The hottest sauce in the world exists. It has a name, ingredients, and creators. And even a certain number of consumers who "miraculously survived" and received an indelible impression from the use of such a super seasoning.
Adding "fire spices" to sauces makes the taste of the dish richer and also stimulates the appetite. Such food becomes healthier, as the body's metabolism accelerates, blood circulation improves. Spices contribute to weight loss, help in the fight against colds, warm during hypothermia, etc.
That is why hot sauces are revered and popular in many national cuisines. They are most commonly consumed with chicken wings and fish, cornbread and sandwiches. In home cooking, they are simple and easy to prepare, offer variability while respecting proportions, and fill the taste of ordinary food with aroma and piquancy.
Speaking of hot sauces, as a rule, we are not talking about their calorie content or nutritional value in the usual formulation “proteins-fats-carbohydrates”. The most important thing here is pungency.
The classic hot sauce base is tomatoes and peppers. And if the former is in charge of the density and consistency, then the responsibility for the pungency is assigned to the pepper. No wonder this product is said to add character to food. True gourmets and connoisseurs of the cuisines of the peoples of the world can easily distinguish the presence of habanero, chili or jalapenos in a dish. But in order to compare, you need to use some kind of toolkit. There is a unit used to measure the pungency of various plant extracts. It is called "Scoville" and is designated SHU (Scoville Heat Units).
The peppery pungency and pungency of the parade is dominated by the substance capsaicin (decilenic acid vanillilamide). It is contained in the seeds, vein and skin of the fruit. Pure capsaicin is colorless, odorless and is a crystalline waxy solid at room temperature. Being an alkaloid, capsaicin (as well as ethyl alcohol and the active substance of black pepper - piperine), stimulating the branches of the trigeminal nerve, stimulates the heat receptors in the mouth and gives a burning sensation.
Ketchup, which is sold in our stores under the name "spicy", has nothing to do with a really spicy sauce. This conclusion can be drawn by looking at the scale for measuring pungency.
This system was invented many years ago by the American chemist and pharmacist Wilbur Scoville, based on organoleptic studies of various varieties of chili peppers carried out in his laboratory. The scientist measured and recorded how many times 1 ml of alcoholic pepper essence had to be diluted in 999 ml of sweetened water so that the pepper would stop burning. This indicator became the unit of measurement of pungency according to the Scoville Heat scale.
The reference point on the scale was paprika, which has zero pungency. The limit value (16 billion units) corresponds to the most acute substance currently known to science (resiniferatoxin). It is a toxin that necrotizes nerve tissue and is found in the Poisson euphorbia plant.
Different peppers "light" in different ways. There are varieties of sweet, spicy-sweet, pungent, bitter. But there are some that are so spicy that, in principle, they cannot be eaten, and some are even dangerous to touch with your hands. Each of them takes its place in the Scoville table:
- Depending on the variety, the hotness range of Tabasco peppers is from 100-600 SHU (for hot sweet) to 9000 SHU (for habanero).
- From 2, 5 thousand to 8 thousand units on the Scoville scale, the sharpness of the Jalapeno pepper is estimated.
- In its pure form, the pungency of Capsicum cayenne chili peppers can reach 50,000 SHU.
- The hottest of the peppers that grew in natural conditions without the participation of breeders - Ghost Pepper (Bhut Jelokia) - has an indicator of more than 1,000,000 "scovills".
By combining different types of peppers, changing the consistency and adding all sorts of spices and tricky ingredients, chefs create countless variations of hot sauce. At the same time, many authors position their creations as the hottest seasonings in the world.
Gourmets and fans of hot food closely follow the ratings and TOPs of the hottest sauces in the world. The disposition in the pungency market is changing rapidly. However, experts single out the so-called "classics of the genre" who are assigned a historical role in determining the criterion "most acute" due to the component that made them famous. Among these are two famous dishes.
Hot Suicide Wings is written by Chicago-based tavern chef Robin Rosenberg. Having fulfilled his dream - to create the most spicy dish in the world - he became famous. A restaurant customer who has expressed a desire to taste the original chicken wings is warned that the institution is not responsible for the consequences of eating a hot meal, and they are asked to sign documents confirming this before the start of dinner. They also supply the "antidote" - sour cream, sugar and white bread - in case he gets sick. Of course, the chef keeps the secret of the recipe for his signature treat in secret. However, the name of one product in Hot Suicidal Wings is well known.
The sauce under which the dish is served is prepared using Red Savina Habanera pepper. This habanero chili has a Scoville score of 577,000 and has a rich aroma. For 12 years (from 1994 to 2006) Red Savina Habanera was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the most bitter pepper in the world. Thanks to this, that for a long time Hot Suicide Wings topped the world ranking of the spicy dishes.
The sauce called "Phaal" is considered a primordial national dish in India. It contains ten types of hot chili peppers. But the main burning ingredient is Indian natural spice. For a long time, no one knew what kind of seasoning it was, until the enterprising owner of one of the restaurants in New York included this dish on the menu of his establishment. The secret ingredient in the Phaal sauce turned out to be Bhut Jolokia pepper. In the Guinness Book of Records, it was listed as the spicy natural curry.
The simple and tasty Naga Jelokia seasoning created on its basis was considered the most acute (1,040,000 SHU) until, as a result of the selection work of naturalists, pepper hybrids that surpassed the naturally-born variety appeared.
In 2011, two new sauces appeared on the spice market almost simultaneously: New Mexico Scorpio and Naga Viper.
Despite the Scoville Scoville Pungency of Infinity Chili (the main ingredient in New Mexico Scorpio), the sauce is sharper and has a score of 1,191,595 SHU.
The American company Fire Foods has produced just over three hundred bottles of fiery tomato seasoning. Due to the special danger for the consumer, the sauce is always sold in limited quantities. It is consumed mainly in Latin American countries, which have a tolerance for spices.
As for Naga Viper, this seasoning, which has a pungency of 1,382,118 Scoville units, was made from the pepper of the same name.
An artificially created hybrid of three super-sharp varieties (Naga Morich, Bhut Jolokia and Trinidad's Scorpion) was raised by British breeder Gerald Fowler. Anyone who decides to try this vegetable in its pure form, the farmer will require a written assurance that the taster is in complete physical and mental health. Realizing that the use of such a pungent seasoning can have adverse consequences for aficionados, the makers of the commercial batches of the sauce have taken some safety measures. In particular, a built-in pipette was provided in the Naga Viper bottle to avoid overdose.
The creation of another ultra-hot seasoning became possible when new varieties entered the competition of peppers with an exorbitant level of pungency: Trinidad Scorpion Moruga and Carolina Reaper.
Moruga Scorpio became the sharpest in the 2012 ranking. Scoville Heat pungency level is over 1.2 million units. Those who have tasted it instantly redden their face and rise in blood pressure, their eyes begin to water strongly, and bouts of nausea may appear.
However, the next year the champion was "pressed" by pepper, which cannot even be touched with bare hands. Carolina Reaper (Carolina Reaper) scored 1,569,300 SHU and stayed in the first place for 4 years. Those who dare to try it say that the Carolina Reaper has citrus and chocolate notes. Today this is the variety on which the participants of popular shows on eating chili peppers "give up".
Peppers of such a high pungency are not food peppers. They are used in breeding work and for various technical purposes: the production of tear gas, the creation of paint that protects ships from sticking to the bottom of shellfish.
For comparison:
- the maximum permissible safe pungency of a jet from a tear spray is 1 million units on the Scoville scale;
- pungency level 2,000,000 SHU qualifies as hazardous to human health.
Obviously, the moment the peppery pungency approached a certain critical point was frowned upon. However, neither for breeders, nor for industrialists, nor for cooks, this circumstance was not a deterrent.
The desire to become famous for himself and to popularize his restaurant, as well as a vivid example of the chef's skill and ingenuity of the author of Hot Suicidal Wings, prompted the owner of a British establishment called Bindi to create a hyper-hot seasoning.
Rated on a 12 million pungency scale, the sauce was named Atomic Kick Ass and made a splash. A truly atomic combination of the hottest peppers in the world explains both the name and originality of the seasoning. Three main ingredients in the recipe: 5ml of pepper extract with a pungency of 13 million SHU, made from chili peppers, plus a well-chosen proportion of Carolina Reaper and Moruga Scorpio.
The cook has to work with the use of protective equipment. He puts on a gas mask not for publicity, but in order not to faint from the smell of his creation.
Restaurant guests who dare to order wings soaked in mango and tamarind sauce wear two pairs of gloves (to avoid scalding from contact with the treat). Before the start of the tasting, the participant gives a receipt that he assumes all responsibility for possible consequences. The threat of getting temporary paralysis of the facial nerve, convulsions and internal bleeding do not stop fans of gastronomic extreme. The most figurative response of one of the daredevils who tasted "Atomic Tin": "the feeling that they left a hot iron on their lips."
Due to the potential danger of using such a product, this sauce is not available on the free market. Atomic Kick Ass has made Muhammad Karim world famous as the creator of a sauce with a spicy taste and a pleasant fruity aftertaste, which is 3 times more pungent than the contents of a pepper spray.
Over the years, new "tough peppers" have been trying to conquer Olympus of pungency. All current contenders for the title of "spicy" are unsuitable for consumption in pure form.
The chili peppers, with a pungency of 2.48 million Scoville Heat units, were grown in 2017 in Wales. The naturalist called this strain "Dragon's Breath" and suggested using his creation as "an alternative anesthetic in poor countries."
After ten years dedicated to the development of a new variety, the creators of the "Karolinska Reaper" revealed to the world Pepper X (3.18 million SHU). Only concentrates artificially created in laboratory conditions can surpass Pepper X. It is three times hotter than all peppers on the market. Pepper X is currently the absolute record holder for pungency.
The Puckerbutt Pepper Company made it safe to eat with a hot sauce called The Last Dab.
A 5-ounce bottle costs $ 20. On the etiquette, you can read the composition: X pepper, X chocolate pepper, ginger root, turmeric, coriander, cumin, dry mustard, distilled vinegar. The seasoning is considered ideal for Indian cuisine.
“The new sauce is more than a heat in the mouth, it burns the soul,” one of its creators said at the presentation of the product. The record has not yet been officially registered in the Guinness Book. But the application for fixing the achievement has been submitted, and confirmation is expected by the end of the year.
Involuntarily the question arises - is there a limit to the "attraction of unprecedented pungency"? A negative answer suggests itself.
Not so long ago, the media flashed reports that a case of tasting the hottest sauce in the world was recorded. It turned out that such today is a product called Blair's 16 Million Reserve.
In the line of “millionaire” sauces by Blair, the small 1 ml cone is considered the pearl of the collection.
But to recognize the contents of a beautifully designed bottle as sauce, in the usual sense, is impossible. It is a laboratory-created crystalline extract of pure capsaicin. To activate, the substance must be mixed with alcohol and heated. When working, it is required to observe precautions (in case of contact with the skin, a severe chemical burn is possible, comparable to the effect of hot iron). Blair's 16 Million Reserve is recommended for use only by professionals.
In fact, today it is the world standard for the ultimate pungency and pungency of plants.
The vial with the extracted capsaicin created in the laboratory is a highly collectible item and quite expensive. Only 999 of them were released, the auction price of such a bottle is measured in thousands of dollars.
Despite this, there was a brave man who dissolved capsaicin crystals in a saucepan of tomato soup. He not only tried this interesting dish himself, but also let his wife taste it. The result was as follows: the wife "threw" a tantrum and threatened to divorce, and the lover of "fiery mixtures" preferred to pour the soup into the toilet. But not because he did not want to eat it alone. He just didn't like the seasoning. And this soup was the hottest thing he had ever tasted.
Adding the world's hottest sauce to your food doesn't mean tasting a new dish. Having tasted the "fire potion", you can become a participant in the extreme gastronomic show "Not only to eat, but also to stay alive!"
