Heat Level of a Jalapeno Pepper

Culinary Masochism

• Something in peppers makes them spicy-hot, or piquant. That something is a chemical called capsaicin. Many scientists presume that peppers evolved with ever higher levels of capsaicin as a defense against herbivores eating them. What the peppers didn't count on, however, was that one omnivore would take a perverse pleasure in the pain produced by capsaicin. No one is sure why humans all over the world seem to enjoy the pain of piquant, but clearly they do. One theory is something called "reverse hedonism," which means we teach our own brains to respond to some pain as pleasure. Jalapeño peppers are not among the "hottest" peppers people eat.

Wilbur's Tasters

• In 1912, a New England pharmacist working for Parke-Davis Pharmaceuticals named Wilbur Scoville devised a test to measure capsaicin levels in chili peppers. Originally, this was a test conducted with diluted measures of dehydrated peppers that were then judged by tasters for levels of piquant. The measures run from zero to 150 million (for pure capsaicin). The humble jalapeño measures between 2,500 and 8,000, depending on the individual pepper. Eventually, high performance liquid chromatography replaced testers and the Scoville Scale measurements became more consistent.

Establishing Scale

• Jalapeño peppers are harvested green or red (fully ripened), and smoked jalapeños are called chipotles. Guajillo, morita and Fresno peppers have roughly the same Scoville Scale values as the jalapeño. Poblanos, Anaheims and peperoncinis are all a step down from jalapeños, while Tobasco and cayenne are a step up. All these, however, are on the low end of the piquant scale. The hottest cayennes rate only 50,000 Scovilles, while Habañeros range from 100,000 to 580,000 Scovilles, making the jalapeño, at 2,500 to 8,000, rather tame. The Trinidad Scorpion Butch T pepper has been rated as high as 1,463,700 --- lethal.

Adjusting the Thermostat

• The heat of individual jalapeños varies. Gardeners point out that the level of "heat" can be adjusted by the grower. Ensuring greater sunlight, adding soil amendments that increase phosphorus levels and cutting back on water are all reputed to increase the capsaicin levels. Some people add a little Epsom salt to the soil to increase magnesium levels. There is also genetic variation in the seeds that place top and bottom limits on the capsaicin levels. For hotter jalapeños, plant the seeds of your hottest; and for milder peppers, plant mild peppers' seeds. Over time, you will hybridize your jalapeños.