Where To Get Scotch Bonnet Peppers

What are scotch bonnet peppers?

A scotch bonnet pepper may sound timid, but it is naught of the sort. It's i of the spicier peppers (100,000 to 350,000 SHU, aforementioned as a habanero) that you may potentially find at a supermarket, especially in geographic areas high in Caribbean area residents. Why the Caribbean area? Because this is THE pepper of the region. In fact, if you say you want a hot pepper in well-nigh of the Caribbean area islands, the scotch bonnet pepper is what y'all are handed. Scotch bonnet is used in all sorts of Caribbean cuisine, including the well-known jerk craven (or jerk pork). Its sugariness, tropical flavor pairs perfectly well with isle tastes.

What are scotch bonnet peppers?
Scotch bonnet pepper fast facts
How hot are scotch bonnet peppers?
Where does it look like?
What does a scotch bonnet pepper taste similar?
Cooking with scotch bonnets
Some of our favorite scotch bonnet recipes
What's a good substitute?
Where can you buy scotch bonnet?
Must-read related posts

Scotch bonnet pepper fast facts

Scoville heat units (SHU)	100,000 to 350,000
Median heat (SHU)	225,000
Jalapeño reference point	12 to xiv times hotter
Capsicum species	Chinense
Origin	Caribbean
Employ	Culinary
Size	Approximately ane.5 to two inches long, squashed
Flavor	Sweet, Fruity, Tropical, Earthy

How hot are scotch bonnet peppers?

The name may sound harmless enough, only the scotch bonnet packs plenty of dial. Information technology's an extra-hot chili with the exact aforementioned spice range (100,000 to 350,000 Scoville rut units) as its cousin, the habanero. For a deeper comparison between the habanero and the scotch bonnet, both in heat and flavor, take a expect at our showdown that highlights the similarities and differences between these ii chilies.

Let's also compare it to our jalapeño reference signal. The scotch bonnet ranges between 12 and 140 times hotter than a jalapeño. Information technology'due south besides two to 12 times hotter than that cayenne pepper yous have on your spice rack. That'south a significant oestrus upgrade.

But of course, there are many hotter chilies above the scotch bonnet on the Scoville scale. Super-hot ghost peppers, for instance, sit 3 to ten times hotter. And Carolina Reapers range from roughly 4 to 22 times hotter. So while, they have significant rut, it's not a spiciness that rivals the current hottest peppers in the world.

In fact, the scotch bonnet's spiciness is ofttimes considered the highest yous'd typically get among true culinary chilies. It's a range that is non for the timid, only information technology'due south also not so hot that season becomes an afterthought and prolonged hurting is a guarantee.

Where does information technology look like?

The shape of this famous pepper is what inspired its proper name. In shape, the pepper, with its squashed await, appears like a Scotsman's bonnet (chosen a Tam o'Shanter hat). Simple as that. Nothing else reminiscent of Scotland about this pepper, only information technology does have a name that'due south difficult to forget. It has other names, besides, including the Bahama Mama, the Jamaican Hot, the Bahamian, and the Martinique pepper.

Scotch bonnets range from one and a half to ii inches long, with a bulbous appearance, thank you to that squashed "bonnet" look. They historic period from green to carmine and showcase multiple greenish and orange shades in-between as it matures.

What does a scotch bonnet pepper taste similar?

This typical scotch bonnet has a slightly sweet sense of taste to it, sort of similar a love apple with a slight hint of apples and cherries. Again, it's very closely related to the habanero, so if you've tasted a habanero you'll have a decent idea of what a Scotch bonnet has in store for you in terms of estrus. Just add together in more sweetness.

Merely, there are a lot of variants of this chili out there, from the Tobago scotch bonnet to the scotch bonnet chocolate, amongst others. The flavour and heat, as with whatsoever chilies, will arrange to the region and soil it's grown in, and so these varieties will slightly differ in spice and sweet. Yous'll also find some that are more elongated than squat in shape, and the colors volition range from orange-pink to chocolate-brownish. At that place's a whole world of options out there for this pepper, and that makes it a fun one to explore in terms of eating.

Cooking with scotch bonnets

The sweet of this hot pepper makes it a very popular chili for Caribbean cooking and tropical hot sauces. Information technology's a really distinct fruity, sweet season that a lot of people beloved, and it pairs well with tropical fruits and spices of the Caribbean area region. For case, for true authentic season in your Jamaican jerk chicken or pork, be at the ready with fresh scotch bonnets.

Just its use goes well beyond Caribbean cooking. Anywhere you'd use a habanero, you could sub-in a scotch bonnet and information technology'd be a skilful fit. From actress-hot salsas and spicy marinades, to apply as a cocktail ingredient — the scotch bonnet can be just equally versatile.

More scotch bonnet cooking tips:

Play into the tropical flavour. Scotch bonnets are known for their deliciously sweet, tropical flavor. Choosing ingredients with flavors that compliment that are 1 way to approach pairings. Another is to cull ingredients that are culinary opposites. Scotch bonnets work surprisingly well with earthy ingredients, adding a surprising sweet when none is expected.
Respect the heat. Scotch bonnets sit at the upper-finish of spiciness for usually used culinary chilies. You can also find them in many supermarkets (just like habaneros) right adjacent to those jalapeños. Just because they are produce section neighbors, doesn't hateful yous treat them equally. If you've decided to endeavour a scotch bonnet in a recipe that expects jalapeños, significantly decrease the amount used. It'due south very easy to over-spice hither and ruin a meal.
Employ kitchen gloves and (recommended) kitchen goggles when cutting them open. Yes, y'all can become chili burn simply by treatment some scotch bonnets, but the truthful potential for pain comes from chopping these chilies. Then, the capsaicin oils (particularly in the white membrane) are exposed and a simple touch tin pb to an uncomfortable burning sensation. Using gloves helps continue a bulwark between y'all and those oils. And goggles go along you lot from mistakenly rubbing your eyes while working with these chilies.
Know how to handle chili burn prior to handling scotch bonnets. All the prep in the world won't stop chili fire from even so happening from fourth dimension to time. Know how to handle information technology prior to working with these chilies. Read our post on treating chili fire, too as our post on handling chili fire in the eye area. A hint: Water is not your friend here. Keep milk at manus.

Some of our favorite scotch bonnet recipes

Simple Scotch Bonnet Hot Sauce: This is our favorite homemade hot sauce using this chili. Why? It lets the natural sweetness of the pepper star. No tropical fruits that'll take heart stage.
Jamaican Jerk Chicken: Of course, you tin't ignore the Jamaican staple when yous're talking scotch bonnet recipes. It'southward such a skillful mix of bawdy, peppery, and sweet.
Raspberry Scotch Bonnet Hot Sauce: The versatility here is amazing. It's merely as good over grilled craven every bit information technology is ice cream.
Brazilian Kokosnoot Chicken Curry: The pairing of coconut and this chili is so good, creamy and earthy sweetness meets that tropical fire.

What's a good substitute?

The obvious is, of course, using a habanero. They are often easier to find in grocery stores. If neither are around, take a look at our scotch bonnet substitutes postal service for more ideas for alternatives.

Where can you buy scotch bonnet?

Y'all may exist able to discover these chilies in supermarkets if you live in areas with loftier Caribbean populations or are shut to a higher-end store. Otherwise, you lot may demand to search out local farmer'due south markets and chili farms to encounter what they have available. Of grade, y'all tin buy many related products online, from scotch bonnet seeds to dried chilies, hot sauces, and more.

Stale Scotch Bonnet Peppers

Dried Scotch Bonnet Peppers

Stale, this chili starts to have on some more earthiness, to go along with its delicious sweetness. And the bold heat is yet at that place.

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Jamaican Scotch Bonnet Seeds

This seed package from Sherwood Seeds grows cute Jamaican yellow scotch bonnets.

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09/28/2022 12:10 am GMT

Eaton's Jamaican Scotch Bonnet Pepper Sauce

There are so many delicious (and authentic) Jamaican scotch bonnet hot sauces out in that location. Eaton's is 1 -- and information technology's delicious and certainly spicy! They don't concord back on the heat.

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09/28/2022 01:03 pm GMT

The Hot Pepper List: The scotch bonnet is only one of over 150 chilies we profile in our listing. We cover heat, flavour, usage, and much more.
Our Hot Sauce Rankings: Many hot sauces on the marketplace use this chili, and for adept reason — plenty of rut and season. It'southward constantly growing, so bookmark it to find your side by side favorite hot sauce!
Does Cooking Peppers Make Them Hotter? Understanding what happens to a chili during the cooking process is important, particularly for chilies where the heat is really a large function of the story.

UPDATE NOTICE: This post was updated on April 2, 2022 to include new content.