If You Noticed Jalapeños Are Less Spicy, You're Right—Here Are Our Flavor-Saving Tips

If you've found the jalapeño peppers you're buying at the grocery store aren't really spicing up your meals these days, you’re not alone. Home cooks and professional chefs alike have noticed jalapeños lack the flavor they used to bring to the table—and the explanation has to do with prioritizing aesthetics over taste.

According to an article from D Magazine, It turns out that the culprit behind the more mild jalapeños is none other than a variety called TAM II. TAM II exchanges the peppers’ typical spiciness for a larger, faster-growing fruit.

For large producers already used to adjusting their jalapeño products with pepper extract (to provide a more exact way of adding heat), this adjustment in spiciness level doesn't matter much. But for those who enjoy the jalapeño’s natural flavor, well, TAM II isn’t exactly a favorite. But its popularity is slowly taking over other varieties’ natural spice levels.

So, what are the options for spice lovers who want the original flavor of a jalapeño? There are a few different routes you can take.

First and foremost, buying from local farmers' markets will always produce a better result than grocery store jalapeños. Independent farmers have control over the variety of jalapeños they grow—and since farmers' markets sell directly to the consumer, there’s no need to sell jalapeños designed for mass-market producers who want a milder product. Fortunately, with spring already on its way, farmers' market season is fast approaching with plenty of opportunities for purchasing fresh peppers.

And if you're looking to spice up your garden, you can always grow your own. This obviously gives you the most control over the growing process and allows you to decide when to pick your jalapeños (this is what affects their spice level).

Growing your own jalapeños also means you can opt to grow spicier kinds, as it’s generally easier to purchase more unusual seeds than it is to find these rarer varieties at your local grocer. If you're looking to max out your jalapeño spice level, for example, the Jalafuego is the hottest version on the market—and it's incredibly easy to grow.

If you don’t have access to different jalapeño varieties, you may want to explore different peppers that substitute for the once-mighty jalapeño. You can instead go for serrano or fresno, as they have a similar spice level and are around the same size (making them an easy replacement for whole jalapeños in cooking). Additionally, chili powder or flakes gives your dishes a comparable heat—the quickest alternative for dishes that don’t require fresh peppers.