Posted on 12/27/2013 9:07:41 AM PST by JoeProBono
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the hottest peppers in the world are the Carolina Reaper peppers grown in South Carolina by Ed Currie of PuckerButt Pepper Co.
Currie spent more than four years working with students at Winthrop University to alter a sweet hot pepper from the Caribbean and give it more zip. During tests at Winthrop, the Reaper averaged just shy of 1.6 million Scoville Heat Units. To put that in perspective, a standard jalapeno pepper registers around 5,000 on the Scoville scale.
The previous record holder, the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion pepper, was measured by New Mexico State University's Chile Pepper Institute with a mean of more than 1.2 million Scoville Heat Units.
Those are just the averages…
The hottest batch of Currie's peppers, code named HP22B -- Higher Power, Pot No. 22, Plant B -- clocked in at 2.2 million on the Scoville scale.
Currie sells Carolina Reaper seeds and hot sauces on the PuckerButt Pepper website. With names like “I Dare You Stupit” and “Purgatory,” Currie makes it fairly obvious he isn’t kidding about the heat.
This warning also helps to clarify that it might be wise to think twice before trying one of these sauces at home:
“After touching or handling hot peppers always remember to wash your hands with a product containing acidity such as lime or lemon juice. Some of our peppers are smokin’ hot and if not properly handled will temporarily damage skin tissue. When sharing your hot peppers with others, please let them know to use with caution.”
I threw mine away. Too hot, I mean a drop the size of a lady bug will kill you.
It used to be. It clocks in at about 1,041,000 Scoville units. This new pepper almost doubles the heat of the naga jolokia or bhut jolokia ghost peppers.
If you're brave and want to sample the real deal, crack open a beer or pour a tall glass of ice water (with lots of ice) and keep them at the ready. Insert a toothpick in the jar of Dave's Insanity and draw just a tiny bead on the end. Take a deep breath, exhale, and then place it on the tip of your tongue.
The heat starts slowly and then intensifies and spreads, like a carelessly-tossed cigarette butt on dry forest tinder. Don't worry: you won't really need to call in a helicopter crew to drop flame retardants on your head. But for a few seconds, you might feel that way...
last sentence == someone’s future tagline
“The heat starts slowly and then intensifies and spreads, like a carelessly-tossed cigarette butt on dry forest tinder.”
Quite an evocative description! I’m now tempted to try some.
raw, I like the fruity flavor over the smoky. Especially since we like to put it on grilled chicken.
I’ve long considered making “pepper spray wings”.
Here is the safe way to make habanero picante, which the first time you taste it, a single drop is unbearably hot, but with a month of daily consumption will probably work you up to between a tsp and a tbsp a day, and you will be hopelessly addicted to it.
Important safety notes: you must wear rubber gloves, a surgical mask and protective glasses, as well as work outdoors during several stages of this. All equipment should be pre-rinsed in cold water before you put it in a dishwasher. If you or anyone in the area develops a dry cough, it likely means you have inhaled some of its fumes.
Two begin, while wearing gloves, mask and glasses, outdoors, cap about 20 habaneros, then put them through a meat grinder, along with a quartered white onion. Put the mash in a large glass jar. Boil white vinegar with one teaspoon of salt per cup, and pour over the mash enough to cover, plus an inch or two. Put the lid on the jar, and wash equipment.
Put the jar in a cool, not sunlit place for two weeks, gently agitating daily.
Once again outdoors, do a final blending of the mix in a blender, then just before bottling, add one cup grain alcohol as a preservative. Do not strain, so it is somewhat thick like Sriracha sauce. The bottles you store it in should have holes at least 1/4” wide.
Habanero is about the strongest pepper you should do this with, as stronger peppers can result in mouth blisters. Importantly, even habaneros can cause skin blistering on people with thin or sensitive skin, so common sense and concern for safety should be used when working with them.
I always heard the ghost pepper was way hotter than the habenero. not sure if it has another name.
My son tried some of the Currie peppers at Albuquerque’s fiery food show. He said it was fine going down, but after a few moments it was like spontaneous human combustion, and he sweat out a gallon or two of water.
“Pa. Liquor Control Board Bans Grain Alcohol Sales”
I live in Pa - no preservative for me!
My whole project to grow these involves a long term ‘pest repellant’. I’m hoping to develop something, homegrown, to use on the stuff the bunnies, deer and raccoons like to munch on. The pepper spray in the bottle is spendy.
Yes it is. I have been trying to grow cayenne pepper too. I did buy some bulk spices and saved about 40% even after paying the shipping.
You can also use a strong vodka.
In moderation, they are a very flavorful pepper.
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