The serrano pepper (''

Capsicum annuum ''Capsicum annuum'' is a fruiting plant from the family Solanaceae (nightshades), within the genus Capsicum which is native to the northern regions of South America and to southwestern North America. The plant produces Berry, berries of many color ...

'') is a type of

chili pepper Chili peppers, also spelled chile or chilli ( ), are varieties of fruit#Berries, berry-fruit plants from the genus ''Capsicum'', which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for their pungency. They are used as a spice to ...

that originated in the mountainous regions of the Mexican states of

Puebla Puebla, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Puebla, is one of the 31 states that, along with Mexico City, comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 217 municipalities and its capital is Puebla City. Part of east-centr ...

and Hidalgo. The Scoville rating of the serrano pepper is 10,000 to 25,000. The name of the pepper is a reference to the mountains ('' sierras'') of these regions. The pepper is commonly used to make hot sauces.

Serrano plant

Mature serrano pepper plants reach a height of . Each plant can produce up to 50 pepper berries (not true botanical pods). The fruit can be harvested while they are green or ripe. Unripe serrano peppers are green, but the color varies at maturity; common colors for the ripe fruit are green, red, brown, orange, and yellow. Serrano peppers do better in soils with a pH between 7.0 and 8.5 in warm temperatures above and have a low tolerance for frost.

Serrano fruit

They are typically eaten raw and have a bright and biting flavor that is notably hotter than the jalapeño pepper. Serrano peppers are also commonly used in making '' pico de gallo'' and salsa, as the chili is particularly fleshy compared to others, making it ideal for such dishes. It is the second most used chili pepper in

Mexican cuisine Mexican cuisine consists of the cuisines and associated traditions of the modern country of Mexico. Its earliest roots lie in Mesoamerican Cuisine, Mesoamerican cuisine. Mexican cuisine's ingredients and methods arise from the area's first agr ...

(after jalapeños). The Mexican states of

Veracruz Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entit ...

Sinaloa Sinaloa (), officially the (), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, compose the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 18 municipalities, and its capital city is Culiacán Rosales. It is located in northwest Mexic ...

, Nayarit, and

Tamaulipas Tamaulipas, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tamaulipas, is a state in Mexico; one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 federal entities of Mexico. It is divided into 43 municipalities. It is located in nor ...

produce about 180,000 tonnes of serranos each year.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Serrano Pepper Capsicum cultivars Chili peppers Mexican cuisine

Serrano plant

Serrano fruit

See also

References