Jalapeno: The Classic Pepper
Fresh Heat Meets Smoky
Few peppers are versatile as the Jalapeno. It brings bright green heat. Smoked and dried it turns into the famous chipotle pepper with deep smoky richness
Flavor Profile
Fresh Jalapenos are crisp, grassy, and moderately spicy.
Chipotle peppers are smoky, earthy, rich and slightly sweet from the smoking process.
Heat Level
Scoville Rating: 2,500-8,000 SHU
Comfortably spicy for most people without becoming overwhelming. But this lower Scoville rank makes them much easier to eat and cook with. Unlike some of the spicier peppers, jalapeños are available at most grocery stores. If the pepper is still too spicy for you, you can remove the seeds and the inner membrane of the pepper.
Health Benefits
Not only is the jalapeño delicious, but it’s also good for you. They are filled with vitamins and minerals including Vitamins A, B6, C, K and antioxidants. You can get some of your daily fiber, folate, and magnesium.
Every chili pepper is filled with capsaicin—and the jalapeño is no exception. This is the source of the pepper’s heat, and it has numerous health benefits of its own. Capsaicin promotes weight loss, boosts your immune system, and triggers endorphin and dopamine production.
As one of the world’s favorite chili pepper, the jalapeño has nothing to prove. But its fame continues to rise alongside the consumption of other hot peppers. If you’re wanting to venture into the exciting realm of spicy foods, this is the perfect pepper to start with! Even if you don’t like extreme heat, you can probably still tolerate this pepper and enjoy its smoky flavor.
Recipes
Jalapeños are a staple in Latin American cuisine. You’ll also find them in Thai and Tex-Mex dishes. These peppers are delicious grilled and stuffed and while other peppers are too hot to be eaten whole, this is the perfect pepper to accomplish all of that!
It’s great breaded or fried or, if you’re feeling really brave, eaten raw. You’ll commonly find them in salsas or guacamole and they are even delicious smoked, dried, or pickled. The famously Cowboy Candy uses Jalapenos as the center ingredient. Even Trick Bill’s Sweet Jalapeno BBQ Sauce has both Jalapenos and Chipotle peppers to add that layer of smoke that naturally complement barbecue.
Jalapeño and chipotle are actually the same pepper, despite their different flavor profiles. When a ripe pepper is smoked until it is extremely dry, it results in chipotle. This smoky chili is essential for adobo. Of course, this is also the namesake for the fast-food restaurant chain Chipotle, which serves Mexican cuisine.
Trick Bill Tip:
Mix into cream cheese dips, burgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, cornbread, baked beans, and homemade salsas. Best foods to pair Jalapeno are: burgers, ribs, chicken, brisket, pulled pork for nachos, tacos, quesadillas, burritos etc and chili if you want to add that smoky layer with a mild kick.
