Turn Up The Heat: All About Hot Peppers
Hot peppers are turning up the heat in kitchens everywhere as spicy flavors continue to trend. The kick from peppers comes from compounds called capsaicinoids, with capsaicin being the main one responsible for their fiery sensation. To measure the heat of peppers, we use the Scoville scale, which rates spiciness in Scoville Heat Units (SHU) based on the concentration of capsaicinoids. Whether you’re a fan of mild jalapeños or the scorching intensity of habaneros, adding spicy peppers to your meals is a great way to enhance the flavor of fruits and vegetables.
A few of the more common and popular hot pepper varieties include:
- Carolina Reaper – 1,500,000-2,500,000 SHU
- Habanero Pepper – 100,000-350,000 SHU
- Thai Chili Pepper – 50,000-100,000 SHU
- Serrano Pepper – 10,000-25,000 SHU
- Cayenne Pepper – 25,000-50,000 SHU
- Jalapeno Pepper – 2,500-10,000 SHU
- Poblano Pepper – 1,000-2,000 SHU
- Pimiento – 0-500 SHU
- Bell Pepper – 0 SHU
Though you may think of hot peppers as a condiment when adding them to your sandwiches or as a topping to nachos or other appetizers, here are a few other creative ways to use them as well:
- Artichoke, Spinach & Jalapeño Cream Cheese Dip/Spread
- Green Chile Queso With Blended Chorizo & Mushrooms
- Pumpkin Poblano Chili
- Lemon Cranberry Jalapeño Margojito
- Green Chile Pozole
- Cornbread Jalapeño Popper Muffins
