Aji Panca Chilies
Mild
500 - 1,500
Chile Pepper Heat Scale
Many people love chile peppers, the hotter the better
Some Like Them Hot, Some Not
A chile pepper’s heat comes from capsaicin. It’s what causes the burning sensation when chile peppers encounter tissue. Biological studies show that it also activates heat receptors in the human mouth (just as menthol activates cold receptors). Capsaicin is a molecule that occurs naturally in peppers and likely evolved to deter mammals from eating them. It appears to not have deterred humans much, however. Many people love chile peppers, the hotter the better. One of the easiest ways to tone down a chile pepper’s heat, if desired, is by removing the seeds and inner ribs, which will significantly decrease the total capsaicin level of the pepper.
How Hot is Hot?
The Scoville heat scale (developed in 1912) is the oldest and most referenced method of measuring pepper heat. The testing method is simple: a panel of five or more judges is subjected to a taste test featuring the paste form of each pepper that has been diluted with sugar syrup. The degree of dilution required for the judges not to detect any capsaicin in the mixture determines each pepper’s rating on the scale. Despite its inherent subjectivity, this scale is still a useful way of ranking peppers relative to other peppers.
Mulato Chilies
Chocolate/licorice-like flavor
500 - 2,500
New Mexico Chilies
Dried red Anaheim peppers
750 - 1,250
Ancho Chilies
Dried poblanos
1,000 - 1,500
Pasilla Negro Chilies
Good in moles
1,000 - 2,000
Guajillo Chilies
Mild flavor, some heat
2,500 - 5,000
Jalapeño Chilies
Some heat, grassy-earthy flavor
2,500 - 8,000
Puya Chilies
Similar flavor to Guajillo, more spice
5,000 - 8,000
Organic Chipotle Morita Chilies
Smoked, dried Jalapeño
5,000 - 10,000
Aji Amarillo Chilies
Essential in Peruvian food
5,000 - 25,000
Brown (Meco) Chipotle Chilies
Smoky & spicy
7,000 - 18,000
Chipotle Morita Chilies
Smoked, dried Jalapeño
7,000 - 25,000
Urfa Biber Chilies
Sweet, citrusy & smoky
7,500
Cascabel Chilies
Round, with seeds that rattle
8,000 - 12,000
De Arbol Chilies
Similar to cayenne
15,000 - 30,000
Japones Chilies
Medium-strength Asian chile
15,000 - 36,000
Pequin Chilies
Spicy, hint of citrus, sweetness
40,000 - 50,000
Tepin Chilies
Powerful but brief heat
50,000 - 70,000
Dried Thai Chilies
Used in Thai, Chinese cooking
50,000 - 100,000
Habanero Chilies
Very hot, fruity/floral flavor
100,000 - 200,000
Organic Habanero Chilies
Very hot, fruity/floral flavor
100,000 - 300,000
Scotch Bonnet Chilies
Similar heat to Habanero, fruitier flavor
75,000 - 325,000
Ghost Chilies
Very, very hot with slight smokiness
300,000 - 400,000
Scorpion Chilies
Incredibly hot
Up to 800,000
Browse More:
Shop for Chilies
Fresh Chile Recipes
Chile Pepper Heat Scale
Many people love chile peppers, the hotter the better
Some Like Them Hot, Some Not
A chile pepper’s heat comes from capsaicin. It’s what causes the burning sensation when chile peppers encounter tissue. Biological studies show that it also activates heat receptors in the human mouth (just as menthol activates cold receptors). Capsaicin is a molecule that occurs naturally in peppers and likely evolved to deter mammals from eating them. It appears to not have deterred humans much, however. Many people love chile peppers, the hotter the better. One of the easiest ways to tone down a chile pepper’s heat, if desired, is by removing the seeds and inner ribs, which will significantly decrease the total capsaicin level of the pepper.
How Hot is Hot?
The Scoville heat scale (developed in 1912) is the oldest and most referenced method of measuring pepper heat. The testing method is simple: a panel of five or more judges is subjected to a taste test featuring the paste form of each pepper that has been diluted with sugar syrup. The degree of dilution required for the judges not to detect any capsaicin in the mixture determines each pepper’s rating on the scale. Despite its inherent subjectivity, this scale is still a useful way of ranking peppers relative to other peppers.
| Aji Panca Chilies | Mild | 500 - 1,500 |
| Mulato Chilies | Chocolate/licorice-like flavor | 500 - 2,500 |
| New Mexico Chilies | Dried red Anaheim peppers | 750 - 1,250 |
| Ancho Chilies | Dried poblanos | 1,000 - 1,500 |
| Pasilla Negro Chilies | Good in moles | 1,000 - 2,000 |
| Guajillo Chilies | Mild flavor, some heat | 2,500 - 5,000 |
| Jalapeño Chilies | Some heat, grassy-earthy flavor | 2,500 - 8,000 |
| Puya Chilies | Similar flavor to Guajillo, more spice | 5,000 - 8,000 |
| Organic Chipotle Morita Chilies | Smoked, dried Jalapeño | 5,000 - 10,000 |
| Aji Amarillo Chilies | Essential in Peruvian food | 5,000 - 25,000 |
| Brown (Meco) Chipotle Chilies | Smoky & spicy | 7,000 - 18,000 |
| Chipotle Morita Chilies | Smoked, dried Jalapeño | 7,000 - 25,000 |
| Urfa Biber Chilies | Sweet, citrusy & smoky | 7,500 |
| Cascabel Chilies | Round, with seeds that rattle | 8,000 - 12,000 |
| De Arbol Chilies | Similar to cayenne | 15,000 - 30,000 |
| Japones Chilies | Medium-strength Asian chile | 15,000 - 36,000 |
| Pequin Chilies | Spicy, hint of citrus, sweetness | 40,000 - 50,000 |
| Tepin Chilies | Powerful but brief heat | 50,000 - 70,000 |
| Dried Thai Chilies | Used in Thai, Chinese cooking | 50,000 - 100,000 |
| Habanero Chilies | Very hot, fruity/floral flavor | 100,000 - 200,000 |
| Organic Habanero Chilies | Very hot, fruity/floral flavor | 100,000 - 300,000 |
Scotch Bonnet Chilies | Similar heat to Habanero, fruitier flavor | 75,000 - 325,000 |
| Ghost Chilies | Very, very hot with slight smokiness | 300,000 - 400,000 |
Scorpion Chilies | Incredibly hot | Up to 800,000 |
Browse More:
Shop for Chilies
Fresh Chile Recipes