Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne pepper is a bright ruby-red, finely ground spice made from dried cayenne chilies. It delivers sharp, clean heat with a faint fruity aroma and disperses quickly in liquids and fats; a pinch seasons stews, rubs, eggs, and sauces. Often sold as ground red pepper, it blooms in oil, folds smoothly into marinades and batters, and typically measures 30,000–50,000 Scoville heat units.\n\nOriginating in northern South America and named for Cayenne in French Guiana, the spice spread worldwide after the Columbian exchange. It is central to Cajun and Creole, Mexican, Indian, and Southeast Asian cooking, produced by drying ripe pods before milling into a fine powder.