If you’ve ever looked at molten lava and thought, “dang, that looks tasty!” then the Carolina Reaper is the pepper for you. Specifically engineered over the course of 10 years to be hot enough to strip the paint off your car, these chilies are no joke. For all the hype and hyperbole, they are every bit as hot, if not hotter, than you would think. Ranging from 1.6 – 2.2 million Scoville Heat Units, they don’t just taste like fire, they taste like napalm. It’s a burn that you can’t escape, that engulfs you from the inside out. Even for someone that can’t get enough of spicy food, this would put them over their limit with just the tiniest bite.
Second Hottest Pepper on the Planet
For many years, the Carolina Reaper was officially certified as the world’s hottest chili pepper, only to be stripped of the title by Pepper X in 2023. Regardless, this gnarled, blood-red fruit is every bit as dangerous as before. They have, in fact, sent people to the hospital. Under no circumstances would I suggest actually taking a chop out of one, even in minute amounts. Agony is the mildest way to describe the sensation.
Who Hurt You?
Somehow, I came to find a handful of these delightful little warheads in my possession. I like spicy food just fine, but I also enjoy retaining use of all my senses, so I had a reasonable amount of fear when considering how to dispatch them. Your only options for using Carolina Reapers are either making hot sauce or pesticide. They’re not quite at the level of bear repellent spray, though I think you could still do some serious damage to a would-be attacker if you bottled the puree. At a certain point in the process, “hot sauce” started sounding (and feeling) like “hurt sauce,” as a more accurate descriptor.
Proceed with Caution
If I haven’t scared you off yet, keep in mind some safety precautions specific to this prep:
- Use gloves when handling the peppers.
- Wash your hands, even after wearing gloves.
- DO NOT! TOUCH! YOUR FACE! (Or other sensitive areas, if you know what I mean.)
- Open the windows while roasting the peppers.
- Run the fans on the oven hood.
- Let your pets outside.
- Maybe you should stand outside, too. Just don’t go far and keep a timer on that oven.
Fire Power
Flavor is secondary to the fire power of this sauce. Use the tiniest amount if you want to taste the food underneath, starting at 1/4 teaspoon for an entire bowlful, if not potful, of chili, for example. Don’t worry, it will still deliver a searing burn at that dosage. This one is only for the insane spice fiends, always diluted in food, and by all means, not to be underestimated.
Carolina Hurt Sauce
Carolina Reaper peppers are pure, weaponized heat. If you're bold enough to turn it into hot sauce, proceed with caution!
Ingredients
- 1.4 - 1.5 Ounces Carolina Reaper Peppers, De-stemmed
- 10 - 12 Cloves Garlic
- 1 Large Red Onion, Roughly Chopped
- 1/2 Teaspoon Olive Oil
- 1 Cup Water
- 1/4 Cup Sherry or Champagne Vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the Carolina Reaper peppers, garlic, and onion and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Roast for 15 minutes, until the peppers are slightly charred.
- Let cool for at least 15 minutes and transfer to your blender. Add the water, vinegar, tomato paste, and salt. Puree until completely smooth. Do NOT open the blender with your face over the top; the fumes will take you out.
- Pour into bottles and keep refrigerated for 2 - 3 months. For longer storage, use ice cube trays to freeze the extra sauce almost indefinitely. Just don't plan on using the ice cube trays for anything else ever again.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
480Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1Unsaturated Fat: 0gSodium: 3mgCarbohydrates: 0gSugar: 0g
All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.
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