7 Pot chillies are a family of superhot Capsicum chinense chillies from Trinidad, named for the claim that one pod can season seven pots of food. Strains such as Douglah and Primo top a million SHU.
What it is¶
"7 Pot" (or "Seven Pot") is not one chilli but a family of superhot Capsicum chinense chillies from Trinidad and their descendants. The name comes from the Trinidadian saying that a single pod is hot enough to season seven pots of stew. The pods are typically 3–5 cm across, bumpy and pimpled, often lantern-shaped, and ripen to red, yellow, chocolate-brown or other colours depending on the strain.
The main strains include:
| Strain | Origin | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 7 Pot (red, yellow) | Trinidad | The original landrace types, grown around Chaguanas and elsewhere |
| 7 Pot Douglah | Trinidad | Chocolate-brown, glossy; among the hottest; sometimes called 7 Pod |
| 7 Pot Primo | Louisiana, United States | A cross bred by Troy Primeaux, with a pointed tail |
| 7 Pot Barrackpore, Jonah | Trinidad | Named after villages and growers; red |
| 7 Pot Brain Strain | United States | A selection with a brain-like wrinkled surface |
All are extremely hot: reported figures for the hottest strains range roughly from 1 million to around 1.8 million SHU. Heat varies hugely from pod to pod and with growing conditions, so any single figure should be read as a guide, not a guarantee.
Origins and history¶
C. chinense has been grown in Trinidad and the wider Caribbean since before European contact, and the island's cooking has always used hot "pepper", as chillies are called there, generously. The 7 Pot types were local landraces, grown in back gardens and smallholdings and known mainly to Trinidadians until the 2000s.
The superhot boom that followed the recognition of the ghost pepper in 2007 sent chilli enthusiasts looking for ever hotter varieties, and seed of Trinidad's 7 Pots and Scorpions spread through the international growing community. Growers in the United States and Britain then selected and crossed them, producing new named strains. Some 7 Pot types were tested by New Mexico State University's Chile Pepper Institute around 2011–2012 alongside the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion, and they are often listed among the hottest chillies in the world, though none has held the Guinness record. See hottest chilli records.
Flavour and aroma¶
The first taste is fruity, the tropical perfume of C. chinense, with the brown Douglah described as more earthy, nutty or even chocolatey. Then the heat builds hard and fast, and keeps building for several minutes; it is often described as a burn that spreads through the whole mouth and throat and lasts twenty minutes or more. For cooking, the flavour comes through best when a small amount of chilli is used in a large dish.
In the kitchen¶
In Trinidad, the 7 Pot is used the way its name suggests: very sparingly.
- Pepper sauce: Trinidadian pepper sauce blends hot pepper with vinegar or lime, garlic, culantro (shado beni), mustard and sometimes papaya or carrot, and is served with everything. A single 7 Pot makes a jar of sauce extremely hot. See hot sauce.
- Curries and stews: curry duck, curry goat, stewed chicken and pelau are seasoned with hot pepper; a pierced whole pod, or a sliver, flavours a large pot. See caribbean cuisine.
- Chow: green mango, pineapple or cucumber tossed with lime, garlic, shado beni and a tiny amount of pepper.
- Home use: a sliver the size of a fingernail, or a pinch of powder, in a chilli con carne, curry or marinade for six.
⚠️ Protective equipment
Wear nitrile gloves, glasses or goggles, and ventilate the kitchen before cutting or blending a 7 Pot. Clean every surface and tool afterwards. See handling chillies safely.
Buying and storing¶
Fresh pods keep for one to two weeks in the fridge and freeze well; slice from frozen as needed. Dried pods and powder keep for a year airtight. Label every container clearly and store high up, away from children and away from milder powders.
Substitutes¶
- Trinidad Moruga Scorpion or other Trinidad Scorpion types: similar or greater heat.
- Ghost pepper or Dorset naga: a little milder.
- Carolina Reaper: similar heat range.
- For Trinidadian flavour with manageable heat: Scotch bonnet, using several for each 7 Pot.
Pairs well with¶
Lime, vinegar, mango, papaya, pineapple, garlic, culantro, thyme, allspice, curry powder, chicken, goat, duck, pork, rice and peas.
Growing your own¶
7 Pot types are among the slowest chillies to grow and need a long, warm season. Sow in January at 25–30°C in a heated propagator; germination can take two to six weeks. Grow on in a warm greenhouse or conservatory in Britain; plants reach about 1–1.2 m and are productive once established, but pods ripen late, often from late August into autumn. Keep temperatures above about 18°C where possible and feed with high-potash fertiliser once flowering. Buy seed from reputable suppliers: strains cross readily and saved seed often does not come true. Wear gloves when picking. See growing chillies and overwintering chillies.
Health and safety¶
Superhot chillies can cause severe pain, vomiting and stomach cramps and, in rare reported cases, more serious harm, especially when eaten whole or as part of eating challenges. Children, pregnant women, and anyone with heart, digestive or respiratory conditions should avoid them.
- Gloves: nitrile gloves for every stage, from picking to washing up.
- Eyes: wear glasses or goggles when cutting, blending or grinding; one splash of juice in the eye is extremely painful.
- Ventilation: open windows and use the extractor when cooking, drying or grinding; fumes from superhots cause coughing fits.
If the burn is too much, milk, yoghurt or other fatty food helps more than water. See handling chillies safely, extreme chilli risks and chilli eating contests.