Unofficially the world's hottest pepper since its release by Ed Currie in 2017, Pepper X continues to attract the attention of chiliheads despite its unavailability in unprocessed forms. You can buy hot sauces made with the pepper as you await the much-anticipated release of its seeds or plants to grow your own crop.
What Is Pepper X?
Pepper X is one of the hottest peppers on the planet and was created in the US by Smokin’ Ed Currie, the same creator of the official world’s hottest pepper—the Carolina reaper—and the superhot Apollo pepper.
Ed Currie announced and submitted the new pepper of the Capsicum chinense species to the Guinness World Records for testing in 2017 after almost a decade of several cross-breedings.
Mad-scientist pepperhead Smokin’ Ed Currie has been in the spotlight deservedly as the maker of the Carolina reaper pepper, which still retains its seat as the hottest pepper in the world. He is the founder and president of the Puckerbutt Pepper Company.
According to Currie, the name ‘Pepper X’ is temporary. He suggests that pepper enthusiasts may even help name the hot pepper when it finally gets approved by the Guinness World Records as the hottest pepper on Earth.
Color
Although there aren’t many images of Pepper X, the few available show the pepper with a yellowish-green or yellowish-orange (peach) color.
When describing one of its products made with Pepper X peppers, the Heatonist hints at three distinct variations of the pepper—Pepper X, chocolate Pepper X, and peach Pepper X. This suggests three color variations of the pepper.
Size And Shape
Pepper X pods look much like Carolina reaper peppers. They have a bulbous profile and often end in a stinger or scorpion-like tail. They measure 2-3 inches long.
Texture
Pepper X peppers have bumpy and pimply skin.
What Does Pepper X Taste Like?
According to Ed Currie and the Heatonist website, Pepper X has a sweet, fruity, smoky, and earthy taste.
The flavor of the whole pepper itself has yet to be documented in the public domain since the chili pepper isn’t available in that form.
Is Pepper X The Hottest In The World?
Pepper X is unofficially the hottest pepper in the world. Ed Currie submitted it as the hottest at 3,180,000 Scoville Heat Units, but the Guinness World Records is yet to confirm it as such as of 2022.
If it’s finally confirmed officially as the world’s hottest pepper, Pepper X will have dethroned the current holder of the title, the Carolina reaper, at 1,400,000-2,200,000 SHUs on the Scoville Scale.
In 2017, the UK-developed Dragon’s Breath pepper unofficially dethroned the Carolina reaper with a heat score of up to 2,480,000 units. The pepper was developed as an anesthetic for patients with allergies to conventional anesthetics.
Ed Currie has also released the Apollo pepper, which he arrived at by cross-breeding the Carolina reaper and Pepper X peppers. He places the heat level of the Apollo pepper at 2,500,000-3,000,000 SHUs. This makes it far hotter than the Carolina reaper but slightly milder than Pepper X.
As things stand now, the Carolina reaper still stands tall with its official title of the hottest chili pepper on the planet. The other hottest peppers in the world include varieties such as:
- Apocalypse scorpion pepper (1,400,000 SHUs)
- 7 Pot peppers, such as 7 Pot Douglah, 7 Pot Bubblegum, 7 Pot Primo, and 7 Pot Brain Strain peppers.
- Trinidad Moruga scorpion peppers
- Chocolate Trinidad scorpion pepper (1,200,000-2,000,000 SHUs).
- Red Savina habanero and chocolate habanero (both up to 577,000 SHUs).
- Bhut jolokia or ghost pepper (1,042,000 SHUs).
To put the heat level of Pepper X into perspective, consider the heat levels of other hot peppers like jalapenos, cayennes, and habaneros. The humble jalapeno (2,500-8,000 SHUs) is usually the reference point for heat level comparisons, making the superhot Pepper X chili as much as 1,200 times spicier!
Is Pepper X Edible?
Yes! Pepper X is definitely edible despite its devilish heat. Ed Currie acknowledges that people have doubts about the pepper’s eatability. But he says it’s perfectly fit for human consumption and won’t cause the so-called ‘scorch holes’ in your body.
However, you have all the right reasons to be concerned. Pepper X is a spicy stinger at over 3 million Scoville Heat Units. That’s a hot pepper you wouldn’t want to eat raw or unprocessed! Perhaps we ought to be grateful that the whole, unprocessed form of the pepper is not yet available.
When the seeds and whole peppers do become available, you must handle Pepper X with great care to avoid pepper burns. Wear thick kitchen gloves and goggles to prevent touching the pepper directly or having its fumes reach your eyes.
Can You Purchase Pepper X?
Pepper X is still unavailable to the public. You won’t find its seeds, plants, whole peppers, dried peppers, flakes, or even chili powder.
However, you can buy the following Pepper X products:
- The Last Dab Pepper X hot sauce by First We Feast (Hot Ones), which Ed Currie dubs “the hottest sauce on the planet.” The Pepper X maker worked with Noah Chaimberg, the founder of the Heatonist, to produce the hot sauce. It features vinegar (7%), peppers (93%), and additional spices (ginger, turmeric, coriander, mustard, and cumin).
- The Chipotle eXpress Hot Sauce, combines Pepper X with lemon juice from concentrate, honey, ginger, distilled vinegar, kosher salt, apple cider vinegar, and chipotle powder.
- The Last Dab XXX sauce by the Heatonist. This sauce combines the three strains of the pepper—Pepper X, chocolate Pepper X, and peach Pepper X. It also has ingredients like turmeric, cumin, distilled vinegar, dry mustard, and ginger root. The sauce is also available on Amazon.
- The Classic hot sauce: Pepper X Edition by Hot Ones. The sauce features organic Pepper X chilis, kosher salt, apple cider vinegar, water, turmeric, garlic, and organic vinegar. It has a classic earthy and tart flavor.
- Hot Ones Nugget Honey, which incorporates Pepper X, gin, and golden alfalfa honey to produce a sweet, slow-building heat.
- The Duel—a challenge-based pack of two Pepper X chips that people can compete to eat. The winner takes the victor’s coin that comes in the packet. This is an exciting way to challenge your fellow pepper enthusiasts. Just be sure you can take on the heat!
What Are Some Common Uses Of Pepper X?
As we hope and wait to flavor pots of stew and soup with Pepper X flakes, chili powder, or dried and fresh chilis, you can sparingly use the currently available products in the following ways:
- The Hot One’s Nugget Honey is excellent for pizza, cocktails, and fried chicken. You can also drizzle it over cheese platters, ice cream, and waffles.
- The Classic Pepper X Edition hot sauce is an excellent dipping sauce for hummus or dressing for chicken wings.
Can You Grow Pepper X?
You can’t grow your own Pepper X chile peppers, at least not right now, because Ed Currie hasn’t released the seeds or plants to the public for home gardens or commercial production.
The creator of the pepper will most likely release the hot pepper seeds or plants once the pepper is officially stamped as the hottest pepper in the world.
We also hope detailed instructions will accompany the release of the seeds on how to grow the pepper like he released growing instructions for the Carolina reaper.