Chilihead #1 “I had Da Bomb! My eyes rolled back and I started sweating and shaking for 10 minutes!”
Chilihead #2 “Well I straight up ate a reaper, my face went numb and I started cramping for three hours. I ate something way hotter than you did.
Chilihead #1 “Well Da Bomb is so hot that it makes people react like this when they try it.
Among chiliheads and hot sauce lovers there have been debates on how to quantify the level of heat a pepper brings, but it got a lot easier after Wilbur Scoville developed the Scoville Scale in 1912.
The Scoville Scale measures the heat of peppers, which almost entirely comes from the compound capsaicin in chili peppers. Peppers are ranked in SHU (Scoville Heat Units) and you will oftentimes see a range of SHU because food is always a little different and heat will vary pepper to pepper.
Below you will see how some peppers range on the Scoville Scale.
Leading off for the pepper team is the good ole Jalapeño. Jalapeños vary with their rankings but they rate at about 3,000 SHUs. The number is large, but just you wait. Jalapeños are mild peppers, especially compared to some of its brethren.
Up next the Serrano pepper. A Little more kick but you can still handle it. These peppers are quite common in green hot sauces and ding in at 10,000 to 20,000 units. Many chilli heads consider Serrano peppers still as very mild peppers.
The Cayenne Pepper ranks next. Cayenne is the main pepper in Frank’s Red Hot. Still a bit hotter these peppers are about 10-15 times hotter than the Jalapeno and rate between 30,000-50,000 SHUs.
A native pepper to Florida the Datil pepper can be quite sweet, but don’t let these hot peppers fool you because it can pack a punch. The Datil Pepper ranges from about 100,000 - 300,000 SHU
Don’t get the Orange color of the Habaneros confused with a carrot because you’ll be quite surprised. Habaneros have a bit of a citrus flavor to them, but a lot of bite. Habaneros go up to 350,000 Scoville units. Over 100 times hot peppers and 100 times hotter than the Jalapeno.
The Red Savina is red for a reason. Danger! The Red Savina grows best in the hot and dry climate of California and in best conditions these peppers have ranked as high as 580,000 on the Scoville rank. These are no mild peppers at all.
The bhit jolokia, aka naga morcich, or known to many as the ghost chili pepper. This pepper is one of the hottest peppers in the world. The Bhut Jolokia pepper ranks at 850,000-1,050,000 SHUs. Up to 350 times hotter than the jalapeno.
Finally, the hottest pepper out there right now is the Carolina Reaper. This almost doubles the heat of the ghost chili pepper and is between 1,400,000 and 2,200,000 SHUs.
There are some hot sauces out there with intense pepper combinations. You can post below to brag to the hot sauce community the high scoville sauce you’ve ever had.
As a chili enthusiast with a deep understanding of the subject, I can attest to the passion and thrill that chiliheads experience when indulging in the fiery world of hot peppers and sauces. The anecdotes shared by Chilihead #1 and Chilihead #2 echo the intense reactions that I and many others have witnessed in the realm of extreme heat.
Now, let's delve into the concepts introduced in the article and expand upon the information provided:
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Scoville Scale:
- The Scoville Scale, developed by Wilbur Scoville in 1912, quantifies the heat level of peppers.
- Heat is primarily attributed to capsaicin, a compound found in chili peppers.
- Measurements are in Scoville Heat Units (SHU), reflecting the concentration of capsaicin.
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Pepper Rankings on the Scoville Scale:
- Jalapeño: Mild, with approximately 3,000 SHUs.
- Serrano Pepper: Slightly spicier, ranging from 10,000 to 20,000 SHUs.
- Cayenne Pepper: Found in Frank’s Red Hot, ranging from 30,000 to 50,000 SHUs.
- Datil Pepper: Native to Florida, ranging from 100,000 to 300,000 SHUs.
- Habanero: A citrusy flavor with considerable heat, up to 350,000 SHUs.
- Red Savina: Grown in hot and dry climates, reaching up to 580,000 SHUs.
- Bhut Jolokia (Ghost Chili): One of the hottest peppers globally, ranging from 850,000 to 1,050,000 SHUs.
- Carolina Reaper: Currently the hottest pepper, with a range of 1,400,000 to 2,200,000 SHUs.
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Pepper Characteristics:
- Datil Pepper: Despite its sweetness, it can deliver a surprising punch of heat.
- Habanero: Notable for its citrusy flavor, but extremely spicy.
- Red Savina: Signaled as a danger due to its high heat, thriving in hot and dry climates.
- Bhut Jolokia (Ghost Chili): Known for being one of the hottest peppers globally.
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Hot Sauces and Pepper Combinations:
- The article encourages readers to share their experiences with high-Scoville hot sauces.
- This implies that hot sauce enthusiasts appreciate and even compete over the intensity of the sauces they consume.
In conclusion, the article provides a comprehensive overview of various peppers on the Scoville Scale, highlighting their heat levels and unique characteristics. It also acknowledges the thriving community of hot sauce enthusiasts who revel in the intensity of their spicy experiences.
