Paprika falls somewhere between red and orange, and it ends up on deviled eggs. That’s about the extent of many people's paprika knowledge. Most of us don't understand the different types of paprika. We know paprika, but we don’t really know paprika, kind of like your friend’s freshman year roommate. What’s that dude’s deal, anyway? Who is he, really? We’re launching an investigation. Into paprika. Not the roommate.
The Different Types of Paprika
Paprika is made from dried peppers. That’s where the red-orange color comes from, but, as you know, just because two peppers are red, doesn’t necessarily mean they taste the same. Paprika varies in flavor based on what types of peppers are dried and pulverized. The spice can range from mild to spicy, a little sweet to 100% savory. Here are the most common types you’ll encounter:
Basic Paprika
The paprika that you see in the grocery store, the stuff that just says “Paprika” on the front, is guaranteed to be mild. That’s about it. Regular paprika is the least assertive in flavor, offering a low-intensity pepper flavor without much heat or sweetness. The real play here is for color, not flavor. Livening up chicken, hummus, eggs, potatoes, or rice with a dash of the red stuff makes life a little more interesting.
Hungarian Paprika
If you want to know about true, deep paprika love, talk to the Hungarians. It’s the country’s spice of choice, a staple in Hungary’s national dish: Goulash. Where our basic grocery store paprika is one-dimensional, Hungarian paprikas are anything but. It's like comparing The Little Engine That Could to The Iliad. One is…a little more complex. Hungarian paprika traditionally comes in eight different flavor profiles, ranging from mild and bright red to spicy, pungent, and pale orange. The most common is a bright red variety called édesnemes, which has a pungent pepper flavor and sweetness. You’ll most likely see it labeled as sweet hungarian paprika outside of Hungary. If you live in Hungary, you should have just skipped this section. Sorry.
Spanish Paprika
Often labeled pimentón, Spanish paprika is commonly made with smoked peppers, which, as you can probably gather, brings a deeper, smokier flavor to the table. The heat and sweetness levels in Spanish paprika vary based on the blend of peppers used. You might see dulce (sweet), agrodulce (bittersweet), or picante (hot) varieties at a spice shop or well-equipped grocery store. This isn’t to say all Spanish paprika is smoked, but the Spanish varieties available to us most likely are. And when we’re making something like paella, that's exactly what we're looking for.
Does Smoked Paprika Burn Easily?
Paprika is a brightly colored red powder that is available in a multitude of flavors and intensities. It is an essential ingredient of Spanish and Mexican cuisines and barbecue recipes, and its authentic flavor enhances paellas, vegetables, goulashes, meats, tomato-based soups, and salsas.
Powdered Peppers
Paprika, also called red pepper, is a spice that is still ground in the purest tradition. Even though you can make paprika from any pepper, it’s usually made from red peppers (known botanically as capsicum annuum), which are dehydrated and then finely ground. These peppers are originally from the Americas, but have also been grown in Hungary, which is the language from which the word “paprika” comes from.
Mild, Smoked, or Spicy
There are several types of paprika on the market. Depending on whether you are using mild, spicy, or smoked varieties, the flavor of paprika will be prominent or subtle. The flavor of each variety depends on the type of red pepper used to make it. For example, Spanish mild smoked paprika, also called pimentón, adds a natural smoky note to dishes. Some blends also use hotter peppers, which provide more intensity and flavor.
The heat and strength of paprika depends on which parts of the pepper are used. Some varieties of paprika are made with just the flesh, other with the flesh and the stem, and others still use the membranes or the seeds. The more seeds there are in the grounded blend, the more heat the paprika provides. It should be noted that paprika is a spice that is very sensitive to heat, which means it can burn quickly. It’s preferable to heat it very gently, so the spice doesn’t develop an unpleasant bitter taste.
Measuring Heat and Strength
Different scales measure the heat and strength of peppers. The most well-known is the Scoville scale, and it is used all over the world. The Scoville scale is graduated between 1 and 10, from the least spicy to the spiciest. For example, a red bell pepper contains no capsaicin and has a degree of 0 out of 10, meaning that you’ll feel no sensation of burning in your mouth. On the other hand, a habanero pepper, which has a much higher concentration of capsaicin, has the maximum 10/10 score.
Mild paprika (like the one used in the Spice Oasis Artisanal Blend) has a score of 1/10, so it provides just a slight warmth in the mouth. On the other hand, hot paprika has a degree of 6/10, so you should expect a bolder, more intense taste.
Paprika adds an exotic touch, as well as delicious heat and flavor to your recipes. Make sure to try it out!
If you want to know other articles similar to Is smoked paprika hot? the different types and flavors of paprika explained you can visit the Spices category.
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