Cayenne Pepper
Finely chopped fresh cayenne imparts intense heat to sauces and stews,
particularly in Cajun and Indian cooking.
Although available fresh, cayenne peppers are mostly ground into red pepper or incorporated
into hot sauces for use in Cajun and other spicy cuisines.
Varieties
Cayenne chile peppers are extremely hot and provide the heat for many spicy dishes. When
fresh, cayenne peppers appear wrinkly and may be either deep green or bright red (when
mature). They can range between 5 and 10 inches (12.5–25.5cm) long and are generally
about 1/2 to 1 inch (1.2–2.5cm) across. The red, mature pepper is hotter than the green.
Cayenne peppers tend to be long and hooked and they terminate in a sharp point.
Cayennes are pungent peppers with heat scores that measure between 30,000 and 50,000
Scoville heat units. How high a chile pepper scores on the heat scale is determined by
high-performance liquid chromatography measurement of how many parts per million capsaicin it
contains. This figure is then converted into the historic Scoville heat units that signify how
much dilution is necessary to drown out the chile’s heat. The heat level of a chile is
given as a range because it varies with how and where the pepper was grown and how mature it
is.
Buying and Storing Tips
Fresh cayenne peppers are available in specialty stores in the produce section. Dried,
ground cayenne pepper is available in most grocery stores.
As these peppers mature they turn from green to red in color. They can be used for cooking
at any stage, but the red is spicier than the green. Store fresh cayenne peppers in a paper
bag in the refrigerator.
Availability
Red and green cayenne peppers are available year-round.
Preparation, uses, and tips
Use caution when handling these chiles: cayenne peppers are so hot that they can instantly
irritate the skin on the hands and it can be excruciating if they come in contact with the
eyes. Wear thin disposable surgical gloves while working with hot chiles, and don’t
touch your face until the gloves are removed. The seeds and membranes in chile peppers contain most of the capsaicin, the compound
that lends them their mouth-searing qualities. Cayennes are mostly used without their seeds
and veins. Finely chopped fresh cayenne imparts intense heat to sauces and stews, particularly
in Cajun and Indian cooking.
Nutritional Highlights
Red chile pepper (dried), 1 pepper (0.54g)
Calories: 1.7
Protein: 0.0g
Carbohydrate: 0.4g
Total Fat: 0.0g
Fiber: 0.2g
The information presented in this website is for informational purposes only and was created by a team of U.S. registered dietitians and food experts. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications.
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