If the recipe of the dish you are making asks for cayenne pepper flakes specifically, it means that the dish needs the level of hot, spicy flavor from cayenne pepper flakes. You can use red pepper flakes as a substitute. Just know that it is common for red pepper flakes to have a milder taste compared to cayenne pepper flakes. Unless your red pepper flakes are made using the very spicy ghost pepper.
Cayenne Pepper Flakes Trivia
- The world-famous hot sauce brand Tabasco uses cayenne as one of its main ingredients for its natural hot, spicy taste.
- Wondering how cayenne is pronounced? Just so you know, it is pronounced kai en.
- Because of the health benefits of cayenne peppers, you can buy cayenne pepper sold in capsules. You can take it three times a day.
Cayenne Pepper Flakes Buying Guide
You can buy cayenne pepper flakes in the grocery or supermarket. Head for the spice section of the market.
If you love cayenne pepper flakes and it is always available where you live, you are among the lucky ones. Others live in places where stores do not have a regular supply of cayenne pepper flakes. If this is a problem for you, it is best to stock up on cayenne pepper flakes when it is available. This is important especially if you are a cook, a caterer, or if you have a restaurant and many of your dishes require cayenne pepper flakes.
The good thing about e-commerce and online selling is that many items are now available and accessible to many people. If there are no cayenne pepper flakes in the stores near you, simply order online. It will take a few days but at least you know your supply is on the way.
Some first-time buyers may be confused: cayenne pepper flakes and red pepper flakes, what’s the difference? A bottle of cayenne pepper flakes is made exclusively of cayenne peppers, while a bottle of red pepper flakes is made using a variety of different kinds of peppers, sometimes including cayenne peppers.
Cayenne Pepper Flakes Production & Farming in Texas
Peppers like cayenne pepper grows in many parts of Texas.
A website on Texas food names cayenne pepper as one of the top five peppers in Texas, along with Poblano chilies, jalapeno peppers, serrano peppers, and Habanero peppers. There are many varieties of cayenne pepper grown in Texas. Most of the harvested cayenne peppers end up as cayenne pepper flakes, cayenne pepper powder, or cayenne pepper sauce.
Texas A&M recommends the Long Red Cayenne variety if you want to grow cayenne peppers in Texas.
If you want to grow cayenne peppers and make cayenne pepper flakes at home, consider these basic growing tips for cayenne pepper plants. Plant when the danger of frost is gone and make sure it gets 6 hours of sunlight. Use 10-10-10 fertilizer to help the plant achieve optimal growth. Make sure to practice slow deep watering, because a wilted cayenne pepper plant will yield less.
Local businesses like McMahon Ranch in Peggy, Texas, make and sell Texas-made and Texas-brand cayenne pepper flakes.
Pesticides, Additives, and Chemicals
It is common to find no additives, chemicals, or additional artificial ingredients used in making cayenne pepper flakes.
Geography
Cayenne peppers came from central and South America. These arrived in Europe in the 15th century, brought there by Christopher Columbus.
Today, many countries produce cayenne pepper flakes, sold in many parts of the world. Through e-commerce, anyone from anywhere in the world can buy cayenne pepper flakes as long as the product is in stock and it can be shipped to the location of the buyer.
Packaging
Cayenne pepper flakes sold in the market appear in various packaging.
The most common is either glass or lightweight PET plastic bottle with flapper lids with shaker holes and pour open sides that allow you to control how much cayenne pepper flakes you want to dispense.
Cayenne pepper flakes are also sold in sealed plastic bags or food pouch bags that protect cayenne pepper flakes from outside moisture and odors. You buy this either as a single-use product (you plan on using the contents of the pack in one cooking) or to refill your cayenne pepper flake bottle since it is cheaper that way.
Bulk order cayenne pepper flakes may also come in large plastic containers.
Enjoying Cayenne Pepper Flakes
If you are fond of eating Indian foods and Caribbean meals, or if you enjoy Mexican cuisine, Asian cuisine, Greek cuisine, and Italian cuisine, then you probably have eaten a dish made using cayenne pepper flakes.
It is common for people who can tolerate hot, spicy foods to flavor the food they are eating with a dash of cayenne pepper flakes, like pizza, noodles, soups, meat, eggs, tacos, pasta dishes like fettuccine, nachos, burgers, sandwiches, pretzels, tortilla soup, meatballs, salad and yes, even on fresh fruits!
Cayenne pepper flakes will add a hot, spicy flavor to your food. If you want to eat cayenne pepper flakes, make sure that you can tolerate the spicy flavor. You should also make sure that you don’t have any medical or health issues that make eating hot, spicy foods a big no-no for you.
If you are putting cayenne pepper flakes into the food you are eating, make sure not to overdo it. Eating very spicy foods may have short-term as well as long-term side effects that can cause you discomfort or worse, hospitalization.
And if you think cayenne pepper flakes are just for making spicy foods, think again. Cayenne pepper flakes are also used to give tasty drinks like lemonade and smoothies a spicy, new twist.
When using cayenne pepper flakes to flavor cooked food to make it spicy, remember to avoid overwhelming your food with the hot and spicy flavor of cayenne pepper flakes it has overshadowed the other essential flavors of the food. This takes the fun out of eating delicious and well-cooked food. Moderation is the key!
Storage
Store a bottle of cayenne pepper flakes in the spice cabinet. Keep the lid closed to keep insects, dust, and other things from getting inside the bottle and contaminating the cayenne pepper flakes. While a bottle of cayenne pepper flakes can be stored at room temperature, it is advisable not to leave it on the countertop or anywhere a child can reach. If a child accidentally swallows cayenne pepper flakes or if this gets in his/her eyes, it will cause pain and great discomfort to the child.
When storing cayenne pepper flakes in a plastic bag or pouch, always make sure to close the pack using the ziplock or other mechanism on the pack that secures the contents inside. If there is none, put the opened bag of cayenne pepper flakes in a container with a lid and always keep the container closed.
Can you store cayenne pepper flakes indefinitely? Yes, since it will not go bad. Is storing cayenne pepper flakes for a long time ideal or advisable? No. Because even though this product does not expire, the taste of cayenne pepper flakes becomes milder and milder over time to the point that it is better to buy fresh cayenne pepper flakes and discard old stock because it stops becoming an effective source of hot, spicy flavor.
Cooking
It is a good idea to use cayenne pepper flakes if you are making spicy sauces, homemade hot sauce, dips, meat marinades, or fried rice, or if you are making any kind of soup (bell pepper soup, carrot soup, vegetable soup, etc.), or any dish that you expect to have a hot, spicy flavor. Cayenne pepper flakes can also give your favorite kind of stew (beef stew, pepper stew, chicken stew, etc.) a hearty taste.
You can use cayenne pepper flakes when cooking beef, pork, chicken (e.g. chicken wings), fish, or any kind of meat. It also improves the taste of vegetable dishes which can be plain or bland without spices. Cayenne pepper flakes go well with corn, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, potatoes, peas, and many other vegetables. Go as far as using cayenne pepper flakes on dishes that usually don’t have cayenne pepper flakes, like mac and cheese for example.
When cooking, combine cayenne pepper flakes with other spices like cinnamon, coriander, cumin, ginger, nutmeg, paprika, parsley, and thyme to create amazing, delicious flavors. Once you are familiar enough with the flavor profile of cayenne pepper flakes and what it brings to dishes, you may also want to try using cayenne pepper flakes to make your own spice blend, combining cayenne pepper flakes with these spices that complement the flavor of cayenne.
No cayenne pepper flakes? Try these suitable substitutes: chili powder, serrano pepper, jalapeno pepper, red pepper flakes, or paprika.
Nutritional Benefits
Cayenne pepper flakes contain vitamin C and A. The capsaicin in cayenne pepper has natural healing powers, and this is why cayenne pepper flakes are considered by many as medicinal. A healthy daily dose of cayenne pepper flakes can help keep your heart and liver in a healthy condition and help manage high cholesterol. Cayenne pepper flakes contain vitamin C and A.
