Cayenne Pepper – All You Need to Know | Instacart Guide to Fresh Produce

What is cayenne pepper?

If you like it hot, cayenne pepper can spice up your life without setting your mouth on fire. While it still packs quite a punch, it’s milder than the major hitters like a habanero or ghost pepper. On the other hand, it’s not as mild as a poblano or serrano pepper.

Cayenne is considered a medium-hot chili pepper that’s used to add spice and flavor to food. The average cayenne pepper is about 2–5-inches long and usually tapered. While the pepper is most often red, it can also be green. The green peppers are younger and less mature, but only slightly milder. The pepper has a curved tip and rippled skin.

The cayenne pepper grows on a bush. After harvesting, it’s usually dried and ground into a powder. It can also be combined with a variety of other peppers and sold as a pepper blend. Sometimes these pepper mixes don’t even contain cayenne pepper, and they may or may not contain the seeds.

The cayenne pepper is most often used to add heat to spicy dishes, either as a powder or in its whole form. With its Central American roots, cayenne pepper can often be found in Latin American foods. However, over the years, cayenne became a staple in many Asian foods, Indian curries, and Thai soups. Cayenne is also used in Tabasco sauce, which is world-famous for giving food an extra kick.

How hot is cayenne pepper?

Peppers are rated by spiciness on the Scoville Rating Scale, named after Wilbur Scoville, who created the method of measuring and classifying the level of heat in peppers. The scale measures the concentration of capsaicin, the chemical compound that produces the heat sensation. This scale reports Scoville heat units (SHU). The higher the SHU, the hotter the pepper. The cayenne pepper measures 30,000–50,000 SHU. For comparison, the jalapeno averages around 5,000 SHU, and the bell pepper is 0 SHU.

Where did cayenne pepper originate?

Cayenne pepper comes from the city of Cayenne, the capital of French Guiana. Today, it’s grown in India, East Africa, Mexico, and here in the U.S. It was first cultivated in Mexico 7,000 years ago and in Peru 4,000 years ago. It was brought to Europe in the 1400s by Christopher Columbus.

What’s the nutritional value of cayenne pepper?

Based on the U.S. Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI), one tablespoon of cayenne pepper contains 17 calories and 1 gram of fat. You’ll get 3g, 1.4g of fiber, and 0.6g of protein when it comes to carbs. Surprisingly, one tablespoon of cayenne also provides 44% of your recommended vitamin A. While it contains small amounts of other vitamins and minerals, they’re under 5% of your RDI.

How is cayenne pepper grown?

Although the cayenne pepper originated in French Guiana, today it’s mostly grown in East Africa, India, U.S., and Mexico. These days, chiles are usually cultivated from seed in nurseries. Then the plants are transplanted outside after about 6–8 weeks. The pepper grows best in tropical or sub-tropical climates. In the U.S., it does better in the south. Peppers are allowed to ripen, then picked after turning red, although green cayenne peppers can be picked three months after planting. Cayenne peppers are grown annually because after the first year, their production isn’t so good.

How do you pick cayenne pepper at the grocery store?

When you’re selecting peppers at the store, look for a waxy appearance in red, green, or any color in between and a mature size of 3.5–5 inches long. The skin should be firm, glossy, and have no soft spots, pits, or oozing. Examine the stem end. It should look as if it were just cut. Shopping for dried spices? It should be free of mold, clean, and fragrant.

If you want your groceries delivered, you can add cayenne peppers via Instacart. After adding the dried or fresh product to your cart, Use the “Instructions” option to let your Instacart shopper know of any special directions or preferences when selecting your peppers. Shop for cayenne peppers.

When are cayenne peppers in season?

Cayenne peppers thrive in the heat. Here in the U.S., they can be grown in the southern states during summer. In other parts of the world, they’re grown in tropical or subtropical climates, where temperatures average 70–85°F year-round.

How do you store cayenne pepper?

The best place to store fresh peppers is in the refrigerator. Put them in a plastic bag and place them in the vegetable drawer. The ideal storage temperature is between 40–45°F.

It isn’t necessary to wash the peppers before storing them. In fact, it’s better if they’re put in the fridge dry as water can escalate the rotting process. Stored at the proper temperature, peppers will keep for up to 2–3 weeks. Peppers with thicker “walls” will last longer than thin-walled peppers. And whole peppers will last longer than those that are cut or sliced. If you keep them out at room temperature, they’ll only last 1–2 weeks, depending on how old they were when you purchased them and the thickness of the peppers. Thicker walled peppers last longer than peppers with thinner walls.

How can you tell if cayenne pepper has gone bad?

As in most food preparation, it’s best to use fresh ingredients. Cayenne peppers are no different. Don’t use a pepper that shows signs of rot, spoilage, or has soft or dark spots. Fresh peppers will be shiny, firm, and free of wrinkles and discolorations.

What can I substitute for cayenne pepper?

If you want to pump up the heat in your cooking but don’t have any fresh or ground cayenne pepper on hand, here are some other chili pepper options that will make the cut.

• Red pepper flakes

• Paprika

• Chili powder

• Hot sauce (like Tobasco)

• Thai peppers

• Gochugaru

• Serrano peppers

• Jalapeno peppers