Wiri Wiri Chiles, pronounced “weer ee”, are one of the harder to find chile peppers, and at approximately 1/2" in diameter they have a cherry or berry like appearance. Wiri Wiri Chiles are also known as Guyana Wiri Wiri, Guyana Cherry Pepper, Hot Cherry or Bird Cherry. There is some confusion as to which chile species the Wiri Wiri belongs to. Some classify it as a Capsicum Chinense, but since it originated in South America we fall in the camp that considers it a Capsicum Frutescens.

The Wiri Wiri chile is native to South America’s northeastern coast in the area known today as Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. Hot chile peppers tend to thrive in hot climates, so it’s really no surprise that South America is the birth place of numerous varieties of chiles.

Are Wiri Wiri Chiles hot? Yes, as many chiles are, but to chile heads these chiles, while packing some nice heat, are still very flavorful (these will not burn your face off). This delicate balance of heat and flavor makes them a favorite in Guyanese cooking.

How to Use

The secret to Guyanese cuisine is flavor, and one of the signature ingredients in some of their more popular dishes is the Wiri Wiri Chile. They are also found in a traditional Guyanese Christmas dinner of pork stuffed with Wiri Wiri Chiles and thyme, they are a key ingredient in Guyanese hot sauce.

These chiles are also found in Caribbean, Central American, South American and Yucatan-style cooking.  

If you want to impress family and friends with a homemade Guyanese Hot Sauce combine 1 cup of dried Wiri Wiri chiles, 1 large onion, 1 garlic clove, 1 thumb of ginger root, ¼ cup of honey, ¼ cup of Dijon mustard and 1 tablespoon of vinegar in a blender and mix. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Add anyplace you would like a little extra heat - eggs, chili, soup, stews, grilled chicken, burgers and steak.

Heat and Flavor Profile

Tips the heat scale at 60,000 to 80,000 SHU (Scoville Heat Units), we consider the Wiri Wiri to fall in the hot chile category and just outside of the crazy hot chile category.

The flavor has a definite zing and is nicely balanced with a subtle rich fruitiness. The aroma is best described as a bit fruity with hints of chai and teriyaki.  

Helpful Hints

To rehydrate, rinse Wiri Wiri Chiles in warm water and then soak in hot water for 10 minutes, drain off excess water. Once rehydrated, dice or puree and add to a recipe. You can also add directly to a recipe that has sufficient liquid and will cook for at least 10 minutes.

As with any first time use of a chile that you are not familiar with, we recommend starting off with less than you think that you need as you can always add more heat to a dish but can never take excess heat away.

We have one of the largest online selections of hard to find chiles and are continuously searching for new suppliers who can satisfy our chile head customer’s insatiable desire for rare chiles. 

** This product is certified kosher.

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