Pepper Profiles – Page 13

Trinidad Scorpion “Butch T” Guide: Heat, Flavor, Uses

What are Trinidad Scorpion “Butch T” peppers? A strain of the infamous Trinidad Scorpion pepper, the Trinidad Scorpion “Butch T” was once the hottest pepper in the world – holding the Guinness Book of World Records title in 2011. This is truly a global strain, …

Komodo Dragon Pepper: Fire Bringer

by Matt Bray

Slow-burn super-hot…

Scoville heat units (SHU): 1,400,000 – 2,200,000
Jalapeño reference point: 175 to 880 times hotter
Origin: United Kingdom
Seeds: Komodo Dragon seeds on Amazon

Blistering hot is the only way to describe the Komodo Dragon pepper. With a spiciness that rivals (but doesn’t quite beat) the Carolina Reaper, this super-hot chili is no doubt for extreme eaters only. Like the ghost pepper, it has a “sneaky heat”, a slow burn that allows a lovely fruity flavor to set before knocking your socks off. And unlike most other super-hots, the Komodo Dragon pepper has a place on the supermarket aisle – at least in the United Kingdom where it’s carried in Tesco supermarkets throughout the country.

Santa Fe Grande Pepper: Southwest Sweet

by Matt Bray

Sweet, slightly smoky, and mild… Scoville heat units (SHU): 500 – 700 Jalapeño reference point: 3 to 16 times milder Origin: United States Seeds: Santa Fe Grande pepper on Amazon With their sweet flavor, mild heat, and vibrant color, the Santa Fe Grande pepper (a.k.a. the guero …

Trinidad 7 Pot Pepper: Caribbean Fire

by Matt Bray

A rare super-hot, wicked habanero-like flavor… Scoville heat units (SHU): 1,000,000 – 1,200,000Jalapeño reference point: 125 to 480 times hotterOrigin: TrinidadProducts and seeds: Trinidad 7 Pot on Amazon With its rounded shape, the Trinidad 7 Pot pepper (a.k.a. the 7 Pod pepper) may often look …

Siling Labuyo: The Filipino Bird’s Eye

by Matt Bray

Small, but fiery….

Scoville heat units (SHU): 80,000 – 100,000
Jalapeño reference point: 10 to 40 times hotter
Origin: Phillipines
Products and seeds: Siling Labuyo on Amazon

The “wild chili” of the Philippines may be tiny, but – like the Thai chilies they are often mistaken for – they pack a punch well beyond their size. Their heat borders that of habanero peppers, but without the complexity of flavor. Siling Labuyo are popular in Filipino cuisine to bring a big spiciness to a meal, though they are becoming increasingly harder to source – they have been marked as an endangered heritage food by the Slow Food Ark of Taste.

Chilly Chili: The Family-Friendly Ornamental Pepper

by Matt Bray

Beautiful and very mild…

Scoville heat units (SHU): 1 – 1,000
Jalapeño reference point: 2 to 8,000 times milder
Origin: USA
Seeds: Chilly chili on Amazon

Behind the beauty of most ornamental peppers lies intense heat, but not the Chilly Chili. These peppers are closer to a bell pepper in spiciness than a jalapeño, making their beauty very family-friendly in comparison. If keeping your edible garden “colorful yet mild” is key, this hot pepper is a perfect choice. The Chilly Chili plant’s bright bunches of yellow, orange, and red peppers really are a standout, both in containers and outdoor gardens.

Peperone Di Senise: Basilicata’s Sweet Treasure

by Matt Bray

Delicious fresh or dried…

Scoville heat units (SHU): 0
Jalapeño reference point: 2,500 – 8,000 milder
Origin: Italy
Seeds: Peperone di Senise on Amazon

Few peppers define a regional cuisine as well as Peperone di Senise (a.k.a. the Senise pepper). With its delicious, sweet flavor and little to no heat, the Peperone di Senise is a staple of the rustic cuisine of the Basilicata region of Italy. While it’s used fresh (and simply perfect as a frying pepper), it’s the Senise pepper in dried form (known then as Peperone Crusco) that’s used the most often. Dried, it flavors meats, soups, and stews, along with a wide variety of rustic Italian meals.

Aji Chombo: The Fiery Panamanian Pepper

by Matt Bray

Habanero-like heat and flavor…

Scoville heat units (SHU): 150,000 to 350,000
Jalapeño reference point: 18 to 140 times hotter
Origin: Panama
Products and seeds: Aji chombo on Amazon

While not easy to source in the U.S. or U.K., the aji chombo holds a lot of sway in its native Panama. With its extra-hot heat and fruity flavor, it compares well to its Caribbean cousins, the habanero and scotch bonnet peppers. If you’re looking to make an authentic Panamanian hot sauce with extra kick (or any fiery authentic Panamanian cuisine), the aji chombo is your chili of choice.

Aji Dulce: Heat, Flavor, Uses

by Matt Bray

Habanero looks, yet very little fire…

Scoville heat units (SHU): 0 to 1,000
Jalapeño reference point: 3 to 8,000 times milder
Origin: Caribbean
Products and seeds: Aji dulce on Amazon

Do you love the fruity sweet flavor of habanero peppers, yet can do without the fire of the infamous extra-hot chili? Meet the aji dulce, also known as ajicito or aji cachucha. This habanero look-alike packs a sweet and smoky taste with very little (if any) perceptible heat. It’s perfect for mild salsas, sauces, and a must for Caribbean cooking, especially Cuban and Venezuelan cuisine.

Trinidad Perfume: Super Sweet Without Super Heat

by Matt Bray

Fruity and flavorful, perfect for mild tropical salsas…

Scoville heat units (SHU): 0 to 500
Jalapeño reference point: 5 to 8,000 times milder
Origin: Caribbean
Seeds: Trinidad Perfume on Amazon

When you hear the term ”Trinidad” in relation to chili peppers, a world of super-hots come to mind: the super-fiery Trinidad moruga scorpion or one of its Caribbean relatives like the extra-hot habanero or Scotch bonnet. But in the case of the Trinidad Perfume, while the pepper carries a similar “gonna burn you up” look, its heat is far from it – it’s more akin to a bell pepper in fieriness than a scorpion pepper. Yet the Trinidad Perfume still carries that delicious fruitiness those super-hots are known for, making this chili a perfect low-heat option for tropical salsas and hot sauces.