. The chili behind this tasty concoction gives it its name, the tabasco
pepper. With its medium heat and surprising juiciness (unlike any other chili), the tabasco
chili has become a kitchen staple because of the wide variety of products in which it’s found.
How hot is the tabasco pepper?

This is a medium hot chili (30,000 to 50,000 Scoville heat units), very similar to the
cayenne pepper in terms of overall spiciness. Compared to the jalapeño, it’s around 12 times
hotter on average, so it has a bit of a kick.
What makes the tabasco pepper different from others?

There’s actually a few things. First, as a plant the peppers grow straight up on the vine (as the
picture above); they don’t dip down on the plant. That’s very unique among hot pepper
plants. Only certain varieties of the Thai pepper family have a similar growing pattern. As
they ripen they change color: starting yellow, then taking an orange hue, and finally a
beautiful red shade. This and the way the grow makes the tabasco pepper a lovely option to
use in landscaped home gardens.
And then there’s the juice. Most chilies when cut open are dry on the inside. You’ll find the
white membrane which holds the chili seeds (where a great amount of the capsaicin and heat
is held). Not the tabasco pepper. It is juicy on the inside. The only hot pepper like it, and
perhaps what makes it so very tasty as a hot sauce pepper.
Where’s the name come from? And what’s the history?

The name tabasco derives from the Mexican state of Tabasco, but that’s about as deep as the
relationship with the state goes. Some tabasco peppers are grown in Mexico, but the real
powerhouse here is Louisiana in the United States.
On Avery Island, Louisiana, the McIhenny family has run since 1868 perhaps the most
famous hot sauce business on the planet. Tabasco Sauce has been made there since then,
starting with Edward McIlhenny, and all tabasco peppers that have been grown commercially
for Tabasco Sauce come from seeds from the island. Because of hurricanes and climate issues
potentially facing Louisiana on annual basis, along with the vast amount of Tabasco Sauce
they need for market, the McIlhenny family works with farmers who cultivate tabasco
peppers (from the original Avery Island Tabasco seeds) in South America, Central America,
and Africa.
These days it’s tough not to find a bottle of Tabasco Sauce in most well-stocked kitchens and
restaurants. The Cajun Ketchup (as it’s called) has become an expected condiment, not to the
level of tomato ketchup and mustard, but it’s growing very fast. People use it on meats, eggs,
poultry, and any sort of Mexican, southern, or southwestern dish. Careful, though. There are
now many flavors of Tabasco Sauces. Their jalapeño, chipotle, and habanero sauces have
become very popular too. If you want the original (with tabasco peppers), you’ll want to look
for the words “Original Flavor” on the bottle or read the ingredients.
Where can you buy tabasco peppers and tabasco pepper

products?
These are extremely popular chilies in terms of hot pepper products. Tabasco Sauce, as
mentioned, has become a kitchen go-to for its very tasty heat. These chilies are also very
popular pickled in vinegar and Tabasco Pepper Jelly is a big time favorite too for its sweet
and spicy tang. Due to their overall juiciness, you don’t typically find these chilies in dried or
powdered form. Opt for the similarly spicy cayenne pepper powder if you want dried spices.
But as you can see there are so many options for this chili in terms of products, and they are
widely available online and in grocery stores.
And then there’s the Tabasco gifts too. The Tabasco brand has created a massive following
among chiliheads and others that love spicy things. There are all sorts of Tabasco branded
gifts out there, from plush toys and pajama bottoms to ties and cookbooks. They all make
great Christmas gifts for the hot pepper lover.
In terms of buying the tabasco peppers whole, you may find them at specialty grocers, but
they aren’t as prevalent as all of the Tabasco hot sauces and products out there. You can buy
tabasco seeds and plants online (or at your local garden shop), and, as was mentioned earlier,
they make for great gardening due to their “reach for the sun” look.
The tabasco pepper has a great American tradition surrounding it, and a wide variety of
products around it. You’ll definitely want to explore the taste options here, as there are many.
And be sure to stock up on Tabasco Sauce for your home — it’s the new American staple!
Cayenne Peppers
Good heat - great versatility
PepperScale page: http://www.pepperscale.com/cayenne-pepper
Photo Credit11
The modern kitchen has found a special place for the cayenne pepper. In fact, few cupboards
are without a bottle of this chili in powder form. Ground cayenne pepper is a spice staple, and
most likely the hottest one you’re going to have around. It’ll bring heat to nearly any dish in
this form. But there’s more that you can do with cayenne peppers beyond the spice bottle.
Lots of culinary hobbyists love the spicy tastiness of using it fresh, especially in salsa and hot
sauces. And it’s purchased quite often as a health supplement in pill form to get the benefits
of capsaicin into you diet.
So how hot is the cayenne pepper?

This is a medium hot chili (30,000 to 50,000 Scoville heat units), fitting neatly between the
serrano and the Thai pepper. In terms of our jalapeño reference point, it’ll range on average
around 12 times hotter than it. It has a bit of zing to its flavor, but the cayenne pepper is still a
ways away from habaneros and the hottest end of the chili pepper spectrum.
What does the cayenne pepper look like? And where did it
originate?
You’re probably used to seeing it in flake or powder form, but the cayenne looks nothing like
your typical bell or poblano pepper. It’s more akin to a Thai pepper in terms of shape. Thin,
long (up to 3 to 5 inches), and curved. It matures from green to red.
It, like most hot chilies, originates from South America. Its name comes from a city in French
Guiana – the city of Cayenne. But, also like most chilies, it has gone by many different
names from region to region, including Guinea spice, bird pepper, and cow-horn pepper. In
powder form, it is often just simply referred to as red pepper.
What does that mean in terms of taste?

In terms of handling the heat, cayenne peppers are at a very good level for most people. It’s
hot enough to feel very spicy, but not so hot as to turn off the great majority of palates. And
since it has more capsaicin than a jalapeño and the lower heat peppers, this is a hot pepper
that goes well beyond its culinary uses. Lots of people rely on it for its health benefits
through cayenne pepper supplements and skin creams among other products.
So it’s most popular as a powder or flakes?

Yes it is. The cayenne (aka red pepper) has become a go to spice on the spice rack for most
amateur and professional chefs. It is a very versatile way to add some spice to nearly any
dish, from soups and pizzas to meat entrees and baked desserts. The famous red pepper flakes
you find at pizzerias (and in many homes) use a variety of hot peppers, but cayenne chili
pepper is what gives it perhaps its greatest kick.
But as chili peppers have become more and more popular, the cayenne pepper has also
become more than just that red pepper powder on the shelf. People are finding lots of culinary
uses for fresh cayenne pepper, especially in Asian cuisines. It also makes a mean medium
spiced salsa, and hot sauce aficionados are finding love for cayenne hot sauces these days.
What are the health benefits of Cayenne pepper?

Really it’s the health benefits of all hot peppers, and it’s all due to the compound which gives
these chilies their heat: capsaicin. Capsaicin has been shown to be an amazing pain reliever
(including arthritis), appetite suppressant and much more! Read the chapter on capsaicin to
see more of the benefits of this compound, and you’ll see why cayenne pepper herbal
supplements are so popular.
Where can you buy cayenne pepper?

All supermarkets carry ground cayenne pepper in the spice section, and cayenne pepper
supplements are available at some pharmacies. But check the prices online to see if there’s a
better deal around. Finding it fresh (or dried cayenne) is a whole different matter. There
you’ll most likely need to shop online to find products. You’ll also find a larger selection of
cayenne hot sauces and pre-made salsas online than you will in most general grocery stores.
This is really quite a popular pepper when it comes down to it, rivaling the jalapeño in many
ways for its space in the modern kitchen. The cayenne pepper is a family-friendly chili: one
that’ll bring your dishes to life while not turning off those most sensitive to heat and spice. If
all that you’ve used is ground versions of this chili, then give using it fresh a go. And if you
don’t have cayenne on your spice rack, then you are definitely missing out on a lot of culinary
opportunity.
Pequin Peppers
Little goes a long way
PepperScale page: http://www.pepperscale.com/pequin-pepper
Photo Credit12
It’s little, but its heat and smoky flavor go a long way. The pequin pepper shares many
similarities with its cousin the chiltepin, and they are often confused as the same thing. But
really pequin is a unique chili all its own, and it can be found in a surprising amount of
products including a very popular hot sauce!
How hot are pequin peppers?

In terms of overall heat, they are slightly shy of chiltepin peppers–hovering near the middle
of the pepper scale. That’s about 40,000 to 60,000 Scoville heat units which puts it inline to
be just slightly hotter than a cayenne pepper. In terms of the popular jalapeño, it’s typically
about 12 times spicier.
So pequin peppers and chiltepin are different?

They are closely related, but many people confuse the two or think they are the same thing.
They hail from the same regions–North Mexico and the southern United States. These are
both tiny chilies, as you can see from the pequin bush above. Both peppers are typically less
than an inch in length, though the pequin can get larger overall. In fact they both share the
moniker bird pepper because they are both loved by birds. Due to the size, they are easy for
birds to eat, and birds aren’t affected by capsaicin in the way that humans are. They don’t feel
the heat.
But let’s talk differences. Pequin chilies have, as mentioned, a slightly milder heat–though
both rank easily into the medium to hot end of the Scoville scale. Their shape is different
from the chiltepin, more of an elongated oval than the roundness of the tepin. In fact, the
pequin is often referred to as the rice pepper because of its rice-like shape.
What does a pequin pepper taste like?

It has a smokiness to it that’s quite tasty, mixed with levels of heat and fruitiness. It does have
a similar underlying taste as the chiltepin (maybe slightly more fruity) which of course leads
again to the confusion between the chilies.
What do people make with pequin peppers?

These chilies tend to find their way into more dishes and products than you may expect!
When young (green in color) they are sold fresh and used quite often in fresh salsas. As they
ripen (turning red then brown), the pequin is typically dried. You’ll find pequin peppers in all
sorts of salsas, hot sauces, soups, and flavored oils. Cholula, one of the most popular hot
sauces around, uses pequin chili as a main ingredient. It’s so diluted among the other
ingredients, though, that you won’t experience anywhere near the heat of the fresh chili. In
fact, Cholula is very mild.
Where can you buy pequin peppers?

These chilies won’t likely be at your local grocer, unless you live in the southern United
States or Mexico. Your best option is to shop online where you’ll find pequin seeds, plants,
dried pequin, and all sorts of sauces and salsas that’ll bring your taste buds to life.
Both the pequin pepper and the chiltepin are unique in the hot pepper world. Tiny in shape,
but fiery hot in taste. If your serious about your heat, try some dried pequin or pick up some
Cholula to get some of this smoky goodness into your cooking.
CHAPTER FIVE
Hot Peppers
An Acquired Taste…But Worth It!

Here we start venturing into a world that really challenges the taste buds. These are hot
peppers that carry a lot of unique flavors, but pack a heat wallop along with it. These chili
peppers aren't for everyone, but for those that like the spice, these are staples of many popular
hot sauces and BBQ chili rubs.
Remember:
often find it in.
Malagueta Peppers
A staple for Brazilian and Portuguese cooking
Scoville heat units: 50,000 - 100,000
PepperScale page: http://www.pepperscale.com/malagueta-pepper
Photo Credit13
Brazil is home to some pretty hot things, but none may be hotter than the malagueta pepper.
With heat ranging double a cayenne pepper, this is a chili that’ll knock your socks off. It’s
beloved by Brazil and Portugal more than any other hot pepper out there, and you can find it
closer to home too.
How hot are malagueta peppers?

They definitely fit right into the hot category of peppers. Not scorching hot like a ghost
pepper, but definitely hot. At 60,000 to 100,000 Scoville heat units, this pepper is pretty much
in line with Thai peppers (which they look like: thin, tapered, and short at about 2 inches) and
chiltepin peppers. That’s about double a cayenne pepper or compared to our reference point
the jalapeño, about 23 times spicier on average.
Where does the name come from?

The malagueta pepper got its name from a West African spice (called melegueta), and that
has actually bred a lot of confusion over the years. These two things are totally unrelated.
Melegueta (the African spice) is like cardamom, part of the ginger family. Malagueta peppers
obviously are nowhere near ginger, but the confusion remains. You’ll see the mistake played
out in even the most professional of cookbooks and reference guides at times.
It goes by many other names, too. Malaguetinha refers to smaller versions of these peppers
(younger peppers), and is common in Brazil. In Mozambique and Portugal (where they are
nearly as beloved), the same small pepper goes by the fun-to-say piri-piri. The larger (more
mature) peppers go by regionalized versions of malagueta most often wherever they are
found. These chilies typically follow the green to red maturing pattern of many other hot
peppers.
So the malagueta pepper is popular in Brazil,

Mozambique, and Portugal?
Saying it’s popular is like saying soccer is popular. Malagueta is really a staple in these
countries (which all share Portuguese an an official language), especially in Brazil’s Bahia
state. How did it become so popular there and not spread to in popularity through the rest of
the world? The most likely hypothesis is via old world trade routes that saw Portuguese
traders bring the pepper from Brazil to their homeland, and then of course to its African
colonies.
This pepper does have a following outside of those countries, especially in urban pockets
where immigrants have brought the tastes of their homeland to new countries. And finding
the malagueta pepper has never been easier due to online retailers, especially malagueta hot
sauces.
How are malagueta peppers used?

If you are into Brazilian or Portuguese cooking, then the malagueta pepper is pretty much a
must! They are used in all sorts of meals, especially in stew dishes and light soups. You’ll
also see a lot of recipes using this chili to flavor poultry dishes, especially in Portuguese
cooking. There are also a handful of malagueta hot sauces and salsas on the market, as its job
as a condiment in those countries knows no boundaries. It can add a serious zing of heat to
any dish you can imagine.
Where can you buy malagueta peppers?

Of course if you live in one of these Portuguese speaking countries, malagueta peppers can
be found in any local market. The same is often true if you live in urban areas where
Brazilians and Portuguese immigrants have built strong communities. Finding a malagueta
pepper at your run-of-the-mill supermarket, though, is normally not an option.
Luckily online retailers have you covered for a lot of different malagueta products, especially
for malagueta hot sauces and malagueta salsas. They are easy to find online and a great way
to bring to life any regional dish you are preparing in the traditional way.
While not a staple hot pepper in the United States, the malagueta pepper is growing in
popularity. As immigrant populations introduce it more and more, and gourmet chefs
showcase it in their meals, this chili is carving out a big place on the pepper scale for itself.
The next time you’ve got a Portuguese or Brazilian dish to prepare, go to these chilies to
bring the real essence of the dish to life. And try a malagueta hot sauce. It’s a good staple hot
sauce to have in the cupboard.
Chiltepin Peppers
An American native
Scoville heat units: 50,000 - 100,000
PepperScale page: http://www.pepperscale.com/chiltepin-pepper
Photo Credit14
You may be surprised to learn that the chiltepin is actually a pepper native to North America.
In fact, it’s the only one, making it known to many above the border as “the mother of all
peppers”. The chiltepin pepper has a rich history in Native American culture, and it’s in the
middle of a big-time second act in terms of popularity and availability. This is a tiny pepper
with intense (but short-lived) heat and a growing following among hot pepper lovers.
These are tiny peppers!

Yes, they are! In fact, they are often called bird’s eye peppers because of their littleness. As
you can see when dried, multiple chiltepin peppers can sit on a standard sized coin. The chili
goes by many other names as well, including bird pepper, chile tepin, chiltepe, and simply
tepin.
How hot are chiltepin peppers?

For such a small size, they pack a pretty big punch. So be careful if you ever get the chance
to pop a few of these peppers in your mouth. Chiltepin ranges from 50,000 to 100,000
Scoville heat units on the pepper scale, with the chance for a bit hotter if a crop had an ideally
wet growing season. This puts it inline with Thai peppers in terms of overall heat and about
23 times spicier than your standard jalapeño.
But the heat of a chiltepin is quite different than most other peppers. They zing you with
hotness, then calm down quickly. Compare that to a ghost pepper where the heat starts
seemingly mild and boils over in intensity over time. It’s definitely a different eating
experience.
Where do chiltepin chilies grow?

As mentioned, this is the one native North American chili. It’s found natively in the
southwest United States and northern Mexico. For a long time, chiltepin plants pretty much
only grew wildly, a treasure of the land. Native Americans adored this chili, and they still do.
It’s a food staple and a base for medicine (due to the capsaicin in the plant).
Rituals were built around the wild harvesting of the chiltepin pepper–it’s something that
brought communities and families together. It’s this sort of history and folklore, mixed with
being a North American native, that’s bringing the chiltepin back to the forefront among
chilies in America.
Today, chiltepins still grow wildly. The regions of wild growth in the United States are few–
totaling 15 locations. But many are all protected national park sites like Coronado National
Forest. There are domesticated crops as well, but many packages of dried chiltepins you’ll
find are picked from wild harvests in these regions. If you’ve got an urge to grow some of
these unique peppers for yourself, you can easily find chiltepin seeds online.
How are chiltepin typically eaten?

Sun-dried is a favorite for many people. Just pop a pepper in your mouth for an intense
experience. Remember–this is a hot pepper. Know what you’re getting into and be prepared
for the heat. But if you’re ready, the pepper has a smokiness to it that’s quite tasty, very
unique in the world of hot chilies.
And even though these peppers are small, people still cook with them. Chiltepin, in both
dried and fresh forms, are often mixed in with sauces and salsas. They are ground into
powders for spices. They even make their way into spicy desserts. A favorite for many is
pickled chiltepin. When pickled the chili is mixed with other spices to create one of the more
unique condiments out there.
Where can you buy chiltepin peppers?

You won’t often find these peppers in a grocery store outside of the southwest United States,
that’s for sure. And even specialty stores may not carry them. But you’ll definitely find them
online, including chiltepin seeds, whole chilies, and other products.
So with its rich North American history and surprising taste, the chiltepin pepper is no
forgotten pepper any longer. If you are a chilihead, exploring what this pepper has to offer is
an interesting way to experience both one of the earliest peppers known and the rich Native
American history of the United States. It may be tiny, but it’s in no way overlooked anymore.
Thai Peppers
Many varieties fall into the world of Thai peppers
PepperScale page: http://www.pepperscale.com/thai-peppers
Photo Credit15
Let’s start with the confusion. There are dozens of varieties of chilies that fall under the
category of Thai peppers. They all share common characteristics, colors, and general heat.
And because of that, a little confusion is expected, and it’s totally ok! You’ll typically get
what you’re looking for (some solid heat and flavor) out of any chili labeled as Thai peppers.
How hot are Thai peppers?

These chilies fall in the range of “pretty darn hot”, which in more scientific terms means
around 50,000 to 100,000 Scoville heat units. That’s about 23 times the average heat of a
jalapeño But really they are at the bottom rung of what you’d call the hot peppers. They are
typically about 3 times less spicy than a habanero, so if you’re venturing into the hot pepper
level for the first time, a stop off at Thai peppers is good way to travel.
What else are Thai peppers called?

As mentioned, there are lots of varieties, and to add to the confusion even more, some
varieties have multiple names. Probably the most well-known name is the bird’s eye chili,
with variant names like Thai dragon peppers, African devil, Congo chilies, phrik khi nu (in
Thailand), and cili padi (in Malaysia), and many other local monikers based off of regions.
Perhaps the most fitting name of the bunch is Thai dragon peppers. These chilies have some
fire, they are red when ripened (like dragon’s breath), and their shape (an inch or two in
length, thin, and curved) even look like the claws of a dragon. That’s a cool name if there
ever was one.
How are Thai peppers eaten?

These chilies make their way into many Thai and Asian dishes of course, including many
spicy soups. You’ll find lots of recipes in Asian and Thai cookbooks that call for these spicy
peppers.
There are also lots of products based around Thai chilies, from pepper flakes and hot sauces,
to marinades and powders. These are very popular for their hot kick, and the fact that they
can add heat in a pinch for Thai dishes if needed.
Where can you buy Thai peppers?

Many grocery stores will carry Thai chilies, if not in the fresh produce section, then at least
canned in the international sections of the store. Or via online retailers you can buy the seeds
(if you’ve got the gardening bug), the plants, the raw peppers, and all sorts of hot sauces and
other products. It is more than likely your best bet for variety if you live outside of an urban
area.
So this pepper is more than just a stop off to the habanero. Thai peppers are an essential
ingredient to a whole slew of unique and tasty eastern dishes. If you love those types of meals
and you’re looking to make them yourself, you’ll be becoming very familiar with these
chilies. They’re a cooking staple.
Scotch Bonnet Peppers

The Caribbean chili of choice
PepperScale page: http://www.pepperscale.com/scotch-bonnet-pepper
Photo Credit16
A Scotch bonnet pepper may sound timid, but it is nothing of the sort. It’s one of the spicier
peppers (100,000 to 350,000 SHU, same as a habanero) that you may potentially find at a
supermarket, especially in geographic areas high in Caribbean residents.
Why the Caribbean? This is THE pepper of the region. In fact if you say you want a hot
pepper in most of the Caribbean islands, the Scotch bonnet pepper is what you are handed.
Scotch bonnet is used in all sorts of Caribbean cuisine, including the well known jerk chicken
(or jerk pork).
Where does the name Scotch bonnet come from?

The shape of this famous pepper is where the name was born. In shape, the pepper with its
squashed look appears like a Scotsman’s bonnet (called a Tam o’shanter hat). Simple as that.
Nothing else Scotch about this pepper, but it does have a name that’s hard to forget. It has
other names, too, including the Bahama Mama, the Jamaican Hot, the Bahamian, and the
Martinique Pepper.
Is the Scotch bonnet pepper spicy?

Yes! Very spicy. As mentioned it’s very similar in spice to the habanero pepper, making it one
of the hottest chili peppers in the world. Let’s give it a comparison to a pepper most people
have tasted, the jalapeño. At 100,000 to 350,000 Scoville heat units (SHU) the hottest
possible Scotch bonnet is potentially 140 times spicier than the mildest jalapeño you may find
(around 8,000 SHU). That’s a lot of heat.
Though it should be noted that the handful of peppers above it in the Scoville scale are two to
three times spicier or more than the Scotch bonnet, so there is a bit of heat above the Bahama
Mama.
What does a Scotch bonnet pepper taste like?

The chili has a slightly sweet taste to it, sort of like a tomato with an slight hint of apples and
cherries. It’s very closely related to the habanero, so if you’ve tasted a habanero you’ll have a
decent idea of what a Scotch bonnet has in store for you in terms of heat. Just add in more
sweetness.
This sweetness makes the Scotch bonnet a very popular chili for Caribbean cooking and hot
sauces. It’s a really distinct sweet-heat flavor that a lot of people love.
There are many Scotch bonnet varieties?

There are a lot of variants of this chili out there, from the Tobago Scotch bonnet to the Scotch
bonnet chocolate and many in between. The flavor and heat, as with any chilies, will adapt to
the region and soil its grown in, so these varieties will slightly differ in spice and sweetness.
You’ll also find some that are more elongated than squat in shape, and the colors will range
from orangish-pink to chocolate-brown. There’s a whole world of options out there for this
pepper, and that makes it a fun one to explore in terms of eating.
Where can you buy Scotch bonnet?

You may be able to find these chilies in supermarkets if you live in areas with high
populations of Caribbean residents. Otherwise, you will need to special order through an
online vendor. Scotch bonnet hot sauces are very popular, and you’ll be able to find them,
too, in many retail stores and online.
If you love Caribbean foods and island cooking, take a good look at this chili. It’ll definitely
impress in flavor, and in its heat that nearly rivals the hottest chilies in the world.
Habanero Peppers
The one-time champion still packs a punch
PepperScale page: http://www.pepperscale.com/habanero-pepper
Photo Credit
At one point, the habanero held the crown as the hottest hot pepper in the world, but don’t let
the fact that certain peppers have passed it by fool you into underestimating it. This is a
seriously hot pepper. And unlike many of the hotter peppers, it has a unique, citrus-like taste
that makes it very popular in hot sauces, powders, and rubs, lending itself to all sorts of
culinary adventure.
How hot is the habanero?

Let’s go back to our Scoville scale reference point, the jalapeño, and compare. The habanero
weighs in at 100,000 to 350,000 Scoville heat units (SHU), pairing it with its very close
relative, the Scotch bonnet pepper. In terms of eating heat, that’s around 76 times hotter than
a typical jalapeño, with the potential for some crazy heat difference of nearly 140 times hotter
when you compare the mildest jalapeño to the hottest habanero. That’s a pepper with some
extreme heat, but as chilies tend to run the gamut in heat even coming from the same plant,
there’s always a chance you’ll get a super hot one.
It’s related to the Scotch bonnet pepper?

It sure is! They are variants of the same species of hot pepper. The habanero is similar to the
Scotch bonnet in size at 1 to 3 inches, but its shape is more pod-like. It’s not as squat as the
Scotch bonnet. And in terms of heat, they are nearly identical, with some people saying the
Scotch bonnet actually beats out the habanero in terms of average heat.
They also both have a fruity flavor that makes these peppers very popular among chefs, both
amateur and professional. The Scotch bonnet tends to be a little sweeter than the habanero,
but really they are very close. Their differences may come from the regions in which they are
grown.
Where are habaneros cultivated?

Habaneros are a South American pepper, unlike the Scotch bonnet which originates in the
Caribbean. It hails from the Amazonas region of Peru, but it’s really thought of as a Mexican
pepper. The Yucatan peninsula is the biggest producer of habaneros these days, but it’s grown
in many South American and Central American countries, as well as the southwestern United
States.
This is a chili that’s been around for a while. In fact, a Mexican archeological dig discovered
a domesticated habanero that’s over 8,500 years old. And like Scotch bonnets, you’ll find it in
many different varieties and colors, from red and orange to dark brown and nearly black.
Some of those red (the Red Savina habanero) and black habaneros (the chocolate habanero)
actually are much hotter than the normal varieties, tipping the Scoville scale above 400,000
SHU!
Where can you buy habanero peppers? What meals use

them as spices?
These are popular peppers. Perhaps the hottest of the peppers that you’re likely to ever find in
a general supermarket. In fact, they are more popular in the United States than the Scotch
bonnet, at least in terms of buying them raw for cooking. You’re still more likely to find the
jalapeño in your local store, but habaneros are becoming more and more mainstream. It all
has to do with that fruity flavor that makes this pepper a lot of fun in the kitchen.
Lots of products feature habaneros, from insane hot sauces to potato chips. You can even find
them in bottles of tequila to add a little zip to the flavor. Some of these products have hit store
shelves, but many are speciality products that you’re going to have to purchase online to
enjoy the extreme heat.
No matter what, the habanero pepper is a must-stop on the pepper scale. Master this one
before jumping up into the super-hots that make up the tail-end of the Scoville scale.
CHAPTER SIX
Super-Hot Peppers
Here’s to the Crazy Ones…

There are hot peppers and then there are HOT peppers. Now take those HOT peppers and
multiply them by five. That's the world of the extreme chilies at the upper end of the Scoville
scale. They are scorching. So hot that it's recommended to not eat them or their extracts raw.
Be sure to mix them thoroughly in your sauces and foods to disperse the heat. And use gloves
in the handling, these can burn your skin just from touching.
Sure these are heat beyond compare, but there are many amazing hot sauces and chili
powders made from them. Only the most adventurous may apply, though, and be sure to
build up to this level.
Remember:
often find it in.
Red Savina Habanero Peppers

One of these things is not like the other
PepperScale page: http://www.pepperscale.com/red-savina-habanero
Photo Credit17
If you think the habanero is hot, then you haven’t met its shock-red sultry sister. The Red
Savina habanero carried the hottest pepper in the world moniker for well over a decade,
before the ghost pepper came a knockin’. It’s a scorching hot pepper with a dramatic back
story and even a bit of government protection. Few other pepper variations can claim that.
The Red Savina pepper is one of the hottest peppers?

It is. It’s extremely hot, though these days it falls short of being listed with the real hottest
peppers in the world. It did hold the Guinness Book of World Records title until the Bhut
Jolokia (the ghost pepper) came around and easily doubled its heat.
But this is no pepper to be trifled with lightly at between 350,000 to 577,000 Scoville heat
units. Even those who are used to habaneros may find the Red Savina spicier than they can
handle. At its mildest, the Red Savina chili sits at the same heat as the hottest potential
habanero or Scotch bonnet pepper (100,000 to 350,000 SHU). It has the potential to
quadruple the typical heat of a milder habanero. And our jalapeño reference point is also off
the charts, on average 138 times hotter. Yikes.
How was the Red Savina habanero discovered?

This chili has one of the more interesting modern cultivation legends surrounding it. It all
started with a gentleman named Frank Garcia and his company GNS Spices. He and few
friends saw an opportunity to bring domestically grown habaneros cheaply into the North
American market. After a botched first deal where the buyer withdrew his proposed buying
price, Frank and his team decided to plow over the majority of the crop instead of setting
price precedent at too low of a rate.
While plowing, Frank noticed one strange red pepper among a field of the typical habanero
orange. He picked this mutant pepper instead of plowing it. He forgot about it for a time, but
then decided to start selectively breeding the seeds of this red habanero to create a unique
product for the market.
Upon heat testing (using high performance liquid chromatography), a pepper from this strain
topped out at a whopping 577,000 Scoville heat units. That set the world record and launched
this pepper into infamy. In fact, it’s one of the only vegetables to be officially protected by the
U.S. government under the Plant Variety Protection Act.
What does a Red Savina habanero taste like?

Is hot a taste? But seriously, it’s quite like the habanero it comes from, sort of a sweet heat,
almost fruity like an apricot would be. It’s a tasty hot pepper, but care must be taken with its
usage, as the high levels of capsaicin can cause severe burning sensations and numbness for
days if proper care isn’t taken. If you’re handling these raw, wear kitchen gloves and wash
your hands afterwards too.
Where can I buy Red Savina habaneros?

This is one popular hot pepper, but not one that you’ll typically find at a local grocer. It just
tips the charts as too hot for the masses in raw form. You may discover it at specialty grocers
(call around first), but your better option may be to buy Red Savina habaneros online. There
you’ll find Red Savina seeds and plants and many Red Savina hot sauces and powders,
among other products. The hot sauces are a great way to experience the power of this chili
without having to deal with the pepper in raw form. And the chili grind will let you layer this
heat into nearly any dish you are making.
The Red Savina habanero has a back story that’s made it into a chilihead legend, and it has
the heat to back it all up. If you’re thinking about moving into the realm of super hot peppers,
take a stop off at this chili first. It’s at the lower end of the scorching hot area of the pepper
scale, so it’ll help prepare you for the ghost peppers and scorpion peppers that lay beyond.
Chocolate Habanero Peppers

If you like serious smoky sweet heat, step right up
PepperScale page: http://www.pepperscale.com/chocolate-habanero
Photo Credit18
Sure you know what chocolate is, and if you’re any bit of a hot pepper fan, you’ve got an
idea of what a habanero is. But what is a chocolate habanero? It’s not a line of spicy candies,
that’s for sure. No, this is a variety of habanero peppers, like the Red Savina habanero, that
packs a serious punch. In fact it’s even spicier than the Red Savina with unique earthy and
smoky undertones to the typical habanero sweetness.
Chocolate habaneros are hotter than regular habaneros?

They are. In terms of the Scoville scale, chocolate habaneros tend to hit around 425,000 –
577,000 Scoville heat units. That can easily be double the heat of a regular habanero. Versus
the Red Savina, chocolate habaneros are very similar in terms of heat. The main difference:
the mildest chocolate (around 450,000 SHU) will always be hotter than the mildest Red
Savina (350,000 SHU).
With the jalapeño reference point, you are talking on average 142 times hotter than a mild
jalapeño. This makes chocolate habaneros one of the hottest peppers around, but still
significantly milder than the jump up to the ghost pepper (starting at 855,000 SHU).
Are there different varieties of chocolate habaneros?

There are. Like most chili peppers, there are various strains around the world that are
cultivated and sold. You’ll see lots of different names for these chilies: black Congo, dark
habanero, Jamaican hot chocolate, black habanero, Senegal hot chocolate, and Cuban
habanero just to name a few. These are all variations on the theme of chocolate habaneros.
They share similar taste (with slight variations) and heat (again with slight variations).
The pods of chocolates tend to be slightly larger than your typical habanero pepper – about 2
inches in length. They start emerald-green and as they ripen they take on the unique dark
brown color.
What do chocolate habaneros taste like?

These are still habaneros, so there’s a fruity sweetness behind the extreme heat. But unlike
other hot peppers in the family, the chocolates bring a unique hint of earthiness and
smokiness to the experience. They are an excellent chili for a Mexican mole sauce, or if you
like rich salsa with an earthier taste, using chocolate habaneros is a great choice. Try pairing
them with more pungent or earthier fruits in salsas like apricots and raisins.
Where can I buy chocolate habaneros?

Unlike your normal habanero, you aren’t likely to find the chocolate varieties in your local
supermarket. You can, though, order the seeds and plants online. There’s also a wide array of
salsas and hot sauces available that feature these chili peppers, and they typically play up that
smokiness you find with the chili.
If you love smoky heat, you’ll definitely want to check the chocolate habanero out. Hot
sauces and chili rubs that are made with it are a mega-spicy alternative to a chipotle rub for
steaks and other meats. It’s a definite step up, so be prepared!
Ghost Peppers: Bhut Jolokia

Be scared - this is heat nearly beyond compare
Scoville heat units (SHU): 855,000 - 1,041,427
PepperScale page: http://www.pepperscale.com/ghost-pepper
Photo Credit19
What do you get when you touch a nearly unsurpassable heat mixed with a rock star name?
You get a hot pepper of legend. That’s what you have with the ghost pepper, otherwise known
as Bhut Jolokia. This is one bad boy of the chili world, weighing in from 855,000 Scoville
heat units to an eye-popping 1,041,427 SHU! It’s one of the hottest peppers in the world and
a one-time Guinness Book of World Records champ.
So it’s really THAT hot?

Well, let’s talk about our jalapeño reference point. Many people feel the jalapeño is rather
hot, but in the world of the Scoville scale, it’s a relatively mild to medium chili pepper. Now
multiply that heat by up to 400. That’s the potential of a ghost pepper. Or compare it to the
intense heat of a habanero or Scotch bonnet. It’s 4 to 8 times spicier than those hot chilies.
It’s so spicy that the Indian government (its country of origin) has made it into military grade
smoke bombs and local residents smear the ghost pepper on fences and walls to keep wild
elephants from entering certain areas.
It seems those elephants know something maybe we humans don’t because the Bhut Jolokia
has attracted a lot of attention among us with its fabulous heat. It held the crown with the
Guinness Book of World Records, until it was beat out by the intense Butch T scorpion for
the official title and by the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion as the unofficial overall heat winner.
Both of those were taken over in 2013 by the Carolina Reaper.
Where does the name ghost pepper come from?

The name ghost pepper simply comes from the chili’s official Indian name, the Bhut Jolokia.
Bhut in Indian means ghost. It has many variations on this name: ghost chili, Bhoot Jolokia,
Naga Bhut Jolokia, Red Naga chili and more. In fact, in India the name for this chili differs
from region to region. But we can all agree that in English, ghost pepper fits just perfectly. It
scares the pants off your taste buds.
How do people eat something this spicy?

Very carefully. And sometime not so carefully. In fact, the ghost pepper has become
something of legend in chili pepper eating dares. Many popular YouTube videos have been
shot of people downing a raw ghost pepper (typically 2 to 3 inches long) in a few quick bites.
And then the body’s response begins. The heat of this pepper will bring out hiccups, intense
burning, numbness, eye watering, and general sweating.
But that’s not to say that you can’t do amazing culinary things through cooking with ghost
peppers. Some of the most popular hot sauces in the world feature the Bhut Jolokia as the
main hot pepper ingredient, and they are scorching and very tasty. It’s also used to add
intense heat to Indian, Mexican, and Tex-Mex dishes. Even a popular fast food restaurant
bought into the hype. In 2012, Red Robin released two burgers to its menu with ghost pepper
sauces. But in real-world tasting, those sauces come nowhere near the true heat of the ghost
pepper, yet still tasty nonetheless!
It’s a chili that’s very popular during summer time, as the intense heat forces you to perspire
which cools the body down. If you are adventurous, you can work with these peppers in raw
and dried form. Wear gloves, though, in the handling. If you’ve experienced jalapeño in the
eyes from rubbing your fingers there, that’s child’s play compared to ghost pepper in the eye.
Where can you buy ghost peppers?

Chances are, you won’t find this extreme pepper in any brick and mortar store near you. This
is a chili pepper with a big following, but it’s not a mainstream cooking pepper like the
habanero and jalapeño. You are likely going to need to shop online for products. There, you’ll
even find seeds and plants in many shades, from yellow and orange to a deep chocolate hue.
And when it comes to hot sauces, you may find some ghost pepper hot sauces on store
shelves, but again you’ll find a much larger and very exotic selection online.
Wherever and whatever you buy, go into eating the ghost pepper with eyes open. This is no
chili to trifle with. Its heat will smack you around and then come back for more. But if you’re
a true chilihead and love all things spicy, then this is a chili without compare, arguably the
current reigning rock god of all hot peppers.
Trinidad Moruga Scorpion

It’s gettin’ hot in here…
Scoville heat units (SHU): 1,200,000 - 2,000,000
PepperScale page: http://www.pepperscale.com/trinidad-moruga-scorpion
Photo Credit20
To say the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion is hot would be like saying the surface of the sun is hot.
It’s true, but you’d be really underselling it. This is a scorching hot pepper, a chili so hot
people have to wear latex suits and gloves just to work with it without (many) side effects.
It’s one of the hottest peppers in the world, only surpassed by the likes of the Carolina
Reaper, the current Guinness Book of World Records title holder.
Well how hot is the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion?

If there could be a category on the Scoville scale named “sweat just thinking about them” hot,
the Trinidad Scorpion pepper would be one of those leading the pack. These things make a
jalapeño look like child’s play, on average 475 times hotter, weighing in at 1,200,000 Scoville
heat units to an eye-popping 2,000,000 SHU. Even the extremely hot habanero pepper is way
distant in total heat. The Trinidad Moruga Scorpion is at least 12 times hotter, with the
potential for 20 times hotter if you get the right pepper.
What is the heat like?

Like most hot peppers, the heat of eating the pepper raw is not something that hits you right
away. It takes awhile to build. And when it starts, it builds for quite a long time. It’s sort of
like a fire building from inside of you, and you most likely will experience hiccups, sweating,
numbness and even more.
That’s hot! Why would anyone want to eat a Scorpion

pepper?
Well, for chiliheads, the heat is something of a badge of honor. Whatever is the new hot chili
king in town will get a lot of press and followers. In fact, for them it’s quite a rush to eat hot
peppers of any temperature, but especially one of the hottest peppers in the world. Though
obviously, this chili must be approached with serious caution. It’s so much hotter than you
expect.
There are also well-documented health benefits for eating hot peppers due to the high levels
of capsaicin. And again only one has more than the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion. In fact those
that work with the Scorpion peppers (growing them or cooking with them) have to wear
protective gloves, and quite often those gloves aren’t enough to keep their fingers from
getting numb for days at a time due to the high levels of capsaicin in the peppers. Needless to
say, there are easier hot peppers to digest to get capsaicin into your diet.
Plus, for most people you’ll never be eating a Scorpion pepper raw. It’s something that’ll be
mixed into high-heat hot sauces and seasonings, so the heat will be tempered (a bit) from the
mixing. And there’s actually a pretty tasty sweetness to this pepper that makes for some very
flavorful and spicy hot sauces.
Where can you buy Trinidad Moruga Scorpion peppers,

and what products are out there?
These are not chili peppers that you’ll find at your local grocery store, that’s for sure. More
than likely, you won’t even find many of the products made with it either. You’re going to
need to buy online to get the best options, including Trinidad Moruga Scorpion seeds, plants,
dried Scorpion peppers, hot sauces and seasonings.
For most people, their experience with this super hot chili will come in the form of those hot
sauces. And there are some amazing ones out there. Plus, these hot sauces (like those of the
ghost pepper) have some crazy fun names and bottle art, making them immediately
collectable for the chiliheads in your family . Collectable hot sauces are also fun for barbecue
enthusiasts and nearly anyone into spicy cooking.
So the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion is no chili pepper to be trifled with lightly. Proceed with
caution. But there are lots of surprisingly tasty (and mega-hot) sauces and seasonings by
which you can try this bad boy of the chili world out. They’ll introduce you to flavors and
heat that you’ve never experienced before.
Carolina Reaper
Insanity in edible form
Scoville heat units (SHU): 1,400,000 - 2,200,000
PepperScale page: http://www.pepperscale.com/carolina-reaper
Photo Credit21
Stand down Trinidad Moruga Scorpion, there’s a new hottest pepper in the world in town
according to the Guinness Book of World Records. The Carolina Reaper kicks super-hot
peppers into another stratosphere. In fact at its extreme, the Carolina Reaper is hotter than
typical pepper spray. That’s insanity in edible form.
How hot is a Carolina Reaper?

Eyes rolling to the back of your head hot, that’s how hot. Carolina Reaper’s range from
1,400,000 Scoville heat units to a blistering 2,200,000. That top end is just as hot or hotter
than a typical pepper spray. And comparing it to a jalapeño is just silly. Even the hottest
jalapeño will come in at around 175 times weaker than the mildest Carolina Reaper. It tips the
scales at about 200,000 SHU on average above the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion. To give that
reference, 200,000 SHU is the heat of an average habanero pepper, so it’s a significant bump
up to what was already crazy hot.
In November 2013, the Guinness Book of World records crowned the Carolina Reaper as the
new reigning champ of super-hot peppers, knocking the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion down to
#2 in the ranks.
Who discovered the Carolina Reaper?

Smokin’ Ed Currie is the grower of this super-hot chili. His Puckerbutt Pepper Company
based in South Carolina developed the reaper as a hybrid of a red habanero strain and a Naja
Viper pepper – another pepper that was once the hottest pepper in the world. He was seeking
to develop a sweet pepper with a little more punch. What he got was record-breaking.
Ed Currie’s pepper growing career has an amazing back story. He began growing peppers
because of his interest in the health benefits of hot peppers, especially in combating diseases.
His family has a history of cancer, and, to be as preventative as possible, he began
researching communities with low levels of disease. He noted that there was something in
common among these communities: hot peppers were a staple of their diets. This sparked a
passion that’s led to something pretty special, and Ed has often donated his chili peppers for
cancer research.
A fun fact: The Carolina Reaper went by a much less potent name during its cultivation and
development from 2011 until 2013: HP22B. This is a simply an acronym covering important
plant details for Ed the grower – Higher Power, pot number 22, plant B.
What does the Carolina Reaper taste like and look like?
Like the Naja Viper and the Trinidad Scorpion, the Carolina Reaper has a scorpion-like tail.
It’s a red pepper about 1.5 to 2 inches in total length.
In terms of taste, this is likely the sweetest super-hot pepper you are going to find. In fact,
Curry and Puckerbutt Pepper Company grow them that way. They want their peppers to not
only challenge the taste buds but to also enhance the flavor of food. There’s a lot more flavor
to the Carolina Reaper then you’ll find in most extremely hot peppers. In fact, the extreme
hot sauces made from it are quite tasty if you are used to super-hots.
Still, a warning: This is a scorching chili. Eating it raw is not ever advised, and touching it
with bare hands can actually cause severe burns. There are lots of hot pepper dare devils that
have recorded their experiences eating this hot pepper raw, so it’s easy to see for yourself.
Just take a look on YouTube.
Where can I buy Carolina Reaper seeds, hot sauces, and

products?
This is not a pepper you’re going to find at your local store. Check out Puckerbutt Pepper
Company’s store online. They sell Carolina Reaper seeds, along with other merchandise. Or
if you prefer, you can find reaper hot sauces, seeds, and more online through various vendors.
Make sure you climb up to this level. Don’t jump to Carolina Reaper from a jalapeño heat
tolerance level or even a cayenne tolerance level. They aren’t living in the same zip code. In
fact, they aren’t on the same planet. The pepper scale is a journey. If you want to reach and
really enjoy the Carolina Reaper heights, you need to work your way up. It’s definitely not a
pepper for everyone, but for those that love it as hot as the sun, welcome home.
What’s Next?
Only time will tell…We’ll hold this spot for the next hottest pepper in the world.
Stay tuned.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Non-Edibles
Beyond the Kitchen…

Hot peppers have an amazingly varied and complex life in the kitchen cupboard, but the top
of the Scoville scale also holds one non-edible product that’s known for something very
different. It’s hot pepper as a protector…
Pepper Spray
From the Scoville scale heights…
Scoville heat units: 2,000,000 - 5,300,000
Jalapeño reference point: 250 to 2,120 times hotter
PepperScale page: http://www.pepperscale.com/pepper-spray
Photo Credit22
If you’re looking for a little protection that’s safer than carrying most weapons, then visiting
the top of the Scoville scale has an interesting option for you: pepper spray.
It stops attackers (whether human or animal) in their tracks, normally without lasting effects.
It’s one of the most popular deterrents used by the police, military, and civilians too. Pepper
spray is widely available in the United States, and it eclipses everything on the Scoville scale
except pure capsaicin extract. Important: Know your laws before buying pepper spray.
Certain states have specific laws regulating its purchase, and in some countries pepper spray
is illegal for private citizens to carry, even if the use is solely for self defense.
How hot is pepper spray?

It’s one of the closest things to pure capsaicin that’s out there. Capsaicin is the compound that
gives peppers their heat. Typical pepper spray will land somewhere in the 2,000,000 to
5,300,000 Scoville heat unit range. That’s about, on average, 1,100 times the strength of a
jalapeño. Or at least 10 times the strength of a typical habanero pepper. Pepper spray eclipses
some of the hottest peppers in the world. This is wicked hot stuff.
How does pepper spray work?

We’ll keep the science simple here. If you’ve worked with jalapeño peppers before (or any
hot pepper for that matter), at some point you’ve likely touched your eyes after handling
them. As you know, it causes an unpleasant burning sensation in your eyes. And that’s putting
it mildly. The hotter peppers can have the same effect on your skin, even when you are
wearing protective gloves. It’s the capsaicin in the pepper that causes these reactions.
Now imagine a liquid containing 1,100 times the heat of an average jalapeño being sprayed
on your face. That’s pepper spray. Yeah, it works really well as a deterrent.
Capsaicin is the chemical that delivers the heat in chili peppers, and simply put: it’s an irritant
to human beings and many animals. High levels of capsaicin can cause burning sensations,
pain, numbness, eye watering, and more. When it hits the eyes, the inflammation that occurs
forces the eyes to close, causing temporary blindness in the process.
But the effects are typically short-lived and normally have no lasting effects. This is why
pepper spray is so effective and popular. It slowly wears off. So if you are being attacked by a
person or an animal (like a bear while hiking for instance), pepper spray can give you the
time you need to escape and get help. It’s a smart investment for women, the elderly,
campers, hikers, runners, bikers, and anyone else who have concerns over safety.
Can pepper spray seriously hurt someone?

While pepper spray typically has no lasting effects, there have been cases of severe injuries
and even death associated with it. Typically these incidents involve people who have asthma
or another respiratory problem or people on illegal drugs. Pepper spray can also be lethal if
the person being sprayed is already restrained in a way that blocks breathing. So, like with
many deterrents, there are risks associated with it.
Is it legal to carry pepper spray?

In the United States, each individual state has its own laws surrounding pepper spray. A great
many allow pepper spray to be purchased over the counter and bought online with no other
regulation. But some states (California, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York,
Washington, and Wisconsin), have specific regulations in place. Most of the laws surround
the amount you’re allowed to carry, where you can buy it, and the concept of “reasonable
use”. It’s a must to research your state and local laws.
In other countries, carrying pepper spray may not be legal for civilians at all. Countries like
Canada, Brazil, and Denmark (among others) have made it illegal for private citizens to have
pepper spray. Other countries require licenses for obtaining and using it. Still others have
very little regulation surrounding the buying and use of pepper spray. Again, know your local
laws–and when traveling, know the laws of the country you are entering.
Where can you buy pepper spray?

Some states require you to purchase pepper spray over the counter at regulated stores. But for
most others, you can purchase pepper spray at many retailers, including big box stores like
Wal-Mart and Kmart. Many people purchase online too (and it can be a lot cheaper), but
again online buying may not be legal in your state. Read the fine print on any purchase on
sites like Amazon.com to know if the retailer will ship pepper spray to your location.
Pepper spray is serious stuff. Hotter than any one pepper on the Scoville scale and a serious
deterrent. It can offer a lot of security and protection, but, again, know your local laws prior
to buying. As long as you’ve done your homework, you’ll feel all the more secure for having
a tiny bottle with you as you go about your day.
CHAPTER EIGHT
The Numbers at a Glance
The Scoville Scale at a Glance

From mild to hot…
0: Bell Pepper
100 - 500: Pepperoncini
100 - 500: Pimento Pepper
500 - 2,500: Anaheim Pepper
1,000 - 1,500: Poblano Pepper
1,500 - 2,500: Rocotillo Pepper
2,500 - 8,000: Jalapeño Pepper
5,000 - 10,000: Hungarian Wax Pepper
10,000 - 23,000: Serrano Pepper
30,000 - 50,000: Tabasco Pepper
30,000 - 50,000: Cayenne Pepper
40,000 - 60,000: Pequin Pepper
50,000 - 100,000: Malagueta Pepper
50,000 - 100,000: Chiltepin
50,000 - 100,000: Thai Pepper
100,000 - 350,000: Scotch Bonnet Pepper
100,000 - 350,000: Habanero Pepper
350,000 - 577,000: Red Savina Habanero
425,000 - 577,000: Chocolate Habanero
855,000 - 1,041,427: Ghost Pepper
1,200,000 - 2,000,000: Trinidad Moruga Scorpion
1,400,000 - 2,200,000: Carolina Reaper
2,000,000 - 5,300,000: Pepper Spray
15,000,000 - 16,000,000: Pure Capsaicin
Jalapeño Reference Points at a

Glance
Every hot pepper has a range of heat represented numerically on the Scoville scale. This is
due to many factors, including growth temperature, soil, and pepper strain.
Here we put some context to those ranges. We use a pepper most of us have tried as a
reference point - the jalapeño - and determine the greatest potential range of heat difference.
The lowest number is determined by dividing the mildest potential variant into the hottest
potential variant. The high number is determined by diving the highest possible compared
pepper heat by the lowest possible jalapeño heat (2,500). The low number is determined by
dividing the highest possible jalapeño heat (8,000) into the lowest possible compared pepper
heat.
As an example, let’s look at the habanero. It’s 100,000 to 350,000 Scoville heat units:
300,000/2,500 = 12.5 (rounded down to 12)
100,000/8,000 = 140
That’s where we get 12 to 140 times hotter for the habanero, dependent on all possible heat
conditions. A typical hot pepper will fall somewhere in the middle of the range, but your
eating experience can run anywhere across it.
Bell Pepper: zero heat, so 2,500 - 8,000 times milder

Pepperoncini: 5 to 80 times milder
Pimento Pepper: 5 to 80 times milder
Anaheim Pepper: equal heat to 16 times milder
Poblano Pepper: 2 to 8 times milder
Rocotillo Pepper: equal heat to 5 times milder
Jalapeño Pepper: The reference point

Hungarian Wax Pepper: Equal heat to 4 times hotter
Serrano Pepper: near equal heat to 9 times hotter
Tabasco Pepper: 4 to 20 times hotter
Cayenne Pepper: 4 to 20 times hotter
Pequin Pepper: 5 to 24 times hotter
Malagueta Pepper: 6 to 40 times hotter
Chiltepin: 6 to 40 times hotter
Thai Pepper: 6 to 40 times hotter
Scotch Bonnet Pepper: 12 to 140 times hotter
Habanero Pepper: 12 to 140 times hotter
Red Savina Habanero: 44 to 231 times hotter
Chocolate Habanero: 53 to 231 times hotter
Ghost Pepper: 107 to 417 times hotter
Trinidad Moruga Scorpion: 150 to 800 times hotter
Carolina Reaper: 175 to 880 times hotter
Pepper Spray: 250 to 2,120 times hotter

Pure Capsaicin: 1,875 to to 6,400 times hotter
1
Photo Credit: ninacoco (http://www.flickr.com/photos/62274271@N00/5798566098/)
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
2
Photo Credit: Joi (http://www.flickr.com/photos/35034362831@N01/2809293321/)
3
Photo Credit: Jordan Davis (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ACherrypeppers.jpg)
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0
4
Photo Credit: orchidgalore (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AAnaheim_Chili_Peppers.jpg)
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0
5
Photo Credit: akroness (http://www.flickr.com/photos/21015483@N02/6960637883/)
6
By orchidgalore (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ARocotillo_chile_peppers.jpg)
7
Photo Credit: cjmartin (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42982698@N00/3986457740/)
8
Photo Credit: Pain Chaud (http://www.flickr.com/photos/28538827@N05/4990622560/)
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/
9
Photo Credit: karmadude (http://www.flickr.com/photos/43337914@N00/434344916/)
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/
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Photo Credit: Mr.TinDC (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7471115@N08/5092617147/)
11
Photo Credit: blumenbiene (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47439717@N05/6133195869/)
12
Photo Credit: potawie.Badagnani (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3APiquinbush.jpg)
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Photo Credit: Ana Sofia Guerreirinho (http://www.flickr.com/photos/98153870@N00/2892617699/)
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Photo Credit: Carstor (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ACapsicum_annuum_chiltepin_dried.jpg)
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Photo Credit: AZAdam (http://www.flickr.com/photos/38074672@N00/2082604402/)
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/
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Photo Credit: _sarchi (http://www.flickr.com/photos/23829501@N00/142191969/)
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Photo Credit: Tambako the Jaguar (http://www.flickr.com/photos/8070463@N03/2826292794/)
18
Photo Credit:Carstor (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ACapsicum_chinense_habanero_chocolate_fruits.jpg)
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Photo Credit: Asit K. Ghosh Thaumaturgist (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ABhutJolokia06_Asit.jpg)
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Photo Credit: Hankwang (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ATrinidad_Moruga_Scorpion.jpg)
21
Photo Credit: Dale Thurber (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ACarolina_Reaper_pepper_pods.jpg)
22
Photo Credit: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Michael Starkey

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THE PEPPER SCALE / 1

THE PEPPER SCALE

Birth of a Pepper Head

The Jalapeño Reference Point

Now let’s get to the exploring…

How to Use The Pepper Scale

What is the Scoville Scale?

But let’s dig a little deeper.

Going high tech: High performance liquid

It’s all subjective: The weaknesses of the pepper scale

• Human subjectivity: The Scoville Organoleptic Test relies on the variance in

The easy history

How it works: You’re eating an irritant

The health benefits of capsaicin

• Certain studies show it as an effective appetite suppressor. If you are looking to

It truly is the little compound that could

Are bell peppers chili peppers?

Why do bell peppers have no heat?

Are different colors of bell peppers healthier for you?

Do different bell pepper colors taste different?

Where can you buy bell peppers?

How hot are pepperoncini peppers?

Where do pepperoncini come from?

What do pepperoncini look like?

Where can you buy pepperoncini peppers?

How mild are pimento peppers?

What else are pimento peppers called?

What does a pimento pepper taste like?

What types of products do you find pimento pepper in?

Where can you buy pimento peppers?

So it doesn’t have the kick of a jalapeño?

Anaheim? Where does this chili pepper get its name?

What can you cook with Anaheim peppers?

Where can you buy Anaheim peppers?

What are the origins of the poblano?

So the poblano pepper is mild?

What do poblano peppers taste like?

Where can you buy poblano peppers?

So rocotillo peppers are mild?

There’s a lot of confusion on this chili?

What does a rocatillo pepper look like and taste like?

Where can you buy rocotillo peppers?

Not Too Hot, Not Too Mild…

How spicy are jalapeño peppers?

What do jalapeño peppers look like?

Where do jalapeño peppers come from?

Where can you buy jalapeño peppers?

Hungarian Wax Pepper

So the heat is like a jalapeño, pretty mild compared to

What’s with the name?

What’s the hot wax pepper taste like?

Where can you buy Hungarian wax peppers?

flavor is well worth the effort.

So this is bearable heat even for those less adventurous?

Where does the name come from?

What makes serrano peppers special?

What types of serrano pepper products are out there?