Bottom Line: The Carolina Reaper has a good flavor, but you only taste that for a few seconds before the heat makes your mouth go numb.
In 1999, the Habanero entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the hottest chili pepper on the planet. But that didn’t last long, as India’s Ghost Pepper (aka the Bhut Jolokia) came to the attention of Guinness in 2007 and was then handed the record. Chili pepper growers took that as a challenge, though, and followed with the Scorpion pepper in 2011, and then in 2013, the Carolina Reaper took the crown as the hottest chili in the world. It was just recently knocked off the throne by Pepper X, but that is another story.
The Carolina Reaper was developed by Ed Currie, who runs the PuckerButt Pepper Company in South Carolina (the same person who went on to cultivate Pepper X). The development involved crossbreeding a Pakistani Naga with a Red Habanero, aiming to create a chili pepper hotter than both. The Reaper has since taken the world by storm, making its appearance in many sauces and food items, and you can buy them fresh or dried in stores.
A fresh Carolina Reaper has a floral, fruity flavor with deep richness and pungency, but you will only get to taste that for a few seconds after your first bite because the heat will then knock you over. A dried Reaper has a raisiny taste with a bit of sweetness, and the heat may vary. It is still super-hot, but I have noticed that some of the dried ones I have used are not quite as hot as the fresh chilis. Note that I have not used the fresh chilis for too many things, so my sample is not too large.
The Carolina Reaper comes in somewhere between 1.6 million and 2.2 million Scoville Heat Units, which puts it at the Insane level on my scale. This is not a chili that you are going to chop up and put into salsa or sprinkle over tacos. This is something you will use very sparingly, and even then, any dish with the pepper included is probably only for devoted chiliheads. Another note is that you definitely want to wear gloves while handling these chilis. Just brief contact with the skin can result in some significant burning!
Ed Currie has since developed Pepper X, which was logged in at close to 2.7 million SHU. He claims it will not be sold in stores and will only be used as an ingredient for sauces and other items, and it is already getting some exposure in the marketplace. But the Carolina Reaper is already beyond tolerable heat levels, so Pepper X is just piling on. The Reaper might be fun for making some super-hot dishes while getting together with other chiliheads, and I have had some pretty good sauces that use it (Torchbearer, for example). But it is definitely not an everyday chili and not one I keep regularly in the fridge!
Below is a recipe for a quick and easy dip that can be made with the Carolina Reaper:
Creamy Reaper Dip
Ingredients
8 oz Cream Cheese (Lowfat is Fine)
½ Cup Buttermilk
⅓ Cup Sriracha Sauce
1 to 2 Tablespoons Honey
1 Tablespoon Seasoned Salt
½ Cup Red Bell Pepper, Finely Diced
⅓ Cup Red Onion, Finely Diced
1 Carolina Reaper, Minced
2 Tablespoons Cilantro, Minced
Cracked Black Pepper
Directions
Mix together the first four ingredients, preferably with a hand blender, until they are fully combined. Add in the veggies and seasoning and let set for at least an hour before serving. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
This can be served with veggies, crackers, or chips and it can also be used as a spread on sandwiches. If you want to tone down the heat, use a Habanero or a couple of Thai chilis instead of the Reaper.