The Scoville Heat Scale Unit

[rooker1]

Hello All,

Hot and Spicy Food is my passion.  I love to make and eat Hot and Spicy Food.  More precisely, I like Hot and Spicy Food even more when it is made for me.  Alot less work and I usually have more energy to eat and enjoy it better
I have a favourite Indian restaurant I visit quite frequently and the chef is a good friend of my wife's.  The first time I went there he told me he could make my Dish as Spicy as I wanted it.  Big mistake.......after about 3/4" of the dish I began to sweat and my mouth was on fire.  Not sure why, but I loved it.  Chicken Tikka Masala was one of the best dishes I have ever eaten.  Tandoori chicken breast pieces cooked with onions, capsicum peppers, tomatoes and spicies over a bed of curry rice, naan bread and a must have drink is the Mango Lassi.

So I have a few facts for everyone.  For those of you out there who enjoy Hot and Spicy Food as much as do you'll know what the Scoville Heat Scale Unit is.  You say some of you don't know, well let me explain than.

What is the Scoville Heat Scale Unit?

In 1912 a fellow named Wilbur Scoville developed a test for measuring the heat found in a hot pepper.  This scale has since become the industry standard.

How is the heat scale generally broken down?

Quick Reference Guide to Chili hotness
Mild......................................0-5000
Medium.................................5000-20,000
Hot......................................20,000-70,000
Extreme................................70,000-300,000+
Just plain Stupid.....................anything above

Are the seeds the hottest part?
Not really!  The seed contain a small portion of capsaicin (the stuff that makes a pepper hot).  The "hot" comes from capsaicinoids concentrated in the inner wall of the pepper and don't forget those white lines that run from top to bottom, these too contain small amounts of capsaicinoids. 

SCOVILLE PEPPER SCALE

[tabular type=2]
[row]
[head]

Pepper Type

[/head]
[head]

Heat Rating in Scoville Heat Units

[/head]
[/row]
[row]
[data]Pure capsaicin[/data]
[data]

15,000,000–16,000,000

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]Nordihydrocapsaicin[/data]
[data]

9,100,000

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]Standard U.S. Grade pepper spray[/data]
[data]

2,000,000–5,300,000

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]Naga Jolokia, Bhut Jolokia[/data]
[data]

855,000–1,041,427

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]Red Savina Habañero[/data]
[data]

350,000 - 550,000

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]Habañero, Scotch Bonnet[/data]
[data]

100,000 - 350,000

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]Thai, Malagueta Pepper, Chiltepin Pepper, Pequin Pepper[/data]
[data]

50,000 - 100,000

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]Red Amazon, Cayenne Pepper, Ají pepper, Tabasco pepper[/data]
[data]

30,000 - 50,000

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]Serrano Pepper, Chile de Arbol, Serrano[/data]
[data]

10,000–23,000

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]New Mexican varieties of Anaheim pepper, Hungarian Wax Pepper[/data]
[data]

4,500–5,000

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]Jalapeño Pepper, Puya, Guajillo[/data]
[data]

2,500–8,000

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]Rocotillo Pepper[/data]
[data]

1,500–2,500

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]Poblano Pepper, Anaheim[/data]
[data]

1,000–1,500

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]Anaheim pepper[/data]
[data]

500–2,500

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]Pimento, Pepperoncini[/data]
[data]

100–500

[/data]
[/row]
[row]
[data]Bell & Pimento[/data]
[data]

0

[/data]
[/row]
[/tabular]

So Vandy if you can place yourself on this list, than you can make the decision about the Habañero pepper.  Although it wouldn't be the same without them.  My only piece of advise would be to have some yogurt next to you or better still try to make that Mango lassi drink.

Robin 

[Pat]

Robin Im glad you posted the scoville list as I was about to do it myself so everyone could refrences it.... But here is a link I think all will find of good use Here [linkie]....  They will literaly burn your tounge off with some good sauces lol....

[rooker1]

Interesting link. 
I think I will order a few things.  I have a little collection of Hot sauces already. 
I do have one that is One Million Pepper Extract, that I picked up when I was in Chile.  There is a warning label that says, "Do not diguest by itself, use only as a food additive". 

Robin 

[Pat]

Hoooooooooooollllllllllly Heck Robin that is bad but it cant be as bad errr well maybe it could be worse then these 2... But hey they are funnie and I had the first one and it wasn't to bad but I found the other one just now lol.....

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2


for them you can click on this Linkie [here] and see both products on the same page...

[Vandy]

Hi, Robin.

Thank you very much for posting the Scoville Pepper Scale.  It has been quite a few years since I first read this and I had forgotten how informative it is.

I was very much like you when I was younger.  If I wasn't swating out the top of my head, the food wasn't hot enough.  Now, Lo, these many years later, the old digestive system just can't take the "hot stuff" anymore.  Consequently, I find myself on the low end of the scale.  I certainly will be able to make use of it.  Thanks!

Pat,

All I can say concerning the Insane Chicken Web site is YIKES!!

Regards,

Gary

[Pat]

LoL I know Gary some of those sauces would get me into some trouble with the fire department and chili lol...