Hotness is Subjective
Perceived
'hotness' level of Real Hot Pepper Chutney
differs by region and individual taste.
Some people go for the burn, others like deep flavor that develops by layering various levels of warmth.
Follow this guide to the hot peppers of the world to save your taste buds, or savor the heat:
Peppers: Hottest to Mildest
Habanero
Shape: Squat and fat
Color/Description: Neon orange
1,000 times hotter than the jalapeño. Use just a little and keep your hands covered when working with them.
Cascabelle
Shape: Tiny, fat cone/bullet-shaped
Color/Description: Fire-engine red, bright orange, or creamy yellow-green. Incredibly hot!
Serrano
Shape: Look like fat little pinkie fingers with a slight point at the end
Color/Description:
Red or green. Very hot. Mexican cooks mix them into everything good -- from guacamole to beans. Cool their fire by removing the ribs and seeds or roasting them.
Santaka and Thai
Shape: Size of a small fingernail
Color/Description: Sold on the branch or as a whole plant with hundreds of peppers. Extremely hot, and the heat doesn’t soften, even after cooking. Peppers dry and keep for years. Pick them as needed.
Cayenne
Shape: Slim and twisted with a long point
Color/Description: Red, green, and yellow-green. Range from 3"-6" in length.. Fresh cayennes are fiery hot. Hotter peppers are smaller and more pointed. Most are dried for cayenne pepper.
Jalapeño
Shape: Plump little barrels. Most are as big as a thumb.
Color/Description: Thick green skins. Hot but manageable. Most available of all the fresh chiles. Try them roasted; they're a little less hot and have wonderful flavor.
Fresno
Shape: Shaped like the jalapeño
Color/Description: Lighter green or bright red skin
Santa Fe Grande
Shape: Cone-shaped with smooth skin
Color/Description: Deep red or yellow streaked with orange
Very hot. Use them fresh or roast and peel them.
Hungarian wax (banana pepper)
Shape: Long, tapering cones
Color/Description: Creamy yellow skin. Some are mild; others are medium-hot. Taste before adding them to a dish. Wonderful pickled. Look for them in big jars with Hungarian labels.
Surefire
Shape: Elongated, cone-shaped peppers with a slight curve or twist
Color/Description: Deep red or bright yellow
Medium heat
Ancho (Poblano)
Shape: Cone-shaped with a long tip
Color/Description: Green or red
Very shiny skin, medium heat but wonderful flavor. Best roasted and peeled.
