# Cascabel

Also known as Cascabel Chile, Cascabel Pepper, Chile Bola, Chile Cascabel, Rattle Chile, Cascabelillo.
Species: Capsicum annuum.

Cascabel is a Capsicum annuum landrace from Jalisco, Mexico. Capsi’s sourced range is 2,192 SHU (Lab-verified). Flavor is nutty, earthy, smoky, woody, fruity. Used for salsas, soups and stews, enchilada sauces, chili pastes, marinades and rubs. Heat is a range, not a single marketing number.
About 1/11 the typical heat of a Capsi Jalapeño (25,086 SHU).

## Heat sources

- 2,192 SHU · Lab-verified
  Margaret D. Collins, Loide Mayer Wasmund, Paul W. Bosland (1995) HortScience · HPLC
  DOI: 10.21273/HORTSCI.30.1.137
  https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI.30.1.137

- 1,500–3,000 SHU · Vendor Claim
  Cascabel Chiles
  https://gryffonridge.com/product/cascabel-chiles/

- 1,500–2,500 SHU · Vendor Claim
  Cascabel Powder
  https://outofmex.com/product/cascabel-powder/

- 1,000–2,500 SHU · Vendor Claim
  Cascabel Chile Pods
  https://www.mounthopewholesale.com/product/chiles/cascabel-chile-pods/

## Heritage

Landrace

Cascabel is a traditional landrace.

Larousse Cocina and a Jalisco field report treat cascabel as the dried form of chile bola, a long-kept Capsicum annuum type grown in central and western Mexico. No source names a breeder or a parent cross.

## Page sources

- [Collins, Wasmund, and Bosland 1995 HortScience HPLC table listing Cascabel capsaicinoids](https://journals.ashs.org/hortsci/view/journals/hortsci/30/1/article-p137.xml)
- [Larousse Cocina dictionary: dried round chile, fresh name chile bola, central Mexico](https://laroussecocina.mx/palabra/chile-cascabel/)
- [Seed listing: C. annuum, Jalisco and Guerrero, 85 days, thin-skinned globe](https://www.reimerseeds.com/cascabel-pepper-seeds)
- [Dried-pod appearance, production states, kitchen use](https://specialtyproduce.com/produce/Dried_Cascabel_Chile_Peppers_798.php)
- [Commercial range Coahuila to Guerrero; mirasol habit, not the guajillo mirasol](https://spicesinc.com/blogs/what-are-cascabel-chiles)
- [Culinary guide to shape, dried color, and nutty flavor](https://pepperscale.com/cascabel-pepper/)
- [Kitchen uses and green-to-red ripening](https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-types/sweet-mild-chili-peppers/cascabel-chili-peppers/)
- [Smallholder drying crop at Huisichi, Tolimán, Jalisco](https://comunicampo.com/chile-cascabel-sabor-picoso-geografia-rulfiana/)

## FAQ
### How hot is Cascabel?

Capsi’s sourced range is 2,192 SHU (Lab-verified). Capsi uses a sourced range and a trust tier, not a single marketing number. How we verify heat: https://web.thecapsi.app/learn/heat-and-capsaicin/how-we-measure-heat

### What does Cascabel taste like?

Nutty, close to walnut, with earth, wood, and a little smoke or toast. A mild acidity shows up in some lots. The heat comes on gently and fades, so the flavor stays in front.

### How do I grow Cascabel?

Cascabel: about 85 days to maturity, subtropical climate, full sun, hardiness zones 9-11.

### What can I substitute for Cascabel?

Guajillo, Ancho, Pasilla

Page: https://web.thecapsi.app/pepper/cascabel
Catalog: https://web.thecapsi.app/data