Whether it’s to add a subtle kick to a favourite recipe or simply because hot and spicy offerings are required, chillies are some of the most adored ingredients on earth. There are obviously milder chillies, although people with a penchant for all things chilli tend to favour the hottest options.
For chilli lovers, some of the hottest chillies in the world appeal. These famous chilli peppers have risen to prominence and continue to be featured in chilli-eating competitions, on Youtube shows Hot Ones, and even in games like the Chilli Heat casino-style slot at McLuck, a red hot slot that features the spicy pepper throughout. Chillies are also prominent in a variety of cuisines throughout the world too, be it Vietnamese food, a selection of red hot American dishes, or in some of India’s most potent curries.
For people with a love of chillies, there are some seriously hot chillies that are worth snapping up. These chillies will spice up any dish and provide a serious kick, although it’s worth noting that they should be consumed with care, too. So, with that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the hottest chillies in the world.
The Spiciest of the Lot
As you’d expect, there are literally thousands of chillies in the world that promise to provide a serious kick and enhance an array of dishes. There is also a large community of people who are regularly trying to create the hottest chilli around, mainly for chilli-eating contests but also so they can hog the limelight for their chilli-growing escapades.
Given the huge amount of people that are regularly looking to outdo each other, the hottest pepper on earth is constantly evolving. At the time of writing, though, the Carolina Reaper remains the most powerful. With an average SHU of 1,641,000 and with it potentially peaking at 2.2 million SHU, the Carolina Reaper pepper isn’t for the faint-hearted. Also being 200x hotter than a jalapeno, it’s worth only adding a small sprinkling of this pepper to any of your dishes, particularly if you’re cooking with one for the first time. Then, from there, you can gauge what you can and can’t handle.
The Trinidad Moruga Scorpion is next on the list, with this rare pepper certainly being fairly hard to obtain. Still, it deserves a mention given its strength, with it coming in at 2,009,231 SHU. Native to Trinidad and Tobago and found in numerous regional dishes throughout the country, particularly in the lands of Moruga, this seriously powerful pepper is a beast. Other notably hot chilies include the 7 Pot Douglah and the 7 Pot Primo.
Some Other Strong Chillies to Sample
If the aforementioned chillies are just a bit too hot to consider adding to your next Indian or Japanese feast, then these slightly weaker, albeit incredibly strong options might appeal more to you, particularly if you’re not necessarily a regular consumer of chillies. First up is the Naga Viper, a chilli that still packs one hell of a punch at 1,349,000 SHU, but is suitable for cooking in small amounts. Cultivated by growers in the UK, this seriously hot pepper is popular within the community and will certainly spruce up your dishes.
If the Naga Viper is still causing you to perspire, then the Ghost Pepper might provide some welcome relief. At 1,041,427 SHU it’s still one to be careful with, but it’s capable of being consumed in a number of dishes. Other options in this slightly weaker but still potent category includes the likes of the 7 Pot Barrackpore, the 7 Pot Red (Giant), and the Red Savina Habanero.
