Spicy Bois
Super hot peppers are a specific category of chile peppers that measure over 1 million Scoville Heat Units (SHU). These peppers are not only used to add intense heat to dishes but have also gained popularity among chile enthusiasts who enjoy the challenge of consuming extremely spicy foods.
Some super hot peppers are varieties that have been collected in the wild, but most have been created by selective breeding. Even super hots that have been released for a while are newer on the time scale of most wild peppers. Because of their more recent introduction, they are more likely to produce variations from the original strain. The most common variations are to shape and heat level.
Please use common sense when handling supper hot peppers! Where gloves when handling, and keep away from children.
Calming the Burn
Capsaicin is the primary compound in peppers that cause the burning sensation. Capsaicin is fat soluable, so consuming dairy or other high fat content foods are most effective in washing away the capsaicin. Water and alcohol are not very effective!
Notable Super Hot Peppers
Pepper X
Unveiled by Ed Currie in 2023, this is the current hottest chile pepper, measuring in at 2.69 million SHU.
Unfortunately the seeds haven't been released for cultivation yet, so we don't have the live plants yet available.
Carolina Reaper
Probably the most famous super hot of them all, the Carolina Reaper was the hottest record holder until recently displaced by Pepper X.
The Carolina Reaper is still the hottest (on record) available, though many other peppers make the claim as hottest such as Dragon's Breath and 7 Pot Primo.
Trinidad Moruga Scorpion
Native to Trinidad and Tobago, this was a previous world record holder. Individual peppers can reach 2 million SHU!
This is most commonly found as the Moruga Scorpion which has a round, squat shape; and the Trinidad Scorpion which is longer and thinner. Both have gnarled flesh, and the Trinidad Scorpion is more likely to have a distinictive tail which looks like a stinger.
Ghost Pepper (Bhut Jolokia)
Even before the one chip challenge, the Ghost Pepper was reining champion of the Scoville scale. Averaging 1 million SHU, it still has plenty of heat even with the Reaper and Pepper X around.
