Hottest pepper you've cooked with

[longlegged]

I'm a bit of a pepper head. I love the smell of dried chilis of all kinds, and love the citricy crunch they add to when added fresh to a dish.

The hottest I've cooked with thus far have been habaneros as they are the most freely available at my local markets.

I'm curious if anyone has ever cooked with hotter? How was the flavor? Did the heat overpower any possibility to bring out the flavor?

[stev0]

I feel like scotch bonnets are the most consistently hot peppers that I've cooked with. I totally agree with you about peppers adding a citrusy crunch and beautiful bright colors to boot.

However, I do find that the heat sometimes easily does away with flavor. Scotch bonnets, habaneros, and jalapenos are probably the three hottest ones I cook with. I realize that the jalapeno seems like it doesn't belong there and this anectodal rating doesn't jive with the scoville scale, but I once had a group of friends running madly around the house fighting over faucets and spilling milk all over the place all thanks to some stuffed and grilled jalapenos. Normally I eat them raw, but once in a while you get some that make you regret having handled them without gloves - burns for days. Bird's eye or "thai chili" can be quite spicy as well.

[steve garro]

Try Chilitepin!
A crisp fruity flavour with a nice "leave"
crush them on food, throw a few in soups, add to salsas.
If you are into dried chilis I also suggest Arbol - my main chili for red salsas.
Also Chilipequin, less hot the Chilitepin, but with a smoky Chipotle flavour - Chipotles are smoked, cured Jalapenos........
- Garro.

[steveo]

I've cooked with Habeneros. I've also had a beer brewed with Ghost Chilis, which definitely overpowered the flavor....

[edoz]

Her name was Rachel...

[rydesteel]

Her name was Rachel...

first rule is... never date anyone crazier than you, no matter how much fun it sounds like...you will get burned...or worse.