Canned Vs Fresh Jalapeños: Which Are Spicier?

When you're adding chopped jalapeños to a recipe, like a cookout-ready potato salad or a homemade spicy nacho cheese sauce, you might debate between canned and fresh. It all comes down to how much spice the crowd you're serving can handle, so you're left wondering: Which are spicier? Food Republic spoke to Executive Chef Samuel-Drake Jones of Hudson VU in New York City, who was able to offer some expert insight. "Canned, or pickled, jalapeños are generally milder than fresh ones, primarily due to the pickling process," he told us. 

He continued, "This process dilutes the capsaicin, the compound responsible for heat, as it leaches out into the brine over time." Jones let us know that this leads to the brine getting spicier, while the actual jalapeños become softer and milder. The heat level in the canned version can also mellow due to the cooking or blanching that often precedes canning. In contrast, the expert shared that fresh jalapeños contain all of their natural capsaicin, particularly around the seeds and inner membranes, which gives them "a sharper, more immediate heat." Fresh jalapeños have a Scoville scale rating of 2,500 to 8,000 units, which definitely isn't the spiciest, but is hot enough for most people's limits.

Because of the difference in heat, you don't always want to use canned and fresh jalapeños interchangeably. Samuel-Drake Jones explained, "From a cooking standpoint, if I want punchy heat, I go with fresh jalapeños." This means they're preferable in cornbread, your morning omelet, mixed in with mac and cheese, and especially when making jalapeño poppers. They are also preferable when you want the added crunch of their raw texture. That includes in salsas or guacamole, as a garnish on chili, pho, or bánh mì sandwiches (along with matchstick carrots and cucumber).

Canned jalapeños, on the other hand, have less heat, but the addition of briny flavor. "If I'm looking for a balanced, tangy warmth that complements things like tacos, nachos, or even being chopped into a vinaigrette, canned ones are perfect," said Jones. And don't toss the canned brine away when you're done with the jalapeños. You can use the leftover juice to pickle eggs, marinade chicken, slosh a bit into your next coleslaw, or even use it in place of hot pepper sauce in your Bloody Marys. Just remember: that extra juice can pack a major punch, depending on how long jalapeños once sat in the brine.