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Beyond the Basics: Chile Peppers

August 17, 2010 By Julie 35 Comments

Things are heating up at Mommie Cooks!  Today we’re going to talk chile peppers.  I know, yum, right?  I don’t know about you, but chile peppers have always been one of those things I’ve wanted to understand a bit better.  I mean really, there’s over 500 different varieties out there; how do you know which one to choose when making your pepper inspired meal?  And once you’ve got your peppers, how much should you use and how can you control how much heat your pepper will infuse into your meal?

I could go through every single pepper in detail, but then we’d be here until next week, so instead we’ll just focus on a few.  And wouldn’t you know, I took the liberty of venturing out to my International grocery store to pick up a handful of different varieties for us to look at and compare. Hopefully by the time we’re finished, you’ll have a better understanding of peppers and how to best use them.

So what are we waiting for?  Grab your gloves and let’s get cooking!

Tip number 1:  When working with hot chile peppers, be sure to use gloves.  This will help to keep the spicy oils from penetrating into your skin and burning. You can also rub a coating of oil on your hands before chopping to help repel the chile oils.

Chile peppers are an integral part of cooking here in the US and around the globe.  They’ve been used and eaten by people for thousands of years.  Did you know that peppers were first domesticated for human consumption 6,000 years ago and that their origins date back to 7500 B.C.?

One of the most unique aspects of peppers is, of course, their spice.  Peppers range from sweet (think your common green pepper, poblanos, and pepperocinis) to down right burning hot (we’re talking habeneros, thai, and cayenne).  And how do we determine how hot a pepper is?  Glad you asked.  We look at the level of capsaicin.


Tip number 2:  Don’t rely on appearance to tell you whether a pepper is hot or not.  The amount of heat a pepper will give out is actually based on how stressful it’s growing environment was.  The more stressed the plant, the higher the level of spice.  The result is that peppers of the same species can vary in their level of spiciness simply because of how and where they were grown.  Pretty cool huh?

Capsaicin is a chemical compound found naturally in peppers that gives it the spicy flavor that we’ve come to know so well.  We measure it based on a scale we call the Scoville scale.  Levels range from zero, no spice, to 16 million which is considered pure capsaicin.  Now THAT’s hot.

For our purposes here, I put together my own little scoville scale showing the levels of spice for the peppers in the pictures above.

My handy dandy homemade scoville chart.  Isn’t she pretty?

Tip number 3:  Did you know that the majority of capsaicin isn’t in the seeds as most people think, but in the ribs of the pepper?  If you want to remove some of the spiciness of your pepper, be sure to remove both the seeds and the ribs!

Ok, we’ve learned a bit about a different species of peppers and what makes them so spicy (or not so spicy as the case may be).  Now let’s talk about some uses.

  • Consumption– Most commonly, peppers can be used for consumption.  They can be roasted, dried, toasted, fried, grilled… the possibilities are endless!
  • Medicinal – Did you know that capsaicin is an endorphin?  It can help improve your mood, allieviate pain, curb hunger, help with your memory and improve the production of sex hormones in your body.  Ooh la la!  Bring on the peppers!
  • Crop Protection – Farmers in Africa will plant peppers around their crops in order to keep the elephants out.  Somehow I don’t think we have that problem here in the states!

Tip number 4:  Have a problem with squirrels eating all your suet?  Buy the spicy pepper suet.  You can also mix cayenne pepper in with your bird seed.  Birds can’t taste spice but squirrels can.  The birds will enjoy a delicious noon day snack without the hindrance of  a squirrel stealing their meal!  Because birds can’t taste a peppers spice, they are an integral way that peppers spread their seeds and grow.

I hope I’ve educated us all a bit more on chile peppers today.  If you have any questions about peppers, just add them to the comments and I’ll see what I can dig up.
And if you have a topic you want featured on Beyond the Basics, be it an ingredient, a cooking process, or anything else you can dream up, let me know and I’ll see about featuring it in a future edition.

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Comments

  1. Sanjeeta kk says

    August 17, 2010 at 5:07 am

    Wow! Thats quite an information Julie! Love to bookmark it. Thanks for sharing, take care.

    Reply
  2. Renata says

    August 17, 2010 at 5:54 am

    I'm bookmarking this one! Thanks so much for such useful information! I'm living in Korea now and they LOVE spicy food! The most common pepper here is the red one. They make red pepper paste (it's very tasty, actually) and use it all over their dishes. It is widely sold in big containers that I bought as soon as I arrived here, certain that it was tomato sauce! My husband loves it. I do enjoy it too, but a little milder. And after your perfectly taught lesson, I can be more confident when shopping for peppers! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  3. Miel Abeille says

    August 17, 2010 at 6:02 am

    Excellent post! Informational, yet conversational — I love it!

    Reply
  4. chocoholic says

    August 17, 2010 at 7:53 am

    Mr. Groom is always wanting more peppers and more spicy dishes so now I have a little bit more knowledge to work with.

    Reply
  5. Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says

    August 17, 2010 at 8:12 am

    That was so interesting! I had no idea that the way that it grew had such an influence on the spiciness! 😮

    Reply
  6. anniebakes says

    August 17, 2010 at 10:00 am

    Great info, Jules!

    anne
    http://www.anniebakes.net

    Reply
  7. A SPICY PERSPECTIVE says

    August 17, 2010 at 10:07 am

    Great post! I always mix a little cayenne into the soil when I'm planting to ward off the squirrels! Works like a charm!

    Reply
  8. Ameena says

    August 17, 2010 at 10:13 am

    I just found your site from Monet's and I love it. I am so ignorant when it comes to any pepper other than the bell, so thank you for educating me on this wonderful Tuesday morning.

    PS – your kids are adorable.

    Reply
  9. Biren says

    August 17, 2010 at 10:35 am

    That's very informative. Now I know what to put out for those pesky squirrels in my yard.

    Reply
  10. Ingrid says

    August 17, 2010 at 12:18 pm

    Thanks, now I know! 🙂
    ~ingrid

    Reply
  11. Monet says

    August 17, 2010 at 12:35 pm

    We should have read this the other night…my husband was making salsa and he burned his hands so badly! I'm bookmarking this though for future reference!

    Reply
  12. Julie @ Willow Bird Baking says

    August 17, 2010 at 1:14 pm

    Super handy! I read on Twitter once where someone had peeled pounds of jalapenos without gloves — yikes! Her hands burned for hours!

    Reply
  13. Christina says

    August 17, 2010 at 1:25 pm

    Thanks for the great information! I have an abundance of peppers in my garden and would love some creative ideas or recipes of how to use them!

    Reply
  14. Juliana says

    August 17, 2010 at 1:27 pm

    Oh Julie, haven't seen so many peppers together…love the information on the post…thank you!

    Reply
  15. Sage says

    August 17, 2010 at 2:03 pm

    I come from northern Ontario and I admit I am completely clueless about chilis. Thank you for that wealth of information. I would love to be brave and start cooking wich chili pepper.
    Rita

    Reply
  16. gringationcancun says

    August 17, 2010 at 2:21 pm

    Very informational! I definitely need that, living in Mexico haha

    Here in the Yucatan Peninsula, they love Habanero peppers! Very spicy!

    Seems like the smaller the pepper, the spicier it is, judging by your chart.

    Reply
  17. Salsa Verde says

    August 17, 2010 at 3:47 pm

    Thank you so much for that precious information!!
    Cheers,
    Lia.

    Reply
  18. Nirmala says

    August 17, 2010 at 4:02 pm

    Here I just a caught the pesky squirrels eating bird food and you have a solution! Funny! I don't find that I need gloves when I chop peppers but I guess it's an individual sensitivity.

    Reply
  19. Lindsay @ Pinch of Yum says

    August 17, 2010 at 4:07 pm

    Wow! I never knew about the ribs being so spicy. Thanks for the info!

    Reply
  20. grace says

    August 17, 2010 at 4:29 pm

    i love peppers of all shapes, sizes, colors, and scoville units. sadly, i can't tell you how many times i've chopped one up and promptly scratched my eye. even more sadly, i still stubbornly refuse to wear gloves. 🙂

    Reply
  21. thehungryartist says

    August 17, 2010 at 6:25 pm

    Thanks for laying it out like that — very informative!

    Reply
  22. Joey @ Big Teeth and Clouds says

    August 17, 2010 at 8:27 pm

    Luckily I didn't grow any hot peppers in my garden. They'd probably burn our eyes while we're playing in the yard, my poor soil is such a hostile environment!

    Reply
  23. Maranda says

    August 17, 2010 at 9:05 pm

    Yum!!! I love me some peppers!! Especially the jalapeno variety! Thanks for posting this. I found myself saying "huh" a few times. Not "huh??" but "huh!" Great job lady! I'm loving this series a lot!

    Reply
  24. Holly says

    August 18, 2010 at 1:23 am

    I liked this schooling! I love some kick in my food, but no nothing…until now…about chili peppers. Great info. I think I must be spicy based on my growing environment!

    Reply
  25. 5 Star Foodie says

    August 18, 2010 at 10:01 am

    Terrific info on chile peppers! Just sent you an email about winning the chavrie giveaway 🙂

    Reply
  26. Mowenackie says

    August 18, 2010 at 12:20 pm

    Thanks for all of the great info! Do you have any "rules of thumb" when it comes to picking peppers? I'm trying to decide whether my banana peppers are ready to be plucked.

    Reply
  27. The Bitch Stopped Cooking says

    August 18, 2010 at 8:21 pm

    Awesome. Thanks for sharing! This is so useful and interesting.

    Reply
  28. Anna Johnston says

    August 19, 2010 at 12:51 am

    Loved the tips and learnt something new. I didn’t know the harder the growing conditions the hotter the pepper…, learn something new everyday.
    Cheers Anna
    PS: Thanks for visiting my blog too, thanks so much. I really look forward to your updates.

    Reply
  29. Alex Fitzpatrick says

    August 19, 2010 at 7:43 am

    Good stuff, Julie! I love peppers. I love to learn how to cook better with them. I love to watch Adam Richman on Man vs. Food eat foolish amounts of them.

    Lots of yummy love,
    Alex aka Ma, What’s For Dinner
    http://www.mawhats4dinner.com

    Reply
  30. Maricris says

    August 26, 2010 at 10:37 pm

    I love spicy! The spicier it is, the better. I also love curry dishes with a bite. Yum! So great seeing you today Julie. Can’t wait until Type A. We need a serious girl day out =)

    Reply
  31. Matt Kay says

    August 29, 2010 at 5:02 am

    Great post! I’m sure it’s fairly obvious that I’m a chile fanatic so this was right up my alley.

    If you didn’t already know, capsaicin causes your nerve endings to release endorphins and substance P. Substance P tells your brain that your mouth is on fire (or your eye if you scratched it and weren’t wearing gloves). Capsaicin causes your nerves to deplete themselves of substance P which then causes a numbing effect. No signal…no pain. This is why it’s used topically in creams for pain and itch relief!

    They also raise your body temperature slightly with gives you a metabolic boost. This in turn triggers fat burning in your body. It’s not a magic bullet though. Just a little boost.

    The endorphins are why I eat the peppers though. If you consume a high quantity you actually get a mini-buzz. 😀

    Reply
  32. Sima says

    January 13, 2012 at 8:47 pm

    Hi Julie, amazing post. I have recently went to Mexico and it was amazing to see all kinds of chili peppers both fresh and dried form. The markets were filled with sacks of them. So I bought different kinds (dried) and now trying to get to know them. Do you have any suggestions, recipes that uses dried chili peppers?? It will be amazing if you can post something on them as a continuation.

    Thanks, 🙂

    Sima

    Reply
  33. Cos garza says

    September 8, 2016 at 6:48 am

    Where can I buy Thai and jamiacan plants?

    Reply
  34. Natacha says

    May 18, 2020 at 1:04 pm

    I was just researching banana peppers since I was given some and questioned if it was indeed a banana pepper due to its heat…ouch! Like you thought that they were not hot but these were about as spicy as jalapeños at least!

    Reply

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