Scotch Bonnet Pepper is a kitchen spice commonly used in several dishes. But not all areas exist or can be obtained easily this spice. So, sometimes you need a substitute when you want to make a dish that uses Scotch Bonnet Pepper. In this article, we will review at length the Best Scotch Bonnet Pepper Substitutes. When you run out of stock in the kitchen, you can easily use a replacement.
But before that, let’s first know what Scotch Bonnet Pepper is, maybe some of us don’t know. Let’s just take a look at the review to the end!
What is a Scotch Bonnet Pepper?
Let’s get to know first, what is scotch bonnet pepper? This spice is also known as Bonnet Pepper. It is a spicy or fruity spice that is native to Central America. Scotch bonnet pepper is known as the hottest peppers on the planet. The spiciness measurement ranges from 100,000 to 350,000 on the Scoville scale. If you feel spicy, try chewing or eating foods rich in scotch bonnet pepper. This spicy spice is related to habanero pepper and can be 40 times hotter than Jalapeno peppers.
Not to say brave if you haven’t tried chewing scotch bonnet pepper. They are also larger in size than most peppers. In Jamaican cuisine, it is the bell pepper that is widely used to add spiciness to dishes. The name “scotch bonnet pepper” is the name given after an Englishman named “Scotsmen” who brought these peppers to Jamaica in the 19th century. Peppers are also known as “Caribbean Red Pepper,” because it comes from the Caribbean island of Jamaica. This extraordinary spicyness is the main ingredient in the manufacture of jerk sauce.
How Healthy (or Unhealthy) Is It?
This is the hottest chili ever, if you buy it at the store, Scotch Bonnet peppers are available in many forms ranging from powder, whole, or in fresh form. Just like most other peppers, where Scotch Bonnet peppers have many health benefits, you just have to limit them. If you consume too much, it can cause severe diseases related to the stomach.
Some people think that Scotch Bonnet peppers are the best peppers in the world because of their versatile properties. In any dish, it can provide a sharp, and strong taste. It’s a bright red color, so it’s great as an ingredient to add bright color to food. Instead of using synthetic dyes, you are better off using Scotch Bonnet peppers as a natural colorant in dishes that can tolerate spicy.
The main ingredient in these peppers is capsaicin, which is sometimes used to make medicines such as blood-stimulating drugs, analgesics, and pepper sprays. So, it is the capsaicin content that causes the strong and spicy taste. In Scotch Bonnet peppers, the content of capsaicin is certainly very much so that the spiciness is so intense that it even feels like it is burning to the chest.
Among the benefits of Scotch Bonnet peppers in terms of the capsaicin content is quite a lot. Among them is to ward off stomach cancer, breast cancer and other cancers. Consuming small amounts but more often is better than consuming a large portion of one meal. Other health benefits are helping to lose weight, and increasing the body’s metabolism. In addition, consuming Scotch Bonnet peppers also helps cure cardiovascular disease. However, before you consume it, consultation with a doctor is highly recommended, because you do not know how much to consume or may have to wait for your health condition at a certain point. So, it is important to talk to your doctor about your desire to consume Scotch Bonnet peppers.
In addition, there are many more health benefits of consuming these peppers. Well, before we get to the core discussion of the best Scotch Bonnet pepper substitutes, let’s look at the nutritional value or facts.
Nutritional Facts
Scotch Bonnet peppers are the hottest peppers the world has ever seen, with their heat being the highest on the Scoville scale. The hottest peppers offer many health benefits when it comes to their nutritional content.
It includes peppers with low calorie content, so this can increase energy without adding calories to the body.
Among the nutrients available in Scotch Bonnet peppers are phytochemicals, vitamin C, vitamin A, iron, B vitamins, niacin, carotenoids, riboflavin, flavonoids, dietary fiber, magnesium and many more benefits and uses.
In what recipe are Scotch Bonnet peppers used?
This is not only the hottest peppers but also flavorful so it is very supportive to be added to your favorite dishes. So, in what recipes are Scotch Bonnet peppers used? Typically, these peppers are used in Caribbean, Jamaican, African, Latin American cuisine, and are an important ingredient in many types of sauces.
If you can’t find Scotch Bonnet peppers, you can try the best substitute for Scotch Bonnet peppers. This substitute will provide a sensation similar to that of peppers. Here we take a look at the 5 best scotch bonnet peppers substitutes you can use in your dishes as replacement.
Why do we need scotch bonnet pepper substitutes?
We need substitute scotch bonnet peppers to add to dishes when we don’t have one, especially in Caribbean recipes, this is important in adding zest to stews and sauces.
Its presence in Jamaican cuisine and some other dishes is very important, so when you don’t have these peppers, you must take their substitutes so that your cooking does not lose its prestige. Scotch Bonnet has a different shape and a different taste from other peppers. Unique and very important in cooking, then you need other peppers that can replace it so that your food does not spoil the taste.
One great substitute for scotch bonnet peppers may be habanero peppers, but the seeds are not as hot as the Scotch Bonnet provides.
5 Best Scotch Bonnet Pepper Substitutes
1. Habanero Pepper
One ingredient that can replace Scotch Bonnet Pepper is habanero peppers. But you have to be careful using these peppers, especially in dishes that have to be cooked for a long time.
Also see: 5 Best White Pepper Substitutes
Habanero peppers also have a spiciness level that is almost the same as Scotch Bonnet Pepper. So, you can expect your desire to make spicy dishes from habanero.
It is a substitute for Scotch Bonnet Pepper with a similar spiciness. If you want to cook Jamaican food that is actually spicy, then habanero is one of the best choices for you. The content of vitamin C is very high, this is about 100 times that of vitamin C in oranges. In addition, habanero is also rich in antioxidants so it is good to add it to food to increase immunity. (See too: Which Foods Have More Vitamin C Than An Orange)
2. Jalapeno Pepper
Besides habanero peppers, there is another substitute that you can choose from, this is jalapeno peppers. One of the best substitutes for Scotch Bonnet Pepper that can add a spicy taste to your dish. However, the level of spiciness is still below the habanero, the taste is a bit pungent and good for food that is not too spicy, but is enough to make your sweat sweat.
Jalapeno peppers have a spiciness rating with a scoville measurement of 3,500 to 8,000 Scoville heat units. While the heat from Scotch bonnet is an average of 100,000 to 350,000 Scoville heat units. This is your reference to find out how the heat ratio is. So Jalapeno pepper is relatively lighter than Scotch Bonnet.
If the jalapeno before eating must be cooked, or canned, remove the seeds, and the ribs inside so as not to reap the bitter taste. Jalapeno peppers are great as a substitute for Scotch Bonnet Pepper in dishes with a light spiciness level.
Also read: The 5 Best Substitutes for Horseradish
3. Serrano pepper
Then the best substitute for Scotch Bonnet Pepper in spicy dishes is serrano peppers. Serrano pepper is also known as the hotter Jalapeno, where the spiciness level is between 10,000 to 23,000 Scoville heat units. This is one of the most common chiles used in Mexican cuisine, and they know it as “chile Gordo. The name “serrano” means “mountain dweller,” this is where the chili or Serrano comes from.
Serrano is indeed called mountain chili, but that doesn’t mean you can’t grow it in your yard or garden. It’s just the name of the place of origin alone. These peppers are hot and have a sweet taste, but a common use is to increase the spiciness of dishes.
Instead of Scotch bonnet pepper, serrano peppers are used to give certain dishes a lighter taste. Sometimes you don’t want a spicy taste like Scotch bonnet pepper, so you can use serrano peppers instead.
4. Rocotillo Pepper
Rokotillo is a pepper that is shaped like a goat’s head and is a variety of Scotch bonnet pepper. But the level of spiciness is still below Scotch bonnets. In terms of aroma, maybe rocotillo pepper is superior but the taste is similar to Scotch bonnet. The spiciness level is around 1,500 – 2,500 SHU.
When young it is green and changes frequently with maturity to yellow or red. People say that rocotillo is a pepper with an aroma similar to Scotch bonnet but it is lighter in taste so some people prefer this pepper, others say it is a great substitute for Scotch bonnet pepper.
5. Thai Red Chili as Substitute for Scotch Bonnet
Thai red chili is one of the chili peppers with a level of spiciness almost equal to Scotch bonnet pepper. But still hotter Scotch bonnet as the hottest peppers in the world. Thai Red Chili has a spiciness level between 50,000 to 100,000 Scoville Heat Units, a bright orange red color, usually dried to last longer, but you can find many in traditional Thai markets. (read also: 13 Most Popular Street Food in Bangkok, Thailand)
The high content of capsaicin compounds causes Thai Red Chili to experience extraordinary heat levels. Because of its intense heat, you can make it an excellent substitute for Scotch bonnet pepper in many dishes or recipes that use Scotch bonnets.