What is the Hottest Chile Pepper in the World?

There is nothing like the "wow" factor that comes after tasting a dish made with spicy chile peppers.  Not only do chile peppers give off heat (sometimes smoking hot heat), chile peppers are full of flavor and nutrients.  They contain a high amount of vitamin C, vitamin A, folic acid, vitamin E and potassium.  The most common chiles used for flavoring dishes are cayenne, chipotle, habañero varieties and jalapeño.

Originally cultivated in Mexico, the chile pepper is a staple for flavoring food, beverages and confections around the world.  The most popular areas where chile peppers can be found thriving are in the southwest states, Asia, China, India, Africa, Spain, Brazil and Mexico—where over 100 varieties of chile peppers are grown in fields and farms.

Forms of Chiles: Chiles come in three different forms: fresh, dried and canned.

Fresh chiles:

For the most authentic flavor and texture, fresh chiles are the way to go. They are easy to grow and cultivate in a small garden, or they can be found in the produce area of any grocery store.  Tip: For the biggest selection of fresh chiles, shop for them in an ethnic food market or carneceria.

Fresh chiles should be firm and glossy with no areas of splitting or wilting.  When handling fresh chiles, especially very hot chiles, wear rubber gloves and never touch your face or eyes until you have washed your hands.

Dried chiles:

Dried chiles can be found in all ethnic markets, but most grocery stores carry them too.  They are usually sold in prepackaged bags in the spice aisle or produce section.  Dried chiles have a very long shelf life and will keep almost indefinitely when stored in a cool, dry place.

Canned chiles:

Canned chiles can be found in any grocery store, usually in the ethnic foods aisle.  Canned chiles can be kept refrigerated for 4-5 in an airtight container.  Canned chile varieties are usually limited to jalapeno, habinero, or green chilis, so if your recipe requires a more exotic chile, you will need to purchase it fresh or dried.

The World’s Hottest Chile Peppers: To determine the hotness of a pepper, you need to know the Scoville Heat Units it contains.  A pepper with a high SHU is going to be much hotter than a pepper with a low rating. 

These chile peppers have the highest SHU ratings ever measured:

African Birdseye Pepper

The African Birdseye Pepper, or Piri-Piri, measures an SHU of 175,000.  This chile pepper can be found in Portuguese and East Africa.  The pepper comes in a variety of colors including purple, red and yellow.

Datil Pepper

Grown in Florida, the Datil Pepper has a SHU reading of 300,000, which is a few steps up from the Piri-Piri.

Habanero

The famous Habanero features 350,000 SHU, and many people believe it’s the hottest pepper in the world.  However, the rare Red Savina is a variety of Habanero, and its SHU is 580,000.

Bhut Jolokia Pepper

The Bhut Jolokia Pepper has several different names including the California Death Pepper and the Ghost Pepper.  It is the hottest pepper in the world, with an amazing SHU rating of 1,041,427!  It is said that merely placing the uncut pepper on your tongue can give you severe burns within minutes.

Although chile heat varies, smaller chile peppers are generally hotter than larger ones.  Heat levels can also differ within the same variety, depending on the climate and soil used for cultivation.