Carolina Reaper
Also known as: HP22B, reaper pepper
Bred by Ed Curlin of the PuckerButt Pepper Company in South Carolina, the Carolina Reaper held the Guinness World Record as the world's hottest pepper from 2013 to 2023. Recognizable by its scorpion-like tail and deeply wrinkled red skin.
The full profile
The Carolina Reaper is the rare pepper that actually delivers on its reputation. The initial fruit sweetness is real and lasts about three seconds before the capsaicin takes over in a way that most people cannot prepare for. Ed Curlin created it as a culinary pepper, not just a contest entry — and at extremely small quantities, it does bring a complex fruity-floral note to sauces. Torchbearer and Bravado have built whole product lines around it. This is the standard against which all superhot sauces are now measured.
Flavor
Fruity, sweet entry followed by the most intense sustained heat of any widely available pepper.
Color
Red
Heat level
Superhot
1.4M–2.2M SHU
1.5M+ SHU
Did you know
Ed Curlin created the Carolina Reaper by crossing a Pakistani Naga with a Red Habanero — the breeding took over a decade of selective cultivation.
How to use it
- —Used in tiny quantities in superhot hot sauces
- —Dried and powdered for extreme spice blends
- —Competition cooking and eating challenges
- —Seed cultivation for superhot growers
- —Infused into oils at controlled concentrations
Pairs well with
Shop these
Sauces and products that feature carolina reaper.
Heavy hitter
Torchbearer Garlic Reaper
Garlic-forward, punishingly hot, and best used when you want real reaper-level commitment.
View on Amazon ↗Gift flex
Bravado Black Garlic Carolina Reaper
A bold, savory superhot that feels more like a niche recommendation than a default bottle, which makes it good for gifting.
View on Amazon ↗Grow your own
Superhot Pepper Seed Pack
For readers who want the gardening pipeline behind their own sauce projects and fresh mash experiments.
View on Amazon ↗357k Scoville
Mad Dog 357 Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce
A cult-status ghost pepper sauce with serious collector appeal. Use it in drops for chili, soups, or challenge situations — not as a table pour.
View on Amazon ↗Cook with it
Recipes that use carolina reaper.
thai · reaper
Apr 18, 2026Nuclear Pad Gra Prow Rice Bowl
A beloved Thai holy basil stir-fry taken to breathtaking extremes with Carolina Reaper peppers, served over fluffy jasmine rice with a golden fried egg on top. 35 min · 0 saves.
chinese · reaper
Apr 17, 2026Carolina Reaper Dan Dan Noodles
Classic Sichuan dan dan noodles taken to thrilling extremes with Carolina Reaper chili oil, while keeping all the nutty sesame richness and aromatic Shaoxing wine that makes this dish sing. 45 min · 0 saves.
american · reaper
Apr 16, 2026Carolina Reaper Blackened Shrimp with Cooling Buttermilk Drizzle
Plump shrimp get dressed in a bold spice blend laced with Carolina Reaper powder, then seared until beautifully charred and juicy. A tangy buttermilk sauce offers sweet relief from the intense heat. 28 min · 0 saves.