Does lime juice make jalapeños less spicy?
I make guacamole with a whole jalapeño and the last time it was hard to mash so I poured lots of lime juice in this time. It was hardly spicy at all. Did the extra lime juice make it less spicy?
Best Answer
Lime juice isn't going to make it less spicy, if anything I've found it accentuates the spiciness a bit although I'm not sure of the mechanism. It could be that the acidity frees up more capsaicin compounds (what makes hot food hot), or wakes up your taste buds more.
Most likely you have simply added a weak jalapeno. Peppers of the same variety can vary in heat strength quite a bit depending on the where and how it was grown, although you'll get weak and strong peppers from the same plant. You can make up for the lack of spice by adding more jalapeno or a bit of hot chili powder.
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Quick Answer about "Does lime juice make jalapeños less spicy?"
The acid in lemons, limes, and vinegar neutralizes the alkaline in the capsaicin. Soak your peppers with a lemon or lime solution for a tasty addition to salsa, soups, or leafy green dishes. Also, try serving spicy foods with a little lemon or lime juice cocktail on the side.Does lime juice stop spicy?
Acidic ingredients such as lemon or lime juice, vinegar, wine, tomatoes, and even pineapple will all help to neutralize the pH levels of a spicy oil, and reduce some of that flaming-hot flavor.Can you make jalapenos less spicy?
Submerge seeded, cooked whole jalape\xf1os in a mixture of 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water and let them soak for about an hour. If after that time they are still too hot for your taste, drain them, add more vinegar and water, and let them soak a little more.How do you neutralize jalapeno heat?
Douse your hands in dairy products. Many dairy products include a compound called casein that can counteract the capsaicin in hot pepper oil. Whether you have ice cream, whole milk, sour cream, or all of the above on hand, rubbing some on your hands can lead to relief.Is Fake Lime Good Enough in a Cocktail?
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Answer 2
I see all the answers leaning toward the negative but wonder whether the responders actually tested their theories. I recently had a similar experience with habaneros and lime juice, that is I added my usual number of habaneros plus seeds to salsa, but used two noticeably juicier limes and my salsa had almost no heat and the flavor of lime was much more prominent. I know this is only one example but it was noticeable enough to make me Google the possibility of lime juice cutting heat. Anyone else with similar experiences?
A little more hunting turned up this:
If you follow the hot peppers with an acidic food or drink you can neutralize some of the activity of the alkaline capsaicinoid. Good choices include cold lemonade, a lemon or lime, orange juice, anything tomato-based, or drinking milk (which is acidic).
Information from How To Make Hot Peppers Stop Burning
Answer 3
When cooking chili, and your chili heat is too hot, it is suggested to add fresh lime juice or a little brown sugar to drop the heat down.
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