In a world of super-hots, I think Serranos don’t get enough love. Easy to grow, pack a punch, and most importantly, are the best tasting pepper. Thoughts?
And a more consistent level of heat.
Jalapeños are all over the place on the scoville scale.
Man those things range from bell pepper to wicked hot.
I swear to all that is holy that some jalapeños are far spicier than store bought serranos sometimes. The other night we had some jalapeños for tacos, I ate a little slice and it lit me up in a bad way. Idk if there is some weird accidental hybrid stuff going on but every now and then I'll take a bite of jalapeno and swear it's as spicy as a habanero I ate the other day
This single jalapeño I had in a burger at Red Robin was bewildering, unexpected and completely ruined the meal. Like on the spectrum of “if I had this without expecting the heat it would be bad” level of the ghost pepper I once tried.
Put me off to those peppers for a long time (except for in pico de gallo, that’s a staple for breakfast eggs) and I’ll eat chile pequins and habaneros, that jalapeño was hotter than either.
I feel it has to do with how’s it’s prepared and if it’s fresh or not. I’ve found fresh jalapeños are far spicy than others. Also if it’s cooked there’s this reverse bell curve to heat. I forget it exactly but short and long cook times produce more heat than middle of the road cook time. It’s weird
Sup, I work for RR. We just get regular ole peppers. I can't even get fun peppers on my order guide.
Seriously, I test a chunk when I use jalapenos and they range from nothing to I'm sweating and there's NO way to tell beforehand. With Serranos and Habaneros I know what I'm getting into, jalapenos are a roulette spin.
For real. At the store they're like shishitos now. Luckily, I grow my own jalapeños.
Yeah I know my Serranos will be spicy but no idea what my jalapeños will taste like a lot of the times. And in restaurants it’s difficult in recipes.
That's by far the reason I prefer serranos to jalapeños. I grow peppers and my jalapeños are never spicy. Sometimes literally no heat at all. Serranos always have decent heat.
I grew jalapenos for the first time this summer. I meant to grab a poblano plant but wasn't paying close enough attention. They were amazingly dull. I then read that if you see stretch marks on the peppers they'll be hot. If they're smooth, they won't be.
Yup, it’s called “corking” and means the plants hit a growth spurt faster than the skin could handle. Essentially they’re stretch marks! Keep that in mind when shopping at stores/markets
Yessss…
I was looking for this comment on here.
I thought I was crazy for thinking this.
True! It’s wild how variable jalapeños can be, even at the same restaurant. Local Mexican I eat at I’ve had the full spectrum in the span of a month - crunchy-green-nothing, balanced-medium, and omfg-unexpectedly-hotter-than-habanero. It’s a real grab bag with them unless home grown
This right here! ☝️ Perfectly stated
the grassy, citrusy crunch of a serrano goes w everything
YES. I added some to our toppings bar for potato soup tonight and they were an amazing addition.
it is fantastic in guacamole
Serrano > jalapeño any day of the week
Love grilling them alongside a steak.
Haven’t done this in a minute. On my list this week
If you can find the 3-4 inch ones you can slit em open and make mini poppers. Stuff w cream cheese, wrap w bacon then grill on one side with the slit facing up. Mmmmm lord I want that now. Nothing more sad than a jalapeño popper with no heat!
I make a pepper steak recipe with them, and it’s wonderful! Only problem is the fumes give my dog an asthma attack
Grilled serrano/shishito along with pork chops or steak is amazing
My favorite too.
My favorite chile
They are like a jalapeño but better flavor.
Absolutely
Def in my top 3 for that spice/taste harmony. Habanero narrowly passes it, but serranos like you said pack just enough punch to have you go WOW
It comes as a surprise almost every time for me! Habs are absolutely tasty and #2 on my personal list. So fruity.
Same, along with habaneros and fresnos. Hatch chilies are on the cusp. So are apaches.
Fantastic in cocktails too
Wait... what???
What cocktail Re you putting these in???????
IIRC, people put them into the vodka bottle. Makes a mean Bloody Mary.
Sounds like it would induce some heinous shits
I got IBS anyway I be shittin for days off alcohol or spice. If I combine them it’s not worse.
Gin, pineapple and serrano muddled, lime juice, ginger beer.
De.
Licious.
This sounds amazing
Can confirm, it's tasty as hell.
I infuse gin with serranos. If it turns out too hot, you can temper it out with more gin. Nice addition to a michelada or Bloody Mary, as noted elsewhere.
I was thinking of growing serranos next year. Are they hotter than jalapenos?
They are hotter than all but that odd, random jalapeno that burns like hell for no reason.
Ok... but to be clear I like that one rando jalapeño that decided to show up strong.
lol sounds like an r/unpopularopinion post
Yes.
Hotter but also much more consistent
People don’t like serranos? My go to pepper?
I feel like I just don’t hear about them. Compared to other peppers
Mine were super abundant growing them for the first time this year. I fell in love with them. Perfect for pickling, make amazing hot sauce, and great roasted on their own to top burgers and stuff. I'm definitely growing them again.
I always put a handful into my chilli whole, don't bother chopping. 🔥
You’re a madman!
This is how it's done
Damn that sounds yummy.
My favorite spicy pepper to use in my chili. Store was out of jalapeños so I had to buy Serranos. I was so surprised by the flavor and character of it that it pretty much replaced the jalapeño for my chili.
Jalapeños are great. I find serranos to be more complex (and obviously spicy)
I’m dehydrating some serranos today and holy heck, they are potent. I had an incredible sneezing fit a few hours into it and had to open windows. Which I should’ve done to begin with obviously.
All good! We all know better but at times get caught in a pepper conundrum. The other day I itched my eye like an idiot after slicing a Serrano.
They are fantastic. I usually roast a large batch and snack on them throughout the week.
Personally, a must in guacamole. Jalapenos in guac is a crime, IMHO.
Strong disagreement on “best tasting”. That’s why they’re opinions though, right?
Definitely. Variety is the spice of life
I’m Mexican so Serrano peppers are definitely not underrated for us haha. So many dishes use them
Heck yeah, Conscious Yam.
Serranos are delicious!
Sometimes I forget how much hotter they are then jalapenos and sub them in a recipe. They are delicious and damn does that heat just pop off on your palette!
Roast a few and toss them in some guacamole! So good!
I did the same thing in some smoked queso this past week. It was amazing but still way hotter than I wanted it to be for others eating it
Damn that sounds good. I am going to try that next time!
Grilled onions and serranos are a must have when I eat Tacos.
That sounds incredible! I gotta give that a shot. I imagine that would be good on a burger too
Completely agree. I grow more of these than anything else.
Whether you want to or not 😂 those things grow like crazy
Always a great yield and a real good pepper to grill.
Excellent point. I need to grill them more because I usually don’t think of it.
I enjoy them! You are 100% right, too! They’re like the red headed step-child of the Chile pepper universe!
🏆🏆🏆🏆
Honestly I love them because compared to other peppers they don’t overwhelm a dish. Just heat.
Wow the comments have me ready to plants some serranos. They're already one of my favorite peppers!
Yess!
My favorite! Key ingredient in my homemade salsa.
Heck yeah. So good in salsas!
One of my favorite sauces is based on serranos.
Someone else mentioned this. I think it’s a sign to try it
Great sauce, I eat it in my eggs but that is by no means it's best use. Give it a try, it well worth it.
Appreciate it, will do 👍
Better flavor than jalapenos and more consistent heat, plus just as easy to find in the local grocer these days. My go-to for pretty much everything that needs a little kick without killing my friends.
I agree, I used to grow those next to tomatoes because most bugs stay the hell away from them, and last year some bugs ate the Serrano peppers first then the tomatoes, honestly if I didn’t see the bugs on there I would swear it was birds (birds don’t taste spicy)
Those bugs sound a bit maniacal
In Guadalajara Mexico, when you go to McDonald's they actually have whole serrano in the condiment area.
That is awesome! Hopefully their Taco Bell has something similar
Serrano is good, but IMO habaneros are the best-tasting. I love how fruity they are, and they go so well with so many things.
Stop telling everyone. They’re getting expensive 🤣
Oh no! Really?
I love serranos. Super versatile, and spicy enough to make their presence known, but mild enough that even lightweights can handle them. Very tasty peppers.
I don't know about "best tasting" though; habeneros are really really good.
I'm currently obsessed with cayenne. They taste amazing. I've never had serranos, though.
Give them a shot and let us know what you think
Cayenne have about the same heat as Serrano but they aren’t as bitter.
I like those birds eye chilis
Those are…. hotter? Don’t have much experience with those.
Similar heat. A think the taste is a lil less complex but I like the size better. They are great for snacking.
Definitely!
Store was out of jalapeños so I used Serrano for my pico de gallo and it was intense!!!!
It ramps things up a bit, that’s for sure
I made the mistake of licking the metal spoon I used to mix it up… and the Serranos must have reacted with the metal because I was almost in tears lol
Oh no!
Pickled Serranos 🔥🔥🔥
So good.
I actually like serrano peppers more than jalapeños because sometimes when I get jalapeños I end up getting some that aren’t as spicy.
For sure! I love Serranos.
Serranos are definitely where I draw the line from casual spicy to oh shit spicy. Love chopping them up and mixing them with my scrambled eggs. Anything after that in the pepper family and it becomes a 3 level process of suffering through out the next day or two.
This is the truth. Going insane on spice is cool but like a good solid heat has its place
If there was just a mouth heat to endure I’d be going crazy on a weekly basis. It’s the stomach and toilet factor that ruins it for me lol.
So good in salsas and Pico.
Amen 👍
Great flavor, thick walled, good producer, not so hot that I can’t serve them to others…. I’ll always grow some.
Agreed. I love my Serrano sauce I make. Cooked in olive oil and garlic, pureed in a blender with some salt. Whoa good.
I love serranos. It's weird how low on the Scoville scale they are for how hot they can be.
I love Serano Peppers. I use them when I cook chili.
My dad has always grown them throughout his life. He famously keeps some in his pocket when he goes out to restaurants. 😄
Smart man!
best all around pepper, it goes great with everything from eggs to pizza.
Agreed
Always gotta have some hot ass pepper with every bite when eating
My favorite. Not the spiciest, but the best flavor.
Send me some seeds?
Completely agree. I love Serrano peppers! Very good flavor
My favorite pepper.
My go to pepper.
Jalapeños have mutated over the years to the inconsistent things they are today.
Goes great with my omelette.
I’ve seen a trend in this post of people using them with eggs. Will have to try
I always buy Serranos and tell everyone I know they should eat serranos instead of jalapeños. More consistent, hotter, better taste. Wish more restaurants had them
Same here!
Why is almost everyone on here anti jalapeño? Serranos AND jalapeños are both phenomenal. Just have to get the right kind of jalapeño.
Right! And that was not my intent.
Oh I’m not blaming you. I noticed you commented that jalapeños are great.
Habenero is the best tasting pepper to me, but Serranos are awesome.
They are my top 2.
Have fully replaced jalapeño for me. My top three in no particular order: Serrano, scotch bonnet, shishito
Same with replacing jalapeño. Nice list too!
Agreed. I like sauteed serranos and onions on my cheeseburgers.
They used to be my favorite to cook with until something changed. It seems to me, about 5-10 years ago, they started getting milder at the grocery store. Now Fresno peppers are hotter than Serranos which is lame because I like the flavor of the serrano better. It's like the serranos went down to jalapeno heat, and the jalapenos went down to bell pepper heat.
I'm sure it's a function of change in breeding for higher yields.
I should probably just grow my own. The jalapenos I grow always turn out nice and spicy.
Concur and far less variant in spice compared to jalepenos.
Upvote for using “concur”
You are Correct Sir!
Serrano in stir fry is great
One of the tastiest peppers for sure. Hot Lemon chilies are up there too.
Quick pickled Serrano + egg + tomato is one of my favorite breakfast flavor combos in the morning. I just bought a full pound of them for next week.
I like serranos over jalapeños. Definitely my go to pepper for daily recipes that everyone in the household can enjoy
Definitely agree. Like to put them and jalapenos in a Verde I make
They are my go-to pepper when making pico.
I add serranos to most my salsas and also my burritos, it packs an immense amount of flavor
It’s my favorite pepper..❤️
Same!
👍🏼
I once planted a serrano seed in a home depot bucket filled with dirt and composted manure. I think I got 250+ peppers from this. Since then, I do it every year. The Serrano is very hot, but not insane. sometimes a jalapeño is hot, sometimes not, its very uneven. The serrano is 2X hotter than the hottest Jalapeno, but the heat is very even and constant. Cooking with Serrano peppers is a dream because of this. The flavor is beautiful, and the heat is extremely predictable, how can you get a better pepper than this? And it grows easily? A perfect pepper.
I’ve almost completely replaces jalepenos. They are just flat out better.
It tastes better than jalapeño, and it's my go-to for fleshy green chili peppers. But best-tasting in a broad sense? I can't say I quite agree.
yo! i’m mex american and i learned to cook from my mama and it’s all we use in our food. love the flavor and the spice
Yellowbird Serrano sauce is VERY good
They’re a great classic spicy pepper, nothing crazy but nicely consistent as others have mentioned
We substitute bell with Serrano peppers for the hotter Thai dishes. Serrano peppers have amazing flavors
People definitely focus on super hot peppers too much, I don’t see the point in pure heat with no flavor. That’s why I pretty much cap out at Thai chilis
Serrano peppers are great. I eat them whole as a snack and garnish a lot of dishes with them.
I love Serrano but habenero is my favorite. I personally think the best flavor is Carolina reaper, but it’s just too spicy for me.
yup easily my go to hot pepper. My serrano plant has a bunch of peppers growing. Great in place of thai chili for asian dipping sauces.
Hard disagree on them being the best tasting. Never been a fan myself, good heat though. To each their own, I'm glad you enjoy them!
I do love Secret Aardvark Serrabanero though. Habaneros are my favorite for taste.
All good! Indeed to each their own 👍
Have you had a ripe Serrano? That might change your mind.
100%. It's the best way to judge them.
A fully ripe red Serrano has a truly wonderful flavor. I deseed the red ones, because they quite a bit hotter, too.
When I harvest them ripe and let them sit until they get wrinkly and sweeter they sometimes almost have a sweet tobacco scent to them.
Never had it so idk
User deleted comment
7mo
Wouldn’t taste be more subjective than categorical?
I like em. Decent flavour but absolutely no heat for me.
To whom? I think Central Americans would disagree lol.
Why do you say that?
Jalapenos are my least favorite. They're always green, so there's no telling how ripe they are. I've been growing some orange ones that are spicy and way more consistent. Small though.
When they’re sautéed for a stir fry, the true heat shows it’s face
Not in a mexican kitchen.
I love serrano, def packs a punch. I prefer the flavor of habanero, but they’re too hot to eat the way I’d like to. If habanero were the heat level of Serrano I would be in heaven.
Add some smoke and like a Pokémon, jalapeños evolve into their superior form, chipotle.
I love ‘em
I love serranos and they’re easy to get in texas
I prefer Serrano in my guac over jalapeño
Habaneros are my favorite, but I prefer serranos over jalapeños because they are consistently spicy and have a nice flavor.
Consistent?? Where does El Pollo Loco source their serranos? I very rarely find any close to that hot in grocery stores.
Agreed. Serranos make a tasty salsa. They almost match a picante pepper in flavor when eaten plain with salt.
I usually toss them in with my cervichi.
Shout to el pollo loco for still giving em to munch on. Fresh serranos baby.
Serrano are the goat! Favorite pepper
Best tasting? Hardly. But for the price, the flavor and adaptability are hard to beat. It’s my most consistently bought pepper for that reason.
Na, one of the best and consistent peppers out there.
Agreed
Serrano and habanero. Ha e very unique a delightful flavor.
Thoroughly agree
Serrano and Habaneros are my two favorites. Just the right amount of heat and flavor, in my opinion.
In my top 3! A single plant produces sooo much, it’s amazing. The taste is amazing - similar citrusy to jalapeños but with more heat.