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Jalapeño chiles with corking
For some cooks, working with jalapeño chiles can seem intimidating. This is especially true if you don't know how hot they are. Afterall, according to the Scoville Heat Index, jalapeños can range from anywhere between 2,500 to 8,000 Scoville units. Here is a quick tip to help you select the perfect chile for your next cooking adventure.
It is believed that jalapeño chiles become hotter when they are grown under "duress". That is to say that they are deprived of water and/or exposed to higher temperatures sometime during the growing process. This could mean that a natural drought in the area where they were grown caused a hotter than normal crop or it could mean that someone intentionally grew them that way for the purpose of increasing their level of "kick".
It is also believed that these same growing conditions will cause something called "corking" to appear on the flesh of the chile. Corking looks like little scars or lines that run lengthwise down the fruit (see photo - chiles on the right have corking and chiles on the left do not). Although it has not been scientifically proven, it is widely accepted among great Mexican (and other) cooks that if you pick chiles with corking you will have a greater probability of picking ones with heat.
Please use caution, however, as this is simply a guide. Just because a chile doesn't have corking doesn't mean that it won't be hot as well. You should always taste your chile before using it. This can be done by slicing it lengthwise and lightly passing the tip of your finger over the veins or membranes. Next touch the tip of your finger to your tongue.
Remember, the thought behind picking a chile that you know is hot, is to be able to control the heat (by adding less or more of it to the recipe). This will give you a more consistent final result when cooking and will hopefully give you a salsa or pico de gallo that is not only edible but tastes great.
Fun jalapeño recipes:
Chiles Toreados (roasted jalapeños)
Chiles en Escabeche (pickled jalapeños)
Jalapeños Rellenos (stuffed jalapeños)
More from the Chicago Mexican Food Examiner:
Review: Taqueria Los Magueyes in Bridgeview, IL
Arroz con leche (rice with milk) is not your mother's rice pudding
Tacos de papa (potato tacos) are simply spectacular comfort food
Contact the Chicago Mexican Food Examiner:
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Comments
I really appreciate the shopping tips. I would never have known the difference. Please keep including these. Thanks
Nice article but I don't recommend testing hotness by running your finger on the pepper! One time I had extra hot jalapenoes and my fingers were on FIRE all night long from touching them. I had to sit with my hands in bowls of ice. This may not bother some people - my husband's skin is not as senstive, for example - but now I wear gloves whenever I handle hot peppers. (or get him to cut them!)
Amy,
The stuffed jalapeno recipe sounds wonderful; I'll have to try it. I also have a stuffed jalapeno recipe that's been a table frequentor at my family's Christmas dinners! The jalapenos are filled with cream cheese, wrapped with bacon, and baked until the bacon is crispy and sizzling. They're amazing!
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