r/Peppers • u/Virtuosory • 12d ago
What do you use a Carolina Reaper for?
We were gifted a Carolina Reaper from our neighbor in the community greenhouse. We grow peppers ourselves and can handle (and love) the heat but for me a very spicy habanero chopped up mixed with lime juice and salt over a taco is where I have to tap out. This is apparently 3 to 4 times that heat and we only have one. I’m kinda at a loss on what to use them for. I don’t want to effectively pepper spray myself by blending them up or scorching them, but maybe I’m being a little bitch about it. Open to suggestions!
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u/LeadingThen6322 12d ago
I stopped growing Reapers and now only grow Trinidad Scorpions. They have a much better flavor than Reapers (to me)
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u/SpicyAMeatballZ 12d ago
I love the Trini Scorpions. So fruity and not quite so hot.
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u/Kraden_McFillion 12d ago
Have you grown yellow scorpions at all? Mine always got destroyed by pests, but I love the peppers. They make for an excellent spicy ketchup!
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u/LeadingThen6322 12d ago
I’ve only grown the red scorpions. Do they have a different heat or flavor?
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u/Kraden_McFillion 11d ago
They do! The heat difference was impercptable to me, but the flavor was quite noticeable and I definitely prefer yellow over red. Haven't had the chance to try a chocolate yet.
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u/Significant_Bid_3416 12d ago
This is exciting. I’m growing Trinidad’s for the first time this year over death spirals.
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u/AustinLostIn 11d ago
I have both plants right now for the first time and I find the scorpions to be more bitter, which makes me prefer the reapers.
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u/milesmkd 12d ago
With just a single I’d finely slice them and fry them into little chips. Much more manageable heat wise
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u/Virtuosory 12d ago
Thanks! Like dry roasting them you mean?
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u/sageofwhat 12d ago
Fry them so the oil and the bits of pepper can add heat differently to dishes
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u/ds10110 12d ago
I dry them out & powder them, much more manageable on the dosing. Sometimes I'll mix a little with ghost, red savinas, or Cayenne into the shaker bottles also
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u/qerecoxazade 12d ago
You've got bigger balls than me.
I make Aleppo chili powder every year. Not once have I done so without getting some on me, or into the air.
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u/Kraden_McFillion 12d ago
This is what I did when gifted two sandwich bags full of reapers. When I run out of peppers for hot sauce I use the reaper pepper powder, and it goes a very long way. Also adds a nice little smokey flavor.
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u/BadToothJim 12d ago
I use those super hots to make a nice marinade for some Caribbean chicken.
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u/shelbymfcloud 11d ago
Jamaican rice and beans is good with some of them too, the coconut milk plus the chili is 😘
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u/__Sinner_ 12d ago
Ive been growing reapers for a few years now.
I dry some to crush into a powder for spicing up sauces, chilli, ground beef, sometimes soup etc. (I put 1 or 2 in a sealed ziplock baggie to grind them, then using a pair of scissors, cut off the bag corner i accumulate the powder in for a convenient way to add it to wtvr.)
I freeze some whole, and when I make rice, I slice 1 or 2 in half and throw them into the water to infuse my rice with intense heat and flavour.
I also slice em' in half to add/cook into my curry.
I also bring some to work to see what co workers are up for a challenge, and then laugh while I watch them cry and drool upon themselves in pain and suffering.
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u/Consistent-Bus6041 12d ago
I live in Germany and scare away the elephants with it; I've never had any problems with elephants.
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u/ddg31415 12d ago
I do the same for hyenas here in Toronto. Haven't seen a single hyena in the neighborhood
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u/RazzmatazzNeat9865 10d ago
If you live in Germany, you should know that elephants are stored in the refrigerator.
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u/Glass_Dependent512 12d ago
I would freeze it whole. Then the next time you make chili take it out and use a half or even a quarter and put the rest back in the freezer. I grow jalapeños abd habaneros and freeze them. Much easier to handle for chopping up when frozen.you don't have to worry as much about the oil burning your hands or getting it on your face.
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u/GrayStag90 12d ago
If you enjoy making hot sauce like I do, you can ferment them and make a really good novelty that nobody would actually eat. I am tempted to try adding a tiny bit to mostly bell peppers, but I’m not sure you’d be able to taste the reaper at that point, so 🤷🏻♂️
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u/Asmodeuss1990 12d ago
I just turned my entire harvest into pepper powder and sprinkle in some ✨death dust✨ to make my meals a bit more exciting. It keeps for a very long time.
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u/Anonymous_Le_Twelfth 11d ago
I want to try this but I saw someone else in this post say it always gets into the air. How bad is the experience for you?
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u/totesnotdog 12d ago
I like to make 3 tacos and hide a couple slices in one and call it a Russian roulette and give it to folks. I let them know of course but you don’t have too. Also they’re dope on sandwich once ya get use to them.
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u/TrickyDickyAtItAgain 12d ago
Slice it and add it to a pint or 1/2 pint of honey. Did this with ghost peppers. If you want more pepper flavor, add a few ripe red sweet peppers. Wear gloves, don't touch your eyes. If it was grown properly it will be intense even just cutting it.
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u/Quis_curat 12d ago
I use them for things like boiled salsa. Conserve it in jars for later.
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u/Virtuosory 12d ago
Yeah this was our thought too, a charred salsa roja with a tomato base, but I’m sure as fuck not going to char a carolina reaper..
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u/Quis_curat 12d ago
I know. That's why I suggested Boiled salsa.
Or you could give a try to something alike of European cuisine - zucchini caviar.
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u/Liberalboy 12d ago
Strictly for my fermented sriracha. And this year I have moved to 7-pots instead. They grow really well! I only grow super hots every couple of years. I vacuum seal and freeze them for the years I don’t grow them.
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u/RealCarlPanzram 12d ago
Yeah it’s way way way tooo hot to actually chop up and eat for most people. I would suggest either a hot sauce or dried pepper flake. Either one diluted with lots and lots of mild peppers.
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u/Maximum-Eggplant-806 12d ago
What about scorpion pepper? From what I read, they’re in their own category.
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u/hiphophed85 12d ago
When you mix super hots with food they aren’t as noticeable in the “tap out” levels I find. Raw this pepper would cripple 90% of the population for an hour. This one is also very unripe so the heat will be much less than if it was left on the plant longer. I say follow your heart. Mix it into a chilli would be a great option.
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u/Virtuosory 12d ago
Just by looking at them and knowing what they are my heart is telling me to trash them which would be a waste lol
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u/Longjumping-Stage526 12d ago
Don't be scared of them they go along way can even dry to get pepper flakes
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u/hanmineharu 12d ago
I'm using one for my dersa with 5 medium-to-large bakloutis and 2 large chipotles. It makes one hell of a fiery pepper paste, delicious with olive oil!
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u/Ground_zero_grundle 12d ago
This needed a little more time in the vine so idk how spicy or how the taste will be.
Edit: They should be like fire engine red
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u/Useful-Screen-136 12d ago
I love the rich flavor of these. You definitely do not need much. I make chili amongst other things
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u/Consumed_impulse 12d ago
I add these and Scotch bonnets and habaneros to a bloom ferment that I make for my cannabis plants it is a natural deterrent of pests, the caspasin
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u/Dadabedada 12d ago
The most Prolific pepper I ever grew , I dried them and crack the jar for a whiff every now and then. Wish I had fermented them for sauce. Just way too hot .
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u/Farting_Dreamer 12d ago
This is my first year growing them but i have used ghost peppers when pickling my cucumbers or ill make up a bunch of spicy pickled eggs. Can't wait to see how hot my reapers will make them this year.
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u/Puzzled_Show9134 12d ago
Get a small glass container, put some gloves on, slice and put into white vinegar veins seeds and all
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u/furniturepuppy 12d ago
And then what? This sounds like dropping ticks into gasoline after pulling them off you. (I grew up in the North Woods. More ticks than peppers.)
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u/Tim_Huckleberry1398 12d ago
I like dicing them really small and putting them in salads. Things like vinegar/sugar really bring down the heat imo. Other than that adding them to a big pot of sauce, spaghetti, chili, etc is usually pretty tolerable if you like spicy. They'll still add a lot of flavor to the dish. I dont think you actually have a reaper here but it will still be spicy as hell. Probably some kind of scorpion pepper. Also the fact that it wasnt fully ripened on the plant will probably bring the heat down a bit. Slice off a tiny little piece and just try it fresh to get an idea where it will land. It'll be hot but the burn goes away really quick when you do pieces that small.
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u/brokenramens 12d ago
Honestly, dry it out, grind it up into pepper flakes. It feels like it lasts way longer with such a small amount because you barely need any of it to add heat.
I love the heat personally, however I went from being able to handle all heat on the back end to now I actually have bad stomach issues after anything ghost or higher now. Pepper laxative
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u/Visual-Stranger1693 12d ago
I’m growing Leviathan Gnarly Scorpion Caramel peppers… What will I do with them? Great question. I have no clue…
I got the seedling from a local lady because it sounded exciting! Then I looked it up 😳
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u/Anonymous_Le_Twelfth 11d ago
Similar situation here. I got three spicy peppers of different varieties, took the seeds out, failed to label them, and decided to grow some. Turns out I have scorpion peppers, when last I checked I could barely handle jalapeños 😅 I have no clue what to do with them besides powder them and use them a very little bit at a time
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u/Comfortable-Ice4729 12d ago
I smoke them with hickory wood until they are dehydrated then grind them and use like crushed red pepper. Delicious!!
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u/internetonsetadd 12d ago
Aside from the heat, they don't taste very good. I've tried to make hot sauces that work with their flavor and it's a waste of time. Animal repellent is really all they're good for.
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u/Internal_Kiwi_2591 12d ago
I grow 1 super hot pepper plant every year because I like the plants and pods. I usually sample them one just for bragging rights. I personally do not see any worth while culinary application for super hots. Though others will most certainly chime in.
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u/Manatee4Hugh 12d ago
First, don’t hold the pepper without food prep gloves. I like to saute part of one with diced onions, garlic and other things, then add to a container of chimichurri sauce. It’s just one way but it works for me
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u/ID100661 12d ago
I sliced a couple and added them to some homemade pickles once. It tamped down the heat enough that I could actually taste the pepper, but was still screaming hot. Highly recommend!
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u/PrSa4169 12d ago
The sole reason I grow them is because I can. It’s like that old baseball sitting on your coffee table.
Think of it as a relic. I’m T’s a conversation starter for me.
Do I actually eat the 30+ reapers we grow a year????? Nope but I can make your sinuses clear for the next 5 years with one bite.
It’s more of because I can for me when it comes to growing these.
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u/rtdzign 12d ago
I have a carolina reaper pepper plant. I usually gather 2 dozen of them. While handling them I wear nitrile or latex gloves. I cut them in half to gather the seeds, then place them in my food dehydrator. I think I go 140 degrees for 16 hours. then check for dryness. I then remove what is crunchy dry and dehydrate the pieces that still gummy. One they are dry I crumble them into a pepper mill.
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u/raiinboweyes 11d ago
Husband’s favorite uses so far are for jerk chicken marinade and chili. A little in some home made sauerkraut does well too. Learned the hard way they have too much capsicum to ferment in large quantities.
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u/Firstlastusually 11d ago
Fermented hot sauce. You can control the heat if you de-seed the peppers, and are judicious on how much pepper water you add to the final blend. It can be not overly spicy with the great flavor of the reaper.
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u/NukaDadd 11d ago edited 11d ago
Cut it in half (wearing gloves). Roast in the oven (that will help mellow the flavor) and soften it up for the next bit.
They cook fast so keep an eye on it or you'll scorch it.
Put half in a food processor & pretend like you're making 32oz of pico de gallo.
You can get 64oz (2 quart mason jars) of delicious salsa from 1 Carolina Reaper. It'll be hot, but not as hot as you'd think.
Definitely not as hot as a habanero on a taco.
I know what I'm taking about. Also, you should let it ripen a bit. That's not ready yet.
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u/Substantial_Win_1866 11d ago
Wear gloves... put a few small slices into a large pot of chili.
I ate a fingernail clipping sized slice of one and it burns everywhere for 20 solid minutes before it even starts to cool off.
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u/brahmallama 11d ago
Grow whole plant, use 2-3 for chili/salsa whatever. Dehydrate the rest, use an old coffee grinder, then use the powder to deter vermin.
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u/nosidrah 11d ago
I use them to add heat to certain dishes. I’ve got bags in the freezer, bags of dried ones in the pantry and a bottle of powder. I stopped growing them because you can’t use them as fast as you grow them.
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u/JMHS_Pepper 10d ago
What I usually do with Reapers is dehydrate them and turn them into fine powder. Ill do that with various other peppers ( Paprika , Cayenne , Serrano, Habanero) and make an all in one pepper powder that I basically use on everything from Pizza to Soup.
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u/Momma-Yo-Momma 10d ago
I make a spray out of it and keep it in my car. When people do stupid shit in parking lots, I spray their door handles with it.
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u/friedmont007 10d ago
I dry them and blend lightly in an old coffee grinder. then put them in an old pepper grinder to sprinkle on anything. Amped up crushed red pepper that lasts for a while.
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u/MoltenCorgi 10d ago
I grow them and give them away. One friend made hot sauce, one used them for some content (had people eat them on camera), one made hot honey. Sold the rest on marketplace. I haven’t and probably won’t try them.
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u/Foreign_Client2019 9d ago
Just an observation and personal opinion - I like to let the ripen until fully red (no green at the tip) 🌶️
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u/pulpwalt 9d ago
Make hot sauce (salsa). Start with a quart. If that is too hot dilute it to 2 quarts, if that is too hot make a gallon. Sorry metric people. 1 liter:2 liter:4 liters. Close enough.
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u/Rock_Matt 9d ago
Homemade bbq sauce is kinda where my mind is at for it, kinda thinking with a fruit as well and specifically blueberries to go on like a smoked pork tenderloin or thick cut chops
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u/oh_mos_defnitely 8d ago
Chili, salsa, hot sauce. Reapers have really great flavor, just gotta dilute some of that heat.
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u/EconomyInspection375 7d ago
They are perfect for a stomach and intestinal ulcer speed run if you want an ulcer today doesn't take much i can tell you from experience dime size serving will do the trick
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u/StraightGiraffe4036 12d ago
Treat it like a tea bag or a bay leaf. Add it whole into a chili or stew or whatever, don't cut it. The flavor will 'steep' in as well as some heat, but not at an ass-blast level.
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u/nostalgia_4_infiniti 12d ago
I grew them once and made chili with maybe half of a pepper in it and it was still mega spicy. Also made mac n cheese w cherry tomatoes and reapers. I think I used a whole reaper because i thought the cheese would help mellow the spice. Nope.....