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Whether to intensify the flavour of a meal, as a garnish or to spice up a sauce, jalapeños are a classic -beloved by many- that seems to be losing its essence. It turns out that it is not offering the same fervent effect as it once did. According to a 2023 article in D Magazine on the ‘de-specifying’ of jalapeño peppers, growers are deliberately making them less hot. Why? To make them larger, more aesthetically appealing varieties that look nice but aren’t really hot.
But that is only one explanation. The article goes on to explore a much larger conspiracy: breeders have focused on breeding milder jalapeños for consistency, durability and consumer-pleasing flavour. Variations that, despite being unveiled a few years ago, continue to resonate today, going viral online and drawing criticism from the community of true hot jalapeño advocates.
If within the industry you are looking for a spicier one, you can follow the recommendations of a report in The Guardian (2024) in which chilli-spiced food historian Dave Dewitt talks about Mexico’s jalapeños, which can be much hotter in general, and the smaller ones even hotter.