JalapeÃ±o

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JalapeÃ±o

The jalapeño (Nahuatl: xalapeño ( or ; ) is a medium to large size chili pepper

Chili pepper

Chili pepper is the fruit of the plants from the genus Capsicum, members of the Solanaceae, Solanaceae. Botany considers the plant a berry bush....
which is prized for its warm, burning sensation when eaten. Ripe, the jalapeño can be 2–3½ inches (5–9 cm) long and is commonly sold when still green. It is a cultivar

Cultivar

A cultivar is a cultivated plant that has been selected and given a unique name because of its decorative or useful characteristics; it is usually distinct from similar plants and when Plant propagation it retains those characteristics....
of the species Capsicum annuum
Capsicum annuum

Capsicum annuum is a domesticated species of the plant genus Capsicum native to Mexico....
originating in Mexico

Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federalism constitutionalism republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico....
. It is named after the town of Xalapa, Veracruz, where it was traditionally produced. 160 square kilometres are dedicated for the cultivation of jalapeño in Mexico

Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federalism constitutionalism republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico....
alone, primarily in the Papaloapan river basin in the north of the state of Veracruz

Veracruz

Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave is one of the 31 states of Mexico that constitute the republic of Mexico....
and in the Delicias, Chihuahua

Delicias, Chihuahua

Delicias is the smallest municipality and third city in the Mexican state of Chihuahua , and serves as the seat of the Delicias . It is located southeast of the state capital, the city of Chihuahua, Chihuahua....
area.

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Encyclopedia

The jalapeño (Nahuatl: xalapeño ( or ; ) is a medium to large size chili pepper

Chili pepper

Cultivar

Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federalism constitutionalism republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico....
alone, primarily in the Papaloapan river basin in the north of the state of Veracruz

Veracruz

Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave is one of the 31 states of Mexico that constitute the republic of Mexico....
and in the Delicias, Chihuahua

Delicias, Chihuahua

Jalisco

Jalisco is a Mexican state in Mexico. The capital of Jalisco is the city of Guadalajara, Jalisco. In the 2005 census, Jalisco had a population of 6,752,113 people....
, Nayarit

Nayarit

Nayarit is one of Political divisions of Mexico and is located on the central west coast, bordering the Pacific Ocean. Nayarit is surrounded by the states of Sinaloa to the northwest, Durango to the north, Zacatecas to the northeast and Jalisco to the south with the Pacific Ocean bordering it to the west....
, Sonora

Sonora

Sonora is one of the 31 States of Mexico and is located in the northwest of the country....
, Sinaloa

Sinaloa

Sinaloa is one of the 31 mexican state of Mexico....
and Chiapas

Chiapas

Chiapas is the southernmost States of Mexico of Mexico, located towards the southeast of the country. Chiapas is bordered by the states of Tabasco to the north, Veracruz to the northwest, and Oaxaca to the west....
. The jalapeño is known by different names throughout Mexico, such as cuaresmeños, huachinangos, and chiles gordos.

, in the United States were dedicated to the cultivation of jalapeños. Most jalapeños were produced in southern New Mexico and western Texas.

Jalapeños are a pod type of Capsicum. The growing period for a jalapeño plant is 70–80 days. When mature, the plant stands two and a half to three feet tall. Typically, a single plant will produce twenty five to thirty five pods. During a growing period, a plant will be picked multiple times. As the growing season comes to an end, the jalapeños start to turn red. The fresh market consists of green jalapeños, and red jalapeños are considered inferior. Growers often either discard the red jalapeños into the ground or use them for the production of chipotle

Chipotle

A chipotle is a smoking jalape?o Chili pepper used primarily in Mexican cuisine, Mexican-American, Tex-Mex cuisine, and Mexican-inspired cuisine....
s.

Culinary properties

The jalapeño rates between 2,500 and 10,000 Scoville

Scoville scale

The Scoville scale is a measure of the hotness or Pungency of a chili pepper, as defined by the amount of capsaicin, present.Some hot sauces use their Scoville rating in advertising as a selling point....
units in heat. In comparison with other chili peppers, the jalapeño has a heat level that varies from mild to hot depending on cultivation and preparation. The heat, which is caused by capsaicin

Capsaicin

Capsaicin is the active component of chili peppers, which are plants belonging to the genus Capsicum. It is an Irritation for mammals, including humans, and produces a sensation of burning in any Biological tissue with which it comes into contact....
and related compounds, is concentrated in the veins (placenta) surrounding the seeds, which are called picante. — deseeding and deveining can reduce the heat imparted to a recipe that includes jalapeños. They also have a distinct acidic taste. Handling fresh jalapeños may cause mild skin irritation in some individuals. Some handlers choose to wear latex or vinyl gloves while cutting, skinning, or seeding jalapeños.

Foods

A chipotle
Chipotle

A chipotle is a smoking jalape?o Chili pepper used primarily in Mexican cuisine, Mexican-American, Tex-Mex cuisine, and Mexican-inspired cuisine....
is a jalapeño that has been smoked.
Jalapeño jelly, while not commercially available in as wide an area as other jalapeño products, can be prepared in a method similar to other jellies
Fruit preserves

Fruit preserves refers to fruits or vegetables that have been prepared and canning for long term storage. The preparation of fruit preserves traditionally involves the use of pectin as a gelling agent, although sugar or honey may be used as well....
.
Armadillo eggs are stuffed jalapeños, a popular 1990s American dish.
Texas toothpicks are jalapeño peppers and onions that are shaved into straws, lightly breaded, and deep fried.
Oddly, jalapeños are a principal ingredient in the alternative soda Blue Brainwash.
Jalapeño Slammers are a popular appetizer made of jalapeño peppers wrapped in pastrami
Pastrami

Pastrami is a popular delicatessen meat made from lean red meat, chiefly brisket....
, lightly breaded, and deep fried.
Jalapeño Poppers
Jalapeño popper

Jalape?o poppers are jalape?o chile peppers that have been hollowed out, stuffed with a mixture of cheese, spices, and sometimes ground meat, and then Batter ed and deep frying....
are a popular appetizer made of jalapeño peppers stuffed with cheese, usually cheddar or cream cheese, which are then breaded and deep fried
Texas torpedo is another name for cheese-stuffed jalapeños.
Jalapeños are a common ingredient in most kinds of salsa
Salsa (sauce)

Salsa is the Spanish language, Arabic language, and Italian language word that can refer to any type of sauce. In American English it usually refers to the Spice, often tomato- or maize-based hot sauces typical of Mexican cuisine, particularly those used as food dips....
.
Sliced jalapeños (usually pickled
Pickling

Pickling, also known as brining or corning, is the process of preserving food by Anaerobic organism fermentation in brine , to produce lactic acid bacteria, or marination and storing it in an acid solution, usually vinegar ....
in dilute spirit vinegar
Vinegar

Vinegar is an acidic liquid processed from the fermentation of ethanol in a process that yields its key ingredient, acetic acid . It also may come in a diluted form....
) are often used as an addition to a number of common dishes including tacos, burritos, and sometimes even sandwiches, hot dogs, and pizza
Pizza

Pizza is a world-popular dish of Italy origin, made with an oven-baked, flat, generally round bread that is often covered with tomatoes or a tomato-based sauce and mozzarella cheese....
. These jalapeños are often known as Nacho Rings, from their popular use in Nachos
Nachos

Nachos are a popular snack food, originating in Mexico and associated with Tex-Mex cuisine. In their simplest form, nachos are usually tortilla chips or totopos covered in melted cheese....
(a dish of tortilla chips with salsa
Salsa (sauce)

Salsa is the Spanish language, Arabic language, and Italian language word that can refer to any type of sauce. In American English it usually refers to the Spice, often tomato- or maize-based hot sauces typical of Mexican cuisine, particularly those used as food dips....
, chilli con carne, melted cheese and soured cream
Sour cream

Sour cream is a dairy product rich in fats obtained by fermenting a regular cream by certain kinds of lactic acid bacteria. The bacterial culture, introduced either deliberately or naturally, sours and thickens the cream....
).

JalapeÃ±o

Culinary properties

Foods

See also

External links