Chile Habañero

In Spanish, habañero means “Havana-like.” The Habañero is the most popular chile in the Caribbean, long associated with Caribbean-style barbecue. It is a major ingredient in jerk sauces, in which it is combined with allspice and other spices, then pounded into the meat before grilling.

A small, cultivated habañero was found in a prehistoric cave in Peru, dating from 6,500 BC. Today, in Mexico, Habañeros are used primarily in Yucatan specialties. Chiles Habañero are very hot, but they also have a distinctive flavor and are often used to give flavor as well as add sharpness or heat to a dish.