In Jamaica and most of the Caribbean the Scotch Bonnet Pepper is the pepper of choice. I’m personally a little bit scared of its intense heat and tend to use West Indian hot pepper sauce made with scotch bonnet peppers instead. I do however, always use fresh chopped Scotch Bonnets when I make Escovitch Fish or my Secret Jerk Sauce. And I sometimes drop a whole pepper into a pot of boiling soup for a few minutes to impart some heat … but not too much.
Scotch Bonnet peppers are part of the chili pepper family and it’s closest cousin is the Habanero … however the Jamaican Scotch Bonnet is reputed to be not only hotter, but one of the hottest peppers in the world! When someone talks about hot peppers in the Caribbean, particularly the English-speaking Caribbean, they are strictly referring to the Scotch Bonnet peppers.
With my Secret Jerk Sauce recipe I have included some tips for safely chopping a scotch bonnet pepper … you really don’t even want to get it on your skin. To reduce a lot of the heat from any pepper, you must remove the seeds as well as the membrane found inside of the pepper — this is where the heat is stored. The finer pepper is chopped or minced, the more the heat is spread in the dish. Always bear this in mind when cooking with hot peppers.
If you’re unable to find Scotch Bonnet Peppers where you grocery shop just substitute Habanero peppers, which are more widely available outside the Caribbean. In this video Fay shows you how to safely handle scotch bonnet peppers. Make sure to watch to the end to hear her story about what happened to her friend.
Jamaican Ingredients: Scotch Bonnet Peppers
In our family cooking is a loving gesture. Our mission is to spread that love around the world by sharing our beloved family recipes. Our Jamaican recipes have been passed down for generations, are easy to prepare and very authentic! We know you'll love them. Enjoy!
