Jalapeños and chili peppers discussion

[Lady Vulpix]

Just buy some Pure Cap.

I don't know what that is, but at first I accidentally misread that last word. Then I read it again and laughed at myself.

[Blademaster]

I think he means pure capsicum, AKA capsaicin, which is the compound in peppers that makes them hot.

See, Blair's 16 Million gets its name because pepper heat/spicyness is measured on what is called the Scoville scale. The scale goes from 0, which is a total lack of spicyness (or a very minimal amount, like a bell pepper or an aji dulce), to 16,000,000, which is 100% capsicum and will wreck the shit out of your body if you ingest more than a few grains of it.

For comparison's sake, a jalapeno ranks at about 4,000 to 8,000, and a habanero measures between 100,000 and 350,000.

So you can understand my nervousness about eating more than a single particle of it straight. I didn't even know that pure capsicum COULD be bought. I figured that it'd be too dangerous to entrust to idiotic consumers like myself.

[Katie]

I'm a rare Texan who hates jalapeños We have one just chillin in the fridge leftover from taco night last Friday that a friend brought but boyfriend and I refuse to use it or throw it away because it's perfectly good food. Dilemma. Need another group taco night.

It's not even the spice, because I like salsas with it... Oh well, at least I say it right. Damn yanks. jallopeenos wtf.

[Mikachu Yukitatsu]

I had a nightmare about chili nuts. They had added an odd chocolate flavour to them and it tasted horrible. I'll see when I'll be able to eat them again after that dream.

[Asilynne]

I think he means pure capsicum, AKA capsaicin, which is the compound in peppers that makes them hot.

See, Blair's 16 Million gets its name because pepper heat/spicyness is measured on what is called the Scoville scale. The scale goes from 0, which is a total lack of spicyness (or a very minimal amount, like a bell pepper or an aji dulce), to 16,000,000, which is 100% capsicum and will wreck the shit out of your body if you ingest more than a few grains of it.

For comparison's sake, a jalapeno ranks at about 4,000 to 8,000, and a habanero measures between 100,000 and 350,000.

So you can understand my nervousness about eating more than a single particle of it straight. I didn't even know that pure capsicum COULD be bought. I figured that it'd be too dangerous to entrust to idiotic consumers like myself.

I'm a rare Texan who hates jalapeños We have one just chillin in the fridge leftover from taco night last Friday that a friend brought but boyfriend and I refuse to use it or throw it away because it's perfectly good food. Dilemma. Need another group taco night.

It's not even the spice, because I like salsas with it... Oh well, at least I say it right. Damn yanks. jallopeenos wtf.

Give it to me

I say it like Hal ah pain yo lol

[RedStarWarrior]

I think he means pure capsicum, AKA capsaicin, which is the compound in peppers that makes them hot.

See, Blair's 16 Million gets its name because pepper heat/spicyness is measured on what is called the Scoville scale. The scale goes from 0, which is a total lack of spicyness (or a very minimal amount, like a bell pepper or an aji dulce), to 16,000,000, which is 100% capsicum and will wreck the shit out of your body if you ingest more than a few grains of it.

For comparison's sake, a jalapeno ranks at about 4,000 to 8,000, and a habanero measures between 100,000 and 350,000.

So you can understand my nervousness about eating more than a single particle of it straight. I didn't even know that pure capsicum COULD be bought. I figured that it'd be too dangerous to entrust to idiotic consumers like myself.

I was referring to Pure Cap, a 500K rated capsaicin extract. I believe it was the first marketed capsaicin extract. At half a million scoville, it's a good introduction to capsaicin in a purer form. Many of the substances rated higher aren't truly sauces, with many classified as resin or, as in Blair's 16 Mil Reserve, crystals.

[Asilynne]

Just to make Jeff happy I'll put this link where it belongs too

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peperoncini I LOVE THESE!!!! Papa Johns pizza puts them in all the boxes of pizza and I put the juice on the pizza and eat the crust with them inside <3 yummy!

[Lady Vulpix]

I tried to find the heat rating of the putaparió peppers I got from both my brother and my grandfather, but I can't find it online. I do know they're hotter than most other peppers I've tried so far... Must be somewhere around 30,000-50,000, I think.

Anyway, while looking for it, I stumbled upon a list of chilli pepper forums. I know the web has a place for everything, but it still doesn't cease to amaze me.

[Blademaster]

I was referring to Pure Cap, a 500K rated capsaicin extract. I believe it was the first marketed capsaicin extract. At half a million scoville, it's a good introduction to capsaicin in a purer form. Many of the substances rated higher aren't truly sauces, with many classified as resin or, as in Blair's 16 Mil Reserve, crystals.

Oh... Well, that explains that. Doesn't look like it's available offline, though. Shame, but it makes sense considering how dangerous higher ratings can be.

I tried to find the heat rating of the putaparió peppers I got from both my brother and my grandfather, but I can't find it online. I do know they're hotter than most other peppers I've tried so far... Must be somewhere around 30,000-50,000, I think.

Because I'm a sucker for useless bits of information, I did a little search and found that your putapario peppers are actually rarely harvested and VERY rarely sold commercially. They're more of a local specialty food than just another spice, which makes giving them a Scoville rating damn near impossible.

If you want to personally try to rate it, Scoville numbers correlate to how many parts water are needed to dilute the pepper's flavor enough to eliminate the burning sensation. So try this:

1. Squeeze one of those aji putapario peppers until a single drop of juice comes out.

1 drop = 1/96th of a teaspoon, and 1 teaspoon = 1/203rd of a liter. So, if you add a drop of the pepper to one liter of water, drink some of the water, and still can taste heat, the pepper has a rating of at least 1(19[203]) = ~20,000. From there, basic math and more/less water should get you an answer.

Bear in mind that this is a really nig-rigged method and the end result will be vague at best. But it'll at least tell you which neighborhood of peppers yours are closest to.

[Asilynne]

Oh... Well, that explains that. Doesn't look like it's available offline, though. Shame, but it makes sense considering how dangerous higher ratings can be.



Because I'm a sucker for useless bits of information, I did a little search and found that your putapario peppers are actually rarely harvested and VERY rarely sold commercially. They're more of a local specialty food than just another spice, which makes giving them a Scoville rating damn near impossible.

If you want to personally try to rate it, Scoville numbers correlate to how many parts water are needed to dilute the pepper's flavor enough to eliminate the burning sensation. So try this:

1. Squeeze one of those aji putapario peppers until a single drop of juice comes out.

1 drop = 1/96th of a teaspoon, and 1 teaspoon = 1/203rd of a liter. So, if you add a drop of the pepper to one liter of water, drink some of the water, and still can taste heat, the pepper has a rating of at least 1(19[203]) = ~20,000. From there, basic math and more/less water should get you an answer.

Bear in mind that this is a really nig-rigged method and the end result will be vague at best. But it'll at least tell you which neighborhood of peppers yours are closest to.

Most people are too lazy to try that but knowing Gabi's scientific curiousity she will probably experiment to find out XD

[Lady Vulpix]

Oh, wait! It looks like someone has added a Scoville rating to that same Wikipedia page. It says 50,000-75,000... even hotter than I thought.

I don't know how reliable that information is, but in any case it's probably no less reliable than any result I could have obtained by experimenting, especially since my own ability to sense the heat is not exactly a precision tool. I guess that saves me from ruining a couple of bottles of water.

Thanks anyway, Blade! That's some interesting information.

[Blademaster]

See? I can be useful sometimes.

Now if you'll excuse me, Lady V has placed a small stock of faith in me and now I must go and destroy it somehow.

[RedStarWarrior]

Oh... Well, that explains that. Doesn't look like it's available offline, though. Shame, but it makes sense considering how dangerous higher ratings can be.

It's actually just harder to find off-line. There's a lot of insurance issues in selling anything over a certain Scoville rating because you have to have disclaimers prepared and waivers signed.