Looking for the best super hot chili pepper to make your meal complete?
If you’re after crazy heat, you already know you need to look at the super hots. But what do you do from there?
It’s a tough question – simply as it’s so difficult to wade through the heat of these chili peppers to find the flavor underneath. To make it easier on you, we’ve made this handy guide.
Red Savina Habanero
• SHUs: 500,000
• Flavor: It’s more sweet than fruity, but you will catch some apricot-like tastes inside.
• Our favorite dish pairings: It’s amazing when added to salsas, especially if the chilies are roasted first. Actually, any Mexican dish will benefit from the sweet heat of this pepper.
Ghost Pepper (Bhut Jolokia)
• SHUs: 1,041,427
• Flavor: Again, there’s some sweetness here, but it’s more tropically fruity, almost mango-like.
• Our favorite dish pairings: Although this chili pepper has its roots in India, we actually love it in Chinese dishes, especially when it adds the heat you need for a sweet and sour dish.
Naga Morich
• SHUs: 1,598,227
• Flavor: There’s a slightly tart flavor and it’s also somewhat smoky in taste.
• Our favorite dish pairings: The woodiness of this chili pepper gives it a depth that other chili peppers can’t touch. That makes it ideal for adding heat to sauces that you’ll serve alongside meat dishes. And, it doesn’t do badly as a pasta sauce either.
Trinidad Moruga Scorpion
• SHUs: 2,009,231
• Flavor: This is one of the fruitiest chili peppers out there, though it’s difficult to put a finger on what that flavor is.
• Our favorite dish pairings: True to geography, this adds something awesome to Caribbean stews. But, it’s also perfect for Indian curries too.
Carolina Reaper
• SHUs: 2,200,000
• Flavor: It’s surprisingly sweet. Really, it’s somewhat remarkable.
• Our favorite dish pairings: There’s not much we wouldn’t pair this with, especially as the heat far outweighs the sweet flavor that comes with it. Really, we think it cuts across cuisines and dishes too.
Looking to get your hands on the sauces that make the most of these flavors?
We’ve got the hottest hot sauces made from the world’s best chili peppers and you will want to try each and every one.