Hello and Welcome Everyone,
Chilies whether fresh or dried, chopped, minced or powdered is flavorful with some amazing tastes.
How do we know if they are mild, medium, hot, or screaming hot? It’s by their SHU scale.
Heat is measured in Scoville Heat Units (SHU). A scale of heat was developed by American pharmacist Wilbur Scoville in 1912, to measure the pungency (heat) of chili peppers. In the beginning, the heat rating of pepper extracts was measured by diluting with water. Adjusting the amount of dilution until there was not any heat noticeable. This gave a measure on the Scoville scale. I just can’t imagine having a job like this!
Below is a list of the some of the more popular chilies from around the world and their Scoville rating. Click this link for a more complete easier to understand Scoville Heat Chart
| Pepper Type | Heat rating (in Scoville heat units SHU) |
|---|---|
| Pepper X (newest hottest) | 3.18 million |
| Dragon’s Breath | 2.4 to 2.48 million |
| Carolina Reaper | 1.1 to 1.6 million |
| Ghost Pepper | 855,000 to 1.0 million |
| Red Savina Habanero | 350,000 to 500,000 |
| Habanero, Scotch Bonnet | 150,000-300,000 |
| Red Amazon | 75,000 |
| Pequin | 75,000 |
| Chiltecepin | 70,000-75,000 |
| Tabasco | 30,00-50,000 |
| Cayenne | 35,000 |
| Arbol | 25,000 |
| Japone | 25,000 |
| Smoked Jalepeno (Chipotle) | 10,000 |
| Serrano | 7,000-25,000 |
| Fresno | 2500-10,000 |
| Guajillo | 5,000 |
| Jalepeno | 3,500-4,500 |
| Poblano | 2,500-3,000 |
| Pasilla | 2,500 |
| TAM Mild Jalepeno-1 | 1,000-1,500 |
| Anaheim | 1,000-1,500 |
| New Mexico | 1,000 |
| Ancho | 1,000 |
| Bell & Pimento | 0-100 |
Group Ratings:
| 0-5,000 | Mild |
| 5,000-20,000 | Medium |
| 20,000-70,000 | Hot |
| 70,000-300,000 | Extremely Hot |
Note: The Ghost Pepper was the first pepper to hit over 1 million SHU. The Carolina Reaper took the Guinness World Record for the spiciest pepper in the world with 1.4 to 2.2 million SHU. The Dragon’s Breath has been reported to be even hotter because it can test up to 2.4 million SHU. The newest and hottest pepper is Pepper X at 3.18 million SHU. Some say this pepper is so hot it could kill you.
Note: Fresh chilies can vary in heat from month to month even from bush to bush. Not all chilies on every bush have the same amount of heat, they vary.
Tip: For milder tasting chilies, remove the seeds from fresh or dried chilies and devein the membrane from the fresh, as this is where most of the heat is.
Well, I love chili but not overly hot. I like the flavor of a Tex-Mex chili with beans, preferably pintos. (I like beans but no beans in true Texas chili).
It took months to come up with the Bravado chili seasoning with 7 different chilies for a really complex not too hot flavor, plus other herbs and spices. It has a good color, good aroma, and most of all a good taste. Homemade chili can be a lot of work. The hard part is getting the seasoning right. When the seasoning is already done for you and it tastes good, then it becomes easy to make.
There are some of you that don’t especially like chili so try using this seasoning in beans, tacos, a Spanish omelet, spicy fries or chili fries, with popcorn, spicy chips, add it to guacamole. Hope you really like it!
Simple Chili
2 pounds lean Ground Beef, or ground turkey, or half/half
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 large Onion, chopped finely to medium
16 ounces Tomato Sauce, no salt added (substitute diced or chopped)
2 cups Water
2-1/2 Tablespoons #117 Bravado Salt-Free seasoning
2 Tablespoons #103 Table Tasty salt substitute, as needed
16 ounces (1-pound) Pinto Beans, soaked, cooked, drained & rinsed (optional) or use canned no salt or low sodium
In a large nonstick skillet or Dutch oven, brown meat. Add garlic and onion; cook about 3 minutes. Add Bravado chili seasoning; cook about 5 minutes more. (This is called blooming the spices. You get more flavor.) Add tomato sauce, water, and beans. Cover, simmer at least 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Serve with grated cheese and freshly chopped onion and perhaps a dollop of sour cream. Servings 4 -6 Enjoy!
Tip: If using regular canned beans be sure to rinse 3 times to reduce the sodium.
Note: If a hotter chili is desired, add more #117 Bravado Salt-Free seasoning; more flavor without heat add #112 Masterpiece Salt-Free seasoning; more pepper add #106 Gusto Salt-Free seasoning.
Thank you for reading and hopefully trying this recipe. Hope this information helps you create more flavorful food.