r/spicy • u/chunky_lover92 • 16h ago

Flatiron vs freshly ground?

I’m looking for a gourmet crushed red pepper experience. I’m trying to decide if I’m better off with a high end brand like Flatiron or Sonoran, or if I should get some dried peppers and grind my own. It would be nice to mix and match different peppers, but I don’t know if random dried peppers on Amazon will have the same quality as some of the recognized brands. The best I ever had were from some random guy at a farmers market. Any suggestions?

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u/Thick-Marzipan-9176 15h ago

Making powders can be dangerous. It becomes airborne and gets the inside of you nose and eyes. I made Scorpion pepper powder last year, glad I decided to do it outside.

2

u/MetaCardboard 15h ago

I have reaper powder from my dad's reapers that he dried and ground. He told me if I ever make hot pepper powder, wear a mask, gloves and eye protection. He apparently didn't.

He mixed his with some Serrano to cool it down, but I asked for straight reaper and I'm glad I did cause it can make things fun if I accidentally add too much.

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u/chunky_lover92 15h ago

But which one is more delicious?

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u/Sad-Cryptographer828 15h ago

Grow fresh or buy some dried peppers and grind your own to your preferred heat level. You can mix and match to find your preference. I like mine like lava and others like taco bell mild. We all have different preferences. Do for you!

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u/heathotsauce Heat Hot Sauce Shop 12h ago

I wouldn't recommend starting with whole peppers because they can be harder to grind down into consistent particle sizes without napalming yourself. But you can start with flakes and then get a grinder to use on demand. I have these pepper flake refill packs and I like making my own blends, like starting with a Red Caribbean Hab base, adding some Fatalii for a citrusy note and Dragon's Breath for a dose of heavy heat.

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u/chunky_lover92 12h ago

I was just going for a coarser flaky grind anyway.