Chili pepper · Puebla, Mexico
Poblano
1,250 Scoville heat units
Thick-walled enough to stuff. Dried, it becomes the ancho.
What this rung gets you Sriracha on your pho, as much as you want
How hot Poblano actually is
Poblano is roughly 4 times milder than a jalapeño, and it does not hold still — published figures run from 1,000 to 2,000 SHU. Sunlight, drought stress and ripeness all push a pod up its range, so the number on a chart is the middle of a wide spread rather than a promise.
On the twelve-rung ladder
It sits on rung 4, Kick, which spans 1.2K to 2.8K SHU. Sriracha territory — the level most people plateau at for years without ever pushing further. Getting past it is the whole point.
Training to this rung is what gets you: Sriracha on your pho, as much as you want.
Comparable heat
Anything here burns at roughly the same level, which is what makes them interchangeable when you are training at this rung.
- Ancho 1,500
- Cascabel 2,000
- Valentina Extra Hot 2,100
- Sriracha 2,200
Common questions
How hot is Poblano on the Scoville scale?
Poblano measures about 1,250 Scoville heat units, with a published range of 1,000 to 2,000 SHU. That is roughly 4 times milder than a jalapeño.
Where does Poblano sit on the ladder?
Rung 4 of twelve — Kick, covering 1.2K to 2.8K SHU. Sriracha territory — the level most people plateau at for years without ever pushing further. Getting past it is the whole point.
What stops the burn from Poblano?
Dairy. Capsaicin is fat-soluble, so water spreads it rather than removing it; the casein in milk, yoghurt or ice cream lifts it off the receptor. A spoonful of sugar held in the mouth measurably helps too. Starch — rice or bread — physically carries it off the tongue.
Coming soon to the App Store
Eating Poblano is rung 4 of twelve
Sriracha on your pho, as much as you want — that is what rung 4 gets you. Scoville Ladder gets you to rung 4 on a schedule rather than a dare: a heat to train at tonight, rest between, and a target that moves with the burn you actually report.
Find your rung See the twelve rungs
Free to download · no account · nothing leaves your phone · $0.99/month for the programme