Carolina Reaper hot peppers

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I planted 4 plants this spring and have harvested about a dozen pods. Now I'm wondering how to preserve them, whether to can or dry them. I've given some away but most people don't want them saying they're too hot for the average pepper lover. As they ripen, I've been storing them in the refrigerator in ziplock bags, but I'm fast becoming overwhelmed with these evil looking little pods. My wife wants to can them in vinegar but I'm thinking of drying them in my dehydrater. I like most hot peppers, but I've seen the YouTube videos of people eating these things and they seem to be crazy hot. The Scoville units of measure are off the charts when compared to a Jalapeño or Habanero. With cool "chili" weather just around the corner, I'd like to try them but would hate to ruin a good pot of chili. Has anyone experienced this hot pepper, and/or have any recipes to hand out?
 
I'd dry them so you can use them in small quantities. What are you going to do with a pickled hot pepper that is too hot to eat?
 
A coworker made some salsa with reapers. Was crazy hot, which is fine, but it's just not a good tasting pepper, IMO. I like spice/heat, but not at the expense of actually tasting what I'm eating, lol.

Every fall, my wife takes our harvest of jalapenos and jars them in a sweet pickling brew. So good and tasty on just about everything.......and addicting. We call 'em "crack-apenos".
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I can only offer a useless opinion but one that seems to be repeated often...in my experience, anything that approaches a million Scoville units ( which Reapers are way over ) is more about my esophagus than food/taste/enjoyment. There are ways of cooling down the heat obviously but it seems that the Carolina Reapers and Pepper X's of the world are more parts Guinness Book than utility for most people, I've made habanero relish in the past that was good but IMO it seems the heat/flavor trade off becomes a lot more skewed north of there.

My take is that if competitive eater Joey "Jaws" Chestnut could eat three or four 2 million Scoville pepper stuffed hot dogs in a minute THAT would be impressive cuz I doubt he'd do many more than that.
 
I had a few that I dried and ground into a consistently like crushed peppers at a pizza place. I use the stuff VERY sparingly. The really hot peppers, starting with habaneros, don't taste very good to me and I've outgrown the need to prove my machismo by choking down the spiciest stuff I can find. I use the crushed ones to add a bit of heat to sesame oil, pickles, or (sauerk)raut. (had to do it that way to prevent the word from being censored)
 
Originally Posted by Vuflanovsky
I can only offer a useless opinion but one that seems to be repeated often...in my experience, anything that approaches a million Scoville units ( which Reapers are way over ) is more about my esophagus than food/taste/enjoyment. There are ways of cooling down the heat obviously but it seems that the Carolina Reapers and Pepper X's of the world are more parts Guinness Book than utility for most people, I've made habanero relish in the past that was good but IMO it seems the heat/flavor trade off becomes a lot more skewed north of there.

My take is that if competitive eater Joey "Jaws" Chestnut could eat three or four 2 million Scoville pepper stuffed hot dogs in a minute THAT would be impressive cuz I doubt he'd do many more than that.

I'm at the other end of the spectrum here, growing a jalapeno plant for the first time this year. It ended up being not hot enough to use in salsa. I think I might try serrano next year.
 
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(sauerk)raut. (had to do it that way to prevent the word from being censored)

The mods have changed the censor some time back so the word sauerkraut or sauer kraut is ok now.
 
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I'm at the other end of the spectrum here, growing a jalapeno plant for the first time this year. It ended up being not hot enough to use in salsa. I think I might try serrano next year.
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Yeah, I think that's the thing because at that level of heat you may be either adding more jalapenos or moving up to serranos ( which CAN be closer to jalapenos in heat with some of the store bought ones I've used ). Habaneros or scotch bonnets really bump up the equation where you have to reassess things in terms of a flavor profile and what you want to get out of it.. I got some African birds eye pepper in the corner of my eye a few years ago and I still remember that....a coworker freezes habanero and birds eye mash in ice cube trays and adds it to things from that which can work really well.
 
Habanero is hottest I'll eat. Lady friend makes darn good "gardenia" with cauliflower, spinach, carrots, homemade canned pickles. Delicious
 
Those are dangerous. They can cause severe migraines and other bodily injuries.. as well as making you literally sick.

I usually stick with hot peppers that taste good such as serrano, red chili, certain hot banana peppers... they are about 2-3x as hot as jalapenos. etc.

I sample a few small pieces so I know how hot they are and add/adjust to taste for recipe.

I have had some habanero that were good but really if you use much you could be in pain.. anything after that is for people who like pain in the rear.. literally. butt on fire.
 
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Reapers I don't like...heat for the sake of heat, and not much flavour.

If I take left over spag bol to work, I'll finely slice 1/3-1/2 of a habanero over it, and thoroughly enjoy it...reapers just nasty hot, and none of that fruity flavour.

Can't say what I'd do with them if you have excess to your consumption and use...not much sorry.
 
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