Crushed Habanero Chiles, Capsicum chinense, deliver a searingly hot 100,000-350,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU). The first thing to notice about Crushed Habanero Chiles is their fragrance. Once crushed, the essence of the habanero is able to roam free. The aroma rises in a hard and fast greeting, sparking with fiery heat, dressed in the scents of tropical fruit and berry. Once you get past the heat, the habanero is awash in sweet fruity flavors, reminiscent of mango, coconut, and papaya.

Many people mispronounce the word habanero. We often pronounce the n in habanero as though it is the ñ with a tilde over it, like in the word jalapeño. This is an example of hyperforeignism, a phenomenon that happens when foreign words enter the vocabulary and we are unsure of accents and pronunciation. It is an overcorrection that commonly occurs when we mistakenly think we identify patterns in foreign loan words, but they are not actually relevant to the rules of the original language. Even though it resembles the more familiar word jalapeño, the n in habanero does not have a tilde and is pronounced simply and with no effect on the vowel that follows it; it is ha-ba-NEH-ro, not ha-ba-NYE-ro.

Tips From Our Kitchen

Mix Crushed Habanero Chiles into pepper relish, or stir into refried beans for an extra-spicy 7-layer dip, or add to cheese for unforgettable chips and queso. Mix with fresh tomatoes, onions, and cilantro for a pico de gallo that’s got mucho pico. It can stand up to strong meats so add to ground elk or venison and shake up your taco night. Steep in coconut milk for coconut curry shrimp, or blend in to ice cream for a sweet-cold heat. Habaneros are very hot and will easily make your dish too spicy to enjoy, so use in small doses! We also carry whole Dried Habanero Chiles if you prefer the whole pod.

Handle Crushed Habanero Chiles with a utensil; if you need to handle the chile flakes put on gloves first. The heat-causing capsaicin in the peppers easily adheres to skin and can cause pain where it’s had contact, and is particularly problematic should you inadvertently rub your eyes.

Our Crushed Habanero Chiles are a product of Mexico.

This product is certified kosher.

Hungry for more information?

How Well Do You Know Your Chiles?
The Ultimate Guide to Mexican Spices
The Flavors of Chiles
Just Cooking: Habanero