Matt Bray, Author at PepperScale

What’s A Good Piquillo Pepper Substitute?

With their smoky sweet flavor and lightly simmering heat, piquillo peppers are a family-friendly favorite. They’re typically simple to source (sold jarred) at higher-end supermarkets and specialty stores, But if they’re not available, what’s a good piquillo pepper substitute? What’s quick to pick up? What’ll …

What’s A Good Ras El Hanout Substitute?

by Matt Bray

Ras el hanout is a favorite for spicing up Moroccan tagines and other North African cuisines. But as popular as this exotic spice blend is for this regional fair, it can be tough to source for the everyday chef. So where should you turn? What’s …

Eight Tasty And Bold Cowboy Candy Uses

by Matt Bray

Cowboy candy refers to candied jalapeño peppers. If consists of sliced jalapeños preserved in a syrup made with sugar, vinegar, and spices like turmeric, garlic powder, and cayenne. Think of it as being like a pepper jam but with larger pieces of pepper. The recipes’ …

What’s A Good Hot Sauce Substitute?

by Matt Bray

Have a recipe that calls for a few dashes of hot sauce, and there’s none in your cupboard? Or are you simply looking for alternative heat sources that don’t contain chili pepper? What are your options when you need a hot sauce substitute? There’s very …

Extra Habaneros? Seven Fun Habanero Uses

by Matt Bray

Habanero peppers were once considered some of the hottest peppers in the world. These chilies acquired their notoriety long before the rise of the super-hots like the ghost pepper and the Carolina Reaper came around. Habanero chilies are nowhere near as hot as today’s hottest …

What’s A Good Substitute For Cajun Seasoning?

by Matt Bray

Cajun seasoning is a versatile spice mix that brings a little Southern flair to any dish. From eggs to blackened steak, its taste is sizzling good. So good, in fact, that you may be surprised how easy it is to find an excellent substitute for Cajun …

What’s A Good Dried Chili Substitute?

by Matt Bray

So you have a recipe calling for dried chilies, and that’s not something you normally stock in your kitchen? Or maybe your specialty grocer is simply out. What’s the next best thing? What’s a good dried chili substitute that’ll still bring that hot pepper intensity …

What’s The Best Shishito Pepper Substitute?

by Matt Bray

Padrón is the closest shishito substitute, Italian long hots are the easiest to actually find, and a bell pepper will get you through Tuesday. Here are the swaps, the amounts, and the one to skip.

What’s A Good Banana Pepper Substitute?

by Matt Bray

Pepperoncini is so close to a banana pepper that most people can’t tell them apart, and it’s on the same shelf. Here are the swaps, the amounts, and the one to skip.

Pasilla vs. Guajillo — How Do They Compare?

by Matt Bray

Pasilla chilies — also known as the pasilla negro or chile negro — and guajillos are two popular dried Mexican peppers. They both are part of the famous Mexican holy trinity of dried chilies (along with the ancho) that are so popular with mole sauces …