What you need to know about Scotch Bonnet

Scotch Bonnet

The Scotch Bonnet is a common pepper in the habanero-like pepper family. This chili pepper gets its name from its close resemblance to the Scottish Tam 'O Shanter hat; traditionally worn by Scottish men. The Scotch Bonnet is relatively high on the Scoville Scale with anywhere between 100,000-350,000 Scoville Units. The Scotch Bonnet grows in a variety of colors. In the early stages of its growth the pepper turns from green to yellow. From there the pepper can be any color from orange to bright red to chocolate brown depending on the variety. 

Area of Origin

Despite its name, the scotch bonnet pepper is not grown in Scotland. This variety of pepper is found around the world but is mostly grown in the Caribbean and West Africa. The pepper has become popular in dishes around the world but got its start as a staple of Caribbean cooking. Certain sweet varieties are also grown in the Caribbean and used in traditional dishes. 

Flavor Profile 

Once you cut through their immense fiery heat, the scotch bonnet has an interesting flavor profile. Fresh scotch bonnet peppers are fruity in taste and present a slight sweetness behind all of that heat. When scotch bonnets are dried or smoked they take on a more complex and nuttier flavor. The sweet heat of a scotch bonnet makes it a staple in many traditional Caribbean dishes that have become more popular globally.

Traditional Uses

Scotch bonnet peppers are traditionally used in a variety of Caribbean dishes. Scotch bonnet pepper sauce is extremely popular in both the Caribbean and the rest of the world. Each country and culture utilize the scotch bonnet differently, but all the dishes feature a sweet heat that is complex and delicious. 

Pepper Choka is a salsa that uses scotch bonnets and a variety of other vegetables. It is common throughout the Caribbean and is often praised for being delicious and refreshing on a summer day.

In Barbados, the scotch bonnet is used to make Bajan pepper sauce. This sauce is often applied to meat, poultry, and fish. Bajan sauce is spicy, sweet, and peppery and is used to bring a complex flavor to traditionally bland proteins. 

The people of Trinidad and Tobago use scotch bonnets to make special sauces that fuse traditional Caribbean flavors with traditional Indian flavors. The pepper sauce uses lemon and lime to add another layer of complexity to the heat. The scotch bonnet is also used in Trinidad and Tobago as a major ingredient in murtanie. This is a chutney-like mix of chopped scotch bonnets, carrots, and bitter melons mixed with other spices. 

The most well-known and global usage of the scotch bonnet is in Jamaican jerk cooking. Jerk seasonings and sauces use scotch bonnets to add a unique and fiery spice to a variety of meats. The jerk spice is applied in either a dry rub or a wet marinade that infuses the meat with flavorful heat before it is cooked in the traditional jerk style.