A magic trick to help tell the level of heat before you buy or pick a pepper.
Here’s a quick tip for choosing jalapenos, to help you decide which ones to pick.
The stretch marks are also indicative of the amount of stress the pepper plant has endured.
Elise Bauer
The smoother the pepper, the younger, less stressed, and milder it is.
Left on the plant (and even after picked) green jalapenos will eventually turn red.
So red jalapenos are older than green ones.
Elise Bauer
If you are looking for heat, find a red or green one with plenty of stretch marks.
Note that this is just a guideline.
There is still plenty of variation among individual peppers.
check that to taste test a chile before using it in a recipe!
Need Less Heat?
If you want more heat, just add back some seeds with the rest of the jalapeno.
