This Fruity Scotch Bonnet Has Expert Chefs Going Wild

Let’s be honest, if you’re looking this up, then you’re ready to bring the heat, and we’re here for it. Making its way from the Caribbean into your recipes, this pepper will start a spice revolution in your kitchen, and is not for the faint of heart. If you’ve got friends that prefer mild spiciness, any meal prepared with these bad boys should most definitely come with a warning!

The Jamaican Bonnet’s Journey to Your Kitchen

Before we get into how you can make like an expert chef and utilize the delicious spice in these fiery Caribbean staples, let’s explore where they came from. Not every ingredient in your kitchen has a rich background, so here are some facts that’ll make you seem like you know your stuff.

A Fruity Pepper With a Rich Background

Long before you could order peppers online, these Jamaican bonnets were touring present-day Venezuela on huge canoes. Transported by the Amerindians, the Tainos, and the Caribs, the indigenous tribes would haul these fruity peppers and other favorites like sweet potatoes around the Greater Antilles.

It wasn’t until the 15th and 16th centuries that they were introduced to Europe, Africa, and Asia. After the Columbian Exchange, these spices were traded across the world. Now, these fiery peppers have become staples in Caribbean, West African, Sri Lankan, Maldivian, and Jamaican cuisines.

Now, you can get your hands on them with just one click of a button!

What the Heck is a ‘Scotch Bonnet’?

So, why does such a zesty pepper from the tropics have a name like the ‘Scotch Bonnet’? Apparently, it’s their flatness that had them stuck with that label. As opposed to thicker peppers, the Scotch Bonnets take on a form that looks like a ‘tam o’ shanter’ or a ‘Scotsman’s bonnet’; you know the kind we’re talking about - those flat felted hats that come to mind when you think of ‘Emily in Paris.’ 

Think the name sort of takes away from their sultriness? The people of the Caribbean agree—which is why, depending on where you are around there, you’re probably more likely to hear them referred to as the ‘Bahama Mamas’ or the ‘Jamaican Hots.’

Yeah, we like those names better too, especially since the Mamas aren’t always showing up squashed in appearance, depending on the region they grew in.

The Scotch Bonnet Scoville Track Record

Here’s your second warning: if you’re not that big on spice, humble yourself for this one. The good news is, though, this pepper isn’t the ‘ouch, this is just pain and a sadist’s game’ ghost pepper kind of spicy. It’s a more tolerable spice if you’ve spent your life training your taste buds for it sort of thing.

On the Scoville scale, we’re talking around 100,000 to 350,000 Scoville units for these Jamaican bonnets. For comparison, most jalapeno peppers score around 2,500 to 8,000 on the scale, compared to the aforementioned ghost pepper, which comes in at a whopping 1,041,427.

If you’re still trying to mental math whether that score is something you can handle, consider how much you tolerate the more notorious habaneros, since they’re pretty much their closest cousin on the Scoville heat scale.

Spicy Recipes From the Caribbean

It’s a tale as old as time: you thought you were a beast that could handle spice. You and your friends like the show ‘Hot Ones’, and you thought, ‘Psht, I could do that’ after every episode.

You’re dicing up some peppers like you’re Martha Stewart in the kitchen, and then disaster strikes: your eye itches. And that is why we’re going to need you to read this next section thoroughly before you try out your own recipes at home.

 

How to Handle the Jamaican Hots

Here’s the best advice you can get on handling Scotch Bonnets as a beginner: treat them like they’re radioactive. Before they add bombastic flavor to your dishes, they can also do a number on your skin and sinuses, so listen carefully.

• First, ALWAYS wear gloves when handling them. If you don’t, they can transfer their capsaicin oils to your skin, potentially causing intense burning sensations, skin irritations, and inflammation on your hands.

• This is also why you should immediately wash your hands thoroughly after you’re done preparing them.

• When you’re dicing them, be hyperaware of your face and do not itch any scratches that might suddenly appear mid-prep. One eye rub while dicing could end up in a trip to the emergency room.

If you’re trying to do this for the first time, start small. You don’t need to add that many peppers to the recipe. You can dice one and replace the rest with milder peppers. Also, remove most seeds from the scotch bonnet, because that’s where the source of the spice comes in, and doing so will reduce heat greatly.

One final PRO tip. If you want to cook with scotch bonnets without the pressure of handling them, get yourself some scotch bonnet powder or a scotch bonnet hot sauce. That way, you can still make use of the fragrant flavors without getting your hands dirty!

Scotch Bonnet Hot Sauce Recipes

For a delicious Scotch Bonnet recipe, we thought we’d bring on you a classic, the recipe most famous for its use of the Bahama Mamas: the Jamaican Jerk Chicken, with homemade Scotch Bonnet Hot Sauce.

This might seem complicated, but really, all it boils down to is preparing some chicken thighs with a delicious, albeit incredibly spicy, sauce on the side!

Here are the ingredients required, first for the chicken:

• 4-6 chicken thighs or whole chicken pieces
• 2 tablespoons Scotch Bonnet powder
• 1/4 cup dark rum
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tbsp ground allspice
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 tbsp olive oil

The ingredients for the Scotch Bonnet Powder Hot Sauce:

• 2-3 tablespoons Scotch Bonnet powder
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/4 cup water

Preparation Steps:

Let’s start with the Chicken Marinade, as you will have to refrigerate your marinated chicken overnight (or at least from 4-8 hours):

1. Mix all the ingredients mentioned above into a bowl thoroughly, without the chicken thighs.

2. Add your chicken thighs to the bowl and really massage the mixture in there.

3. Refrigerate overnight.

Next up is the Scotch Bonnet hot sauce:

1. First, bring your saucepan to a light heat, and sauté 3 minced garlic cloves and 1 small onion.

2. Add the scotch bonnet powders into the mix.

3. To the side, mix the vinegar, lime juice, honey, water, and salt, into a bowl. Pour all of that onto the saucepan.

4. Continue to stir around the ingredients on the pan from time to time, simmering on low heat for 10-15 minutes.

5. Once it’s finely blended, let it cool and do a little taste test to adjust the seasoning as needed!

For cooking, all you have to do is preheat your grill or oven to 375°F, then once you remove your chicken from the marinade, grill or roast it for around 35-45 minutes (you can baste it with the leftover marinade!).

If you have the thermometer for it, make sure its internal temperature reaches 165°F. Once it’s cooked, let it rest for a few minutes, and then drizzle it with that delicious homemade Scotch Bonnet sauce you prepared!

You can pair this delicious saucy chicken with grilled plantains, coconut rice, or even a fresh tropical salad if you’re looking for a healthy alternative.

 

Ready to Cook?

As Arizona’s premium spice specialists, we’re passionate about pure, naturally oven-dried peppers. Want to skip the gloves and safety goggles? Grab our premium Scotch Bonnet powder, crafted with care in small batches. 

Bring Caribbean heat straight to your kitchen. Shop Scotch Bonnet powder at Sonoran Spice.