The Habanero chili is one of the hotter peppers out there, but it is one that brings a lot of flavor with it as well. It has lost its mystique a bit with some of the other killer pods that currently get much of attention from chiliheads, but it still counts as a contender. I personally consider it my favorite chili (what, you don’t have a favorite chili?) and incorporate it into my cooking and sauces as much as possible.
The Habanero comes in between 100,000 and 350,000 Scoville Heat Units (usually on the higher end), making it much hotter than the more commonly used Jalapeno (which ranges between 2,500 and 8,000 SHU). I find it to be one of the most flavorful chilis, having a nice fruitiness and a floral fragrance that comes through in the taste. The key is to incorporate the wonderful flavor they bring without overwhelming on the heat in order to hit that sweet spot where flavor meets fire.
In 1999, the Guinness World Book of Records listed the Habanero as the world’s hottest chili. That did not last long, though. Since then, the Ghost Pepper and the Scorpion Chili and the Caroline Reaper have displaced the Habanero. But for my money, that distinctly orange pod is the best chili to use when you want to bring good taste and good heat to a dish.
The Red Habanero (also known as the Red Savina) is a variation on the chili that kicks up the heat even more. It was cultivated to be hotter and those scarlet pods pass half a million on the Scoville scale. The Scotch Bonnet is a variation of the same species as the Habanero with similar taste and heat levels, though those are often green in color (and the ones I find in the stores tend to be less pungent than their orange cousins).
The Habanero has its origins in the Amazon region but has since spread much further north. These days, the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico is the largest producer of the chilis and they are heavily featured in the cuisine of that region. Other countries in Central and South America also grow the chilis, and you can find them produced in the U.S. right here in Texas as well as other states that offer the warm weather that the Habanero prefers.
Funny story on how I discovered the Habanero: In the ‘90s, my exposure to chili peppers was growing as different varieties became more widely available in the local markets. I happened by a nearby Asian market that had a plethora of chilis to choose from, so like a kid in a candy store I started plucking them up and putting them in my cart, including several of those orange Habaneros. I knew nothing about that particular chili at the time, and as I was later cutting up one to add to a salsa, I decided to give it a taste to see just how hot it was. I had about half a chili sitting on the cutting board, so I popped that in my mouth. Hello Habanero! That thing was darn tasty, but it surely delivered a surprise of a burn!
Habaneros are great for salsa, and I will generally include one in my Pico de Gallo as long as I am cooking for people who can stand the heat. They are also great for hot sauces, chili, spicy soups or stews, marinades, and more. Just be sure to adjust the amount you are including accordingly, and I don’t recommend adding these to dishes you might serve to those less enamored with spicy food. But when you are cooking for yourself and/or those who can handle the heat, this is the pepper to reach for.
And hey, half a cup of habaneros a day provides 300 percent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C, and 20 percent of the RDA of vitamin A. What a great way to get your vitamins! (Read more on the benefits of the chili here.)
Tale of the Tape:
Serving Size: 1 Chili Pepper
Calories: 18
Fat: 0.2g
Protein: 0.8g
Carbs: 4g
Sodium: 4.1mg