Matt Bray, Author at PepperScale

NuMex Twilight Guide: Heat, Flavor, Uses

What are NuMex Twilight peppers? The Numex Twilight may be tiny in size, but it packs a surprising amount of heat (30,000 to 50,000 Scoville heat units.) But that’s not what makes these chilies so very special. It’s how they mature – like a rainbow of …

Homemade Adobo Seasoning

by Matt Bray

From guacamole seasoning to steak rub…

Mexican adobo seasoning may sound exotic, but its ingredients are all common sights on the spice rack. When combined, they make a flavorful mix that’s just as perfect as a guacamole seasoning as it is a barbecue steak rub. Try it, too, as a spice for bean sides, a taco meat seasoning, or as a seasoning for a Mexican inspired salad. It’s very versatile. The chili heat in this recipe is provided by the paprika and chipotle powder.

Two long, light green Anaheim peppers next to four smaller, darker green jalapeños on a butcher-block counter

Anaheim Vs. Jalapeño: How Do They Compare?

by Matt Bray

Anaheim vs. jalapeño: which is hotter, how each tastes, how to tell them apart, where to find them, and how to swap one for the other.

Homemade Jerk Seasoning

by Matt Bray

A homemade jerk seasoning with allspice, brown sugar and cayenne, plus how it compares to traditional jerk, how to set the heat, and what to use it on.

Poblano Corn Chowder

by Matt Bray

A mild, creamy corn chowder built on roasted poblano peppers. Family friendly heat, a green vegetal note from the peppers, and a pot that thickens itself.

A speckled bowl of brick-red maple chipotle barbecue sauce with a basting brush, glazed grilled chicken drumsticks, two chipotles in adobo and a small bottle of maple syrup on a wooden board

Sweet Maple Chipotle Barbecue Sauce

by Matt Bray

A sweet and smoky barbecue sauce with maple syrup and chipotles in adobo, plus how to set the heat, how thick to simmer it, and the best ways to use it.

Chipotle dry rub in a speckled white bowl beside a thick raw rib eye coated with the rub on a worn wooden board

Smoky Sweet Chipotle Dry Rub

by Matt Bray

Chipotle powder is one of those spices that once you try it, it’s hard not to crave it. That smoky heat is special, and it’s also a ton of fun to experiment with, especially with barbecue. This chipotle dry rub recipe layers that flavorful smokiness with …

Purple Jalapeño Pepper Guide: Heat, Flavor, uses

by Matt Bray

What are purple jalapeño peppers? When you think of jalapeños, your mind likely first jumps to green chilies. For those that have grown them or bought them late in the season, you may also envision some red. But a purple jalapeño pepper? That’s not a …

Kung Pao Pepper: Putting POW In Pao

by Matt Bray

Versatile, with very eatable heat…

Scoville heat units (SHU): 7,000 – 12,000
Jalapeño reference point: Equal to 5 time hotter
Origin: Asia
Products and seeds: Kung Pao pepper on Amazon

If you’ve ever dined at (or ordered from) a Chinese restaurant, you’ve likely seen on the menu a few dishes labeled “Kung Pao”. Let’s set things straight out the gate – these dishes aren’t named for this chili. Kung Pao pepper is a recent hybrid chili, and Kung Pao dishes have been around for generations. But Kung Pao pepper does taste great in this dish – and it’s perfect for using in Asian, Thai, and Sichuan cuisine – as it’s an excellent less spicy alternative to Thai peppers and cayenne.

A bowl of spaghetti in a pale chipotle cream sauce with crumbled sausage and bacon, beside a dish of chipotles in adobo, garlic cloves and parsley on a wooden board

Creamy Spaghetti Chipotle With Sausage

by Matt Bray

Spaghetti in a smoky chipotle cream sauce with bacon and hot sausage, plus how to set the heat, why the pasta finishes in the pan, and what to serve with it.