Today's topic is all about cayenne pepper. You might have encountered multiple terms like ground cayenne, cayenne powder, and powdered cayenne. And many of you already know that all of these refer to a single ingredient: ' cayenne pepper’.
Cayenne pepper is a staple ingredient on the western continent. It’s bright, bold, and spicy, and its complex smoky flavors make it famous worldwide.
Here is everything you need to know about the Cayenne pepper, a rich flavored spice already in millions of homes.
What are cayenne peppers?
These are moderately hot chili peppers from the Capsicum Annuum family. Their rich flavors and warm heat make any food better.
The matured cayenne pepper is about 5-10 inches long and about 0.5-1 width over the shoulder. They have a glossy, slightly wrinkled skin.
They usually taper to the end and have a pointed tip. However, the shape varies highly between each pepper, even from the same plant.
The skin and flesh are thinner than those of the regular green bell pepper. Hence, they are great for drying or dehydrating.
An intro to Cayenne pepper
They are widely consumed and grown in Mexico, USA, Africa, and India.
Like other peppers, their color turns green to yellow and red as they mature. Ripe red cayenne peppers have bright and intense smoky flavors, which are most sought after by the food industries.
Cayenne pepper is mainly available in the consumer market as powdered or chili flakes. Fresh peppers are rare in regular grocery stores or the farmer’s market.
Occasionally, it may be available in specialty stores during the harvest season, late summer, or fall. Its pungency, perfect drying capability, and warm heat make this the most desirable chili pepper for spice mixes or hot sauces.
How hot are cayenne peppers?
This is considered a moderately hot chili pepper, measuring 30,000 to 50,000 heat units on the Scoville scale(a standard method for measuring heat level).
Just to make a comparison, jalapeño’s Scoville scale heat units range from 5000 to 7000 SHU. The green bell pepper’s heat unit is measured as 0 SHU.
In the commercial market, cayenne peppers are categorized as medium hot. However, some may feel it is fiery hot.
Always proceed with caution if you are sensitive towards the hot peppers.
Are cayenne pepper and paprika the same?
This medium-hot spice mix is usually made with a blend of cayenne pepper and bird' s-eye pepper. Meanwhile, paprika is available in three forms: hot and Hungarian.
In the above, sweet paprika is mild, hot paprika is moderate, and Hungarian paprika is super hot. For these reasons, check the ingredients label before using.
The uses
Red pepper flakes: These do have a thin wall and are easy to dehydrate. Sundry or air dry completely. And grind coarsely. Use them as flakes to spice up the pizza, soup, and sauce.
As the powdered form: Grind finely to make dry rubs and unique spice blends. Great to use in spicy curries and chilies.
Source: Healthline
Emily
This was really informative, thank you for sharing! It's great to learn more about this pepper I use nearly every day in my cooking. I didn't know that Hungarian paprika is super hot!
Pepper Bowl
So glad you enjoyed it, Emily!
Vidya Narayan
Good info on cayenne. I love spices and find it interesting to read about them along with the culinary uses.
Pepper Bowl
Yay! So happy to hear that, Vidya Narayan!
Andrea
Thanks fort he information! I love adding cayenne pepper to so many dishes!
Pepper Bowl
Yay! Love hearing this!
Danielle
Such great information! I love to get to know my ingredients better, and cayenne is one I use all the time. Thanks!
Pepper Bowl
So happy to hear that, Danielle!
Sandra
This is such a great resource about cayenne pepper. I feel much better informed now about experimenting with it in new recipes.
Pepper Bowl
I’m so happy that you enjoyed them, Sandra! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Savita
This post was really informative, thank you for sharing it.
Pepper Bowl
Hi Savita! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Katherine
Thanks for all this useful information!
Mahy
I love cooking with cayenne pepper! It is all about flavor, and that chili factor. Oh wow!
kushigalu
This is a very informative post on cayenne pepper. Thanks for sharing.
Natalie
We learn every day, so many things I didn't know about cayenne pepper, thanks!
Gina Abernathy
Good information. I usually use cayenne pepper in my spicy dishes.