Cooking Department: Pepper Division. I have a question, my fellow cooks.

[Jester]

In my recent chili cookoff, I used a number of spicy peppers, some with the seeds, but before they became part of the chili, I sauteed them with garlic and onions. My question is, would I get a spicier chili if I merely chopped up said peppers and threw them in the pot to simmer with the rest of the chili, or does sauteeing them increase the spice factor in the chili. Or neither?

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

[Kittish]

Hmm, interesting question. I'll state right up front that I am NOT any sort of expert on peppers. That out of the way, I'd think sauteeing or not wouldn't make much difference in the spiciness factor. It should add a nice touch of flavor, if it has a similar effect to roasting peppers.

If I recall, most of the heat in peppers is in the seeds, so if you wanted to intensify that, maybe... try grinding the seeds before you put them into your chili?

[drunkenwildmage]

That's a really good question..

I believe sauteing them doesn't "lower" the heat level, but does spread spices among the other things you are cooking with, affectly diluting it to a degree...Also I think it does change the flavor profile of the pepper a little bit...

A lot of cooks will grill them before using them, which gives it a smokey flavor.



note: I may not be a food expert, but I watch **WAY** to much Food Network.

[SteeleDragon78]

my google-fu returned some conflicting results to answer your question but the consensus is that if you removed the membranes and seeds you removed most of the heat and cooking them does in fact dilute the heat, dried peppers also have a lower heat than fresh, but only slightly. if you're preparing a blow your head off chili a combination of cooked and fresh would be the way to go, cook some and let them steep in the chili and add some fresh at the end for the added punch.

[Jester]

I'd think sauteeing or not wouldn't make much difference in the spiciness factor. It should add a nice touch of flavor, if it has a similar effect to roasting peppers.

Ah, but you forget....sometimes cooking stuff can change things, soften the taste. I give you roasted garlic and roasted onions as Exhibits A and B. And yes, I know that their pungence is not the same as a pepper's spiciness, but you know what I mean.

If I recall, most of the heat in peppers is in the seeds, so if you wanted to intensify that, maybe... try grinding the seeds before you put them into your chili?

I was about to say "why grind them, why not put them in whole?"....and then I realized, you may have a point. While leaving the seeds whole would cause a whallop to anyone who ate one of them, grinding them would basically be making a spice powder that would go further in the pot than whole seeds. [Montgomery Burns] Innnnteresttting......[/Montgomery Burns]

A lot of cooks will grill them before using them, which gives it a smokey flavor.

I use chipotles, chorizo, and bacon....I get plenty of smokiness. Especially from fresh chipotles (as opposed to cans), or anchos (when I can't get fresh chipotles). If I got more smokiness, I might cause Smokey Bear to warn children about the dangers of inhaling the fumes from my chili, because that would be way oversmoked!

I may not be a food expert, but I watch **WAY** to much Food Network.

I am not a food expert, but I do watch a lot of Food TV (Food Network, Top Chef on Bravo, Man vs. Food on Travel Channel), so I am right there with you.

I took it as a great compliment when my last head chef would ask me for opinions on various specials and sauces he was trying.

If you're preparing a blow your head off chili a combination of cooked and fresh would be the way to go, cook some and let them steep in the chili and add some fresh at the end for the added punch.

That is brilliant, and I am rather embarrassed that I didn't think to do it BOTH ways myself!

Note on the steeping idea: I don't steep my cooked peppers in the chili....I sautee them with onions and garlic as the first step to BUILDING my chili. In essence, the chili steeps around them from the beginning!