Scoville Heat Units from here.
Pepper Min SHU Max SHU
- Jalapeño Pepper 2,500 8,000
- Hungarian Wax 5,000 10,000
- Serrano Pepper 10,000 23,000
- Tabasco Pepper 30,000 50,000
- Cayenne Pepper 30,000 50,000
- Habanero 100,000 350,000
Guajillo Pepper: The Sweet Side Of Spice
If you like your chilies on the slightly sweeter side, then the guajillo pepper (the dried form of the mirasol chili) is one that should make your short list. With hints of tangy cranberry and a crispness of tea, its flavors make the guajillo one of the most popular dried chilies in Mexico, second only to the famous ancho pepper.
And like the ancho, the guajillo is one of the holy trinity of chilies that are commonly used in authentic Mexican mole sauces. Its unique sweetness, too, makes it a fun chili to experiment with around the kitchen. It has a surprising range and a heat most everyone can enjoy.
There’s a surprising kick to this chili compared to the ancho pepper. In fact, it measures up pretty evenly with our jalapeño pepper reference point. Though, the guajillo will never be quite as hot as a jalapeño can get.
The Holy Trinity of Mexican Chili Peppers:
“The Holy Trinity” is a tasty blend of 3 Mexican Chili Peppers. They are a staple in any Mexican kitchen and are used in many traditional dishes.
Ancho:
Dried, ripe Poblano Peppers, Ancho Chilies have a distinctly sweet, fruity flavor and are lower in heat than many other peppers. They are a staple in traditional Mexican dishes, such as Mole sauce and Tamales.
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Mulato:
Mulato chilies are also a dried Poblano pepper. However, they are picked when very ripe, so the flavor is distinctly different from Ancho chilies. They have moderate heat, are still sweet like an Ancho, but also exhibit a smokey flavor. Mulato Chilies are the hottest member of the Holy Trinity and are extremely popular in Mexico.
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Pasilla:
The Pasilla Chile, or “Chile Negro,” is a dried Chilaca pepper. They are mildly hot, with flavors of sweet raisin and coffee. Pasilla chilies are used in a lot of meat and savory dishes, particularly in a sauce.
