Jalapeño
The Jalapeño is the world’s most popular medium-hot chili — famous for its bright, grassy flavor when green and sweeter profile when red. It is the classic pepper for nachos, poppers, salsas, and chipotle (smoked dried jalapeños).
Jalapeños are small-to-medium (2–4 inches long), stout, cylindrical pods with smooth, glossy dark-green skin that turns bright red when fully ripe. They have thick, crisp walls and a hollow interior. Heat is consistent and approachable (2,500–8,000 SHU).
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Backstory
Named after the city of Xalapa in Veracruz, Mexico, where it has been grown for centuries. It became globally popular in the 20th century and is now the most commercially grown hot pepper in the United States and Mexico. When smoked and dried it becomes the famous chipotle chile.
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Bright and grassy when green with a crisp bite and clean heat. When roasted or smoked (as chipotle) it becomes sweeter and develops a rich, smoky depth.
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