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Questions tagged [chili-peppers]

Questions about the hot (spicy) members of the pepper family, whether fresh, dried, or ground. These are the fruits of plants belonging to the genus Capsicum. Alternate spellings include chilli, chiles, chilies.

The Chili Pepper is the general name for a group of pepper varieties in the family Capsicum commonly used to add spice to foods. They are members of the nightshade family and are native to the New World. Through trade, they have become integral parts of cultural foods around the world, particularly in parts of Asia.

These peppers are often rated by spiciness on a subjective scale known as the Scoville heat unit, or simply Scoville Scale.

Commonly used members of this family include:

  • Anaheim
  • Cayenne
  • Habanero
  • Jalapeño
  • Pequin
  • Poblano
  • Serrano
  • Tabasco

As a note, while the name "chili pepper" can include non-spicy varieties, we have opted to use this tag to relate only to spicy peppers. Please see this Meta topic for more information.

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How can you reduce the heat of a chili pepper?

There are many chilis that have amazing flavors but are so hot that it is hard for most of us to appreciate them. Beyond the standard suggestion to discard the seeds and cut away the ribs, are there any other methods that can lower the capsaicin…
Michael Natkin
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Are chillies hotter when they're ripe?

This answer might vary between types of chillies, but I'm curious to know when they're hottest.
gak
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What determines total heat when using chilis? Quantity × intensity?

I recently tried a bite of a Bhut/Naga Jolokia pepper, which is rated to be 3-10 times hotter than a "standard" habanero. It was hot, but the total experience was not worse than a habanero, and definitely not worse than Buffalo Wild Wings' "Blazin'…
mskfisher
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Roasting smaller, thinly skinned peppers - removing peel

I roast red bell peppers all the time. I use a number of methods, but most typically I slice them in half longitudinally, roast at 450F cut side down on a foil lined sheet tray treated with non-stick spray until they are thoroughly blackened and…
Jolenealaska
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How does the taste of Bird Eye Chillies differ at different stages of maturity (green vs red)?

What's the difference in taste between green and red Bird's Eye Chillies?
Hokiedood
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Burning from Pepper?

I was wondering if anyone knew how to get rid of this burning sensation on my hands from some peppers that I chopped earlier this evening. I've washed my hands multiple times and it seems that I am unable to wash off the acid. Does anyone know of a…
Urdungo
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preserving hot peppers without damaging heat

How is this possible? My garden is starting to produce but I don't yet have enough to make into hot sauce. It would be easier to mske a large batch at the end of the season. Texture isn't important, just preserving flavor and heat since it will be…
Matthew
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Can fresh Poblano peppers be used raw?

I was thinking about making a pasta salad with roasted, peeled Poblanos and started to wonder if raw diced Poblanos might work and add a bit of crispness (texture) as bell peppers do. Since I have only ever used Poblanos that have been roasted and…
Cindy
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Should chili peppers be seared?

I've seen some recipes call for chili peppers to be roasted until the skin is charred but not burnt, and then peeled. How does this change their flavour? (Do they become hotter?) Should the skins be discarded, or do they contain some flavour on…
Kirill
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Chili pepper size vs heat

Does the size of the pepper have any affect on how hot/spicy the pepper will be? ex. Is a smaller ghost pepper less hot than a ghost pepper twice its size?
Kelly
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How should I substitute jalapeño peppers for fresh green cayenne peppers?

I'm making tomato relish and my recipe requires 10 fresh green cayenne peppers, which aren't available at this time. I can buy Jalapeño peppers and would like to substitute those, but I don't know if I should use 1 to 1. I use a bushel of tomatoes,…
Sally
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Do more peppers mean more heat?

I see a lot of the hottest foods having multiple peppers used in their sauce, with the infamous ghost peppers being among them. If the ghost pepper is the hottest pepper in the dish, do the other peppers really add any more heat to the recipe or do…
Iszi
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How should I handle chiles without gloves?

I know that to be really safe, especially with really hot peppers or large quantities, gloves are the way to go. But often I don't really need gloves: I have a small quantity of something not too hot (jalapeños or serranos), and I have a reasonable…
Cascabel
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Stuffed peppers that don't burn on to the pot

My wife and I enjoy peppers stuffed with a meat/rice mix (with spices). We start with raw peppers and uncooked meat, and put the peppers in a small pot (or tagine) with tomato puree or tomato paste-based sauce around them, and cook for ~40 minutes.…
Rex Kerr
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Do dried poblano/ancho chili have an expiration date?

I cleaned my kitchen cupboard and found a packet of ancho chili (dried poblano) that I bought a really long time ago (about 10 years?) Can I still use them in recipes or do they have a "best before date" ? They still look good, they do not look to…
Max
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