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Why jalapeño peppers are less spicy (2023)

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Re: Why jalapeño peppers are less spicy (2023)

#51

Post by quantified »

resolutebat wrote: post #36
tptacek wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you never grown peppers? It really is absurdly easy. The point though really isn't that everyone's just going to grow their own peppers; rather, it's that it's very easy to introduce an alternate supply of highly-variable jalapenos, because there aren't many barriers to producing them. There are urban garden companies in Chicago that produce lettuce right now and could probably produce jalapenos if anybody reall…

I don't think anybody wants highly-variable jalapenos though? Industrial processors want reliably mild, chileheads want reliably spicy.

Replying to a peer respondent:

Chile lovers definitely want reliably spicy. Quite a few in my family and friends.

Re: Why jalapeño peppers are less spicy (2023)

#52

Post by hackneyedruse »

tptacek wrote: post #11

The reason I took away from this: large agricultural producers of peppers bred towards a "low heat, low variance" standard, away from a "high variance" standard that produced frequent hot jalapenos. Low-heat-low-variance is better for mass food production, because producers can just dose the capsaicin directly, which is something they can't do easily when every pepper is a wildcard. There are second-order effects, li…

I wasn’t aware that brussels sprouts had changed (I thought we just learned how to cook them) but sure enough:

https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2019/10/30/773457637/fr...

Re: Why jalapeño peppers are less spicy (2023)

#53

Post by thrwwycbr »

akavi wrote: post #44
thrwwycbr wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They release enzymes necessary for the spice/acid production. The acid counteracts those enzymes. If you cut open peppers, you can see the black veins which were bit by bugs, those are the ones containing the carbon acid. A better way to protect them against virusses but not against bugs that won't harm them is by combining the top of peppers with the root of potatoes, and by using moss to heal the cuts where you com…

"The acid"? Capsaicin (the compound responsible for a pepper's "heat") is not an acid. Also, I've never noticed "black veins" in any peppers I've prepared, including very spicy ones.

Well, technically, capsaicin is the end of the reaction.

Some might argue that all carbon acid amids are - as the name says - products of carbon acid reactions with ammonia.

At least in a natural, non synthesized, environment.

Re: Why jalapeño peppers are less spicy (2023)

#54

Post by LegibleCrimson »

buran77 wrote: post #45
tptacek wrote: post #11

The reason I took away from this: large agricultural producers of peppers bred towards a "low heat, low variance" standard, away from a "high variance" standard that produced frequent hot jalapenos. Low-heat-low-variance is better for mass food production, because producers can just dose the capsaicin directly, which is something they can't do easily when every pepper is a wildcard. There are second-order effects, li…

> today's (delicious) sprouts aren't the same plant as the (gross) sprouts of yore For what it's worth, your (adult) tastes probably changed more than the vegetable itself. Even with the reduction in glucosinolates, few children would call brussels sprouts "delicious". Children are born with a preference for sweetness, while disliking bitter tastes. Both of these traits diminish as they reach adulthood. [0] [0] https…

Anecdotally, my young children both love brussels sprouts. They're actually one of the very few greens I can get them to consistently eat, other than green beans.

Re: Why jalapeño peppers are less spicy (2023)

#56

Post by tempest_ »

michael1999 wrote: post #42
tptacek wrote: post #11

The reason I took away from this: large agricultural producers of peppers bred towards a "low heat, low variance" standard, away from a "high variance" standard that produced frequent hot jalapenos. Low-heat-low-variance is better for mass food production, because producers can just dose the capsaicin directly, which is something they can't do easily when every pepper is a wildcard. There are second-order effects, li…

Sniff. I miss the old brussels sprouts. The don't freeze anymore without turning to mush. But I'll give you broccolini -- it's a great addition.

I like the frozen ones because is means I always have an emergency veg when I am out of fresh stuff.

I microwave the frozen ones and fry in a cast iron till a they are a little burnt on the outside.

Re: Why jalapeño peppers are less spicy (2023)

#57

Post by tptacek »

tempsy wrote: post #47
tptacek wrote: post #11

The reason I took away from this: large agricultural producers of peppers bred towards a "low heat, low variance" standard, away from a "high variance" standard that produced frequent hot jalapenos. Low-heat-low-variance is better for mass food production, because producers can just dose the capsaicin directly, which is something they can't do easily when every pepper is a wildcard. There are second-order effects, li…

If you have had Huy Fong Sriracha recently you’ll probably notice that it is less spicy than it used to be. Apparently they were in a multi year lawsuit with their jalapeño pepper supplier based in SoCal that is specifically known for spiciness and they lost and started buying jalapeños elsewhere. Then the pepper farmer started selling his own Sriracha sauce.

That's super weird, right? Because they could just dope the sriracha batches back to whatever level of heat they want. I make fermented hot sauce once a year, and I end up doing that too? And I'm a dummy?

Are we sure this isn't just a market shift thing? Like: maybe they lost some heat unintentionally or unknowingly, but then sales went up?

Re: Why jalapeño peppers are less spicy (2023)

#58

Post by aegypti »

tptacek wrote: post #49
progmetaldev wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As someone that loves hot sauce, including fermenting my own, it's unfortunate that it does actually require growing your own if you want a lot of heat along with flavor. Using capsaicin extracts will give you heat, but often little flavor (or no flavor if you go hot enough).

If you're just making a fermented hot sauce, why not just use serranos? The serrano is basically the consistently hot jalapeno you're looking from; it's just less plump and so less useful as a popper or whatever. And, of course, if you really wanted heat, you'd be using scotch bonnets anyways.

Each of these chiles have very different flavors friend. Serranos and jalapeños are much closer than habaneros but still cleanly separated by bitterness, brightness and acridity.

Eg a grandmother’s salsa ranchera with jalapeño only is a much sweeter affair than when supplemented with serranos, and equally much less fruity than when pequins are used.

Re: Why jalapeño peppers are less spicy (2023)

#59

Post by bobthepanda »

buran77 wrote: post #45
tptacek wrote: post #11

The reason I took away from this: large agricultural producers of peppers bred towards a "low heat, low variance" standard, away from a "high variance" standard that produced frequent hot jalapenos. Low-heat-low-variance is better for mass food production, because producers can just dose the capsaicin directly, which is something they can't do easily when every pepper is a wildcard. There are second-order effects, li…

> today's (delicious) sprouts aren't the same plant as the (gross) sprouts of yore For what it's worth, your (adult) tastes probably changed more than the vegetable itself. Even with the reduction in glucosinolates, few children would call brussels sprouts "delicious". Children are born with a preference for sweetness, while disliking bitter tastes. Both of these traits diminish as they reach adulthood. [0] [0] https…

We also generally know how to prepare them better. Most people these days recommend and prefer them roasted and caramelized, and that is a world of difference from the boiled to death sprouts of yore.

Re: Why jalapeño peppers are less spicy (2023)

#60

Post by tptacek »

eichin wrote: post #50
Aloha wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is why I can actually Jalapeño now! Also, Brussel Sprouts still taste like gym socks or bad cabbage to me.

Really, though, the true innovation in brussels sprouts was figuring out that you could roast them with bacon and some maple or balsamic glaze. ("Yes, that would also make the box they came in taste good")

They taste better roasted now, though, because they have fewer bitter compounds.
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