Scotch Bonnet Heat Guide

Scotch bonnet peppers measure about 100,000 to 350,000 Scoville Heat Units, serious heat by any measure. They are also one of the most flavourful, with a sweet, fruity taste that defines Jamaican food. This guide explains Scotch bonnet heat, ranks every Nerpy's product from mild to super hot, and shows you how to dial the heat up or down.

What Is a Scotch Bonnet Pepper?

The Scotch bonnet (Capsicum chinense) is the signature pepper of Jamaica and much of the Caribbean, named for its squat shape that looks like a tam o' shanter cap. It ripens from green to a deep yellow or orange at full maturity. It is the heat in jerk, the kick in curry and the bite in escoveitch.

The Scotch bonnets in our Gold hot sauce, jerk paste, One Drop Green Seasoning, Spicy Curry Seasoning, BBQ sauce, flakes and powder are grown on our 4-acre family farm in St. Catherine, Jamaica. Red Hot Sauce is made with West Indies red hot peppers, and our Escoveitch uses Scotch bonnets sourced separately.

The Scoville Scale, Simply

Heat varies from pepper to pepper and harvest to harvest.

The Nerpy's Heat Ladder

From gentlest to hottest. Start low and work your way up.

Also try our Scotch Bonnet Infused Maple Syrup for sweet heat on bacon, ribs and chicken and waffles.

How to Turn the Heat Down

• Reach for citrus. A squeeze of lime or lemon over the dish, or a glass of grapefruit juice, lemonade or orange juice on the side, cuts the heat.
• Milk for heartburn. If spicy food tends to give you acid reflux or heartburn, a glass of milk can help settle your stomach.
• Start small. Begin with a teaspoon of paste or a few drops of sauce, taste, then add more.
• Serve with starch. Rice and peas, roti, festival, bread or potatoes give your palate a break.
• Thin the marinade. Mix jerk or curry paste with a little oil, lime juice or honey before rubbing it on.

How to Turn the Heat Up

• Use more paste and marinate overnight so the heat goes deeper into the meat.
• Finish any dish with a few drops of Red or Gold.
• Sprinkle Scotch bonnet flakes or powder to add heat without changing the flavour of the dish.

Handling Scotch Bonnet Safely

Wash your hands well after handling paste or fresh peppers, and keep them away from your eyes. Wear gloves when you rub large amounts of jerk paste into meat.

Frequently Asked Questions

How hot is a Scotch bonnet pepper?

Scotch bonnets typically measure 100,000 to 350,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU). For comparison, a jalapeño is usually 2,500 to 8,000 SHU, so a Scotch bonnet can be 40 times hotter or more.

Is a Scotch bonnet the same as a habanero?

They are close cousins. Both are Capsicum chinense and have a similar heat range, but they look and taste different. A Scotch bonnet is squat and bonnet-shaped, ripens to a deep yellow or orange at full maturity, and has a sweeter, fruitier flavour that is central to Jamaican cooking. Habaneros are more elongated and ripen to many colours, including yellow, orange, red and even chocolate brown.

Which Nerpy's product is the mildest?

One Drop Green Seasoning is our mildest. It uses green Scotch bonnet for a bright, fresh warmth rather than a big burn.

Is Nerpy's Red Hot Sauce made with Scotch bonnet?

No. Red is made with West Indies red hot peppers and pomegranate juice for a medium-hot, sweet-tart sauce. Gold, our very hot sauce, is made with Scotch bonnets from our family farm in Jamaica.

What is the best way to cool down Scotch bonnet heat?

Reach for citrus. A squeeze of lime or lemon, or a glass of grapefruit juice, lemonade or orange juice, cuts the heat. Starches such as rice, roti, festival or bread also give your palate a break. Water spreads the heat around and does little to help.

How do I make a jerk dish less spicy without losing flavour?

Use less paste and marinate longer, mix the paste with a little oil, lime juice or honey before rubbing it on, and serve with cooling sides like coleslaw, rice and peas or a cucumber salad.

Put the Heat to Work

Browse our Caribbean recipes by product and by meal, or try the Hot Sauce Bundle to taste Red and Gold side by side.