Podcast Summary: Decoder Ring: How the Jalapeño Lost Its Heat

Podcast: Slow Burn
Date: May 8, 2024
Host: Willa Paskin
Guests: Brian Reinhart, Dr. Stephanie Walker, Dr. Benigno (Ben) Viallon, Gustavo Arellano

Episode Overview

This episode of Decoder Ring investigates a culinary and cultural phenomenon: Why are store-bought jalapeños in the US so mild compared to past decades and to expectations? Through a blend of personal anecdote, expert interviews, and food history, host Willa Paskin explores how consumer expectations, agricultural science, industrial processing, and the evolving American palate all contributed to the “disappearance” of jalapeño heat.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

I. The Spark: Jalapeños Aren't Hot Anymore?

• Brian Reinhart’s Discovery (00:38–03:43)

  • Grew up in Indiana/relocated to Texas, became a food critic—noticed jalapeños from the supermarket tasted almost like bell peppers.
  • "There was almost nothing to it. It was a very simple, straightforward pepper flavor." – Brian Reinhart (02:32)
  • Texted several chefs: unanimous agreement that jalapeños have become noticeably milder in recent years.

• Physical Changes Noted

  • Jalapeños used to be curved (“big bend, like almost a 90 degree twist”), but now are mostly straight. (03:49)

• Initial Theory

  • Reinhart speculated peppers grown under stress become spicier; hypothesized industrial peppers are “too comfortable,” so they lose their heat. (04:03–04:47)
  • “We need a farm to just treat their peppers like absolute garbage.” – Brian Reinhart (04:34)

II. Science and Intent: The Jalapeño Was Bred to Be Mild

• Expert Insight: Dr. Stephanie Walker, New Mexico State University (07:06–11:06)

  • Yes, jalapeños really are less spicy now:
    “In my opinion, yes.” – Dr. Stephanie Walker (07:59)
  • Describes how all peppers' spice (pungency) comes from capsaicin, unique to the Capsicum genus.
  • Jalapeño is not one pepper but a family of many varieties shaped by human selection. (09:24)
  • Breeding shifted in the 1980s due to consumer preference for milder flavors and desire for consistency.

• Industrial & Culinary Motivations (09:52–11:54)

  • Salsa companies wanted predictable, reliable levels of heat to label products:
    “Back then, a big issue was predicting heat level for chili peppers...it didn’t work. The chili peppers were just too unpredictable.” – Dr. Walker (10:11)

• Oleoresin Capsaicin (11:06–11:54)

  • To achieve consistent heat, companies started extracting pure capsaicin and adding it to salsas— easier to add heat than to take it away.
  • "A mild jalapeño, from the manufacturer's perspective, is actually a lot more versatile than a spicy one." – Willa Paskin (11:23)

III. The Breeders: From Spice to Mild

• Dr. Benigno (Ben) Viallon – The Man Behind the Modern Jalapeño (12:15–15:15)

  • In the 1980s, breeders at Texas A&M (including Viallon, nicknamed “Dr. Pepper”) created the TAM Jalapeño, a milder, bug-resistant, straighter pepper ideal for industrial use.
  • “They were able to give you the mild, medium, and hot salsa. And that’s when the salsa industries really started booming.” – Dr. Viallon (14:14)
  • By 1990, salsa had overtaken ketchup as the top-selling condiment in the US.
  • Successive “TAM2” variety was even milder and more uniform—industrial production dominated fresh markets.

• Unintended Consequences

  • Even Viallon, creator of the mild jalapeño, dislikes most grocery jalapeños today:
    “No, because they don’t even have flavors.” – Dr. Viallon (15:18)

IV. Historical and Sociocultural Context

• Gustavo Arellano: Mexican Food’s American Saga (16:23–19:02)

  • Mexican food, especially tamales and “chile con carne,” entered US consciousness in the late 1800s.
  • American media always highlighted the spice:
    “You have these stereotypes like that it tastes like the fires of hell. But they’re not disparaging it. They are praising it, but warning people in advance, hey, this is going to be hot.” – Gustavo Arellano (17:26)

• The Cycle of Assimilation and Modification

  • Every decade, a new Mexican food fad is “discovered" and assimilated—often made milder to sell to the broader public. This happens with tequila, tacos, burritos, etc.
  • “Entrepreneurs then spread it...Americans love it, eat it to the point where it becomes assimilated...then Americans say, okay, what's next? I want something more, quote, unquote, authenticity.” – Arellano (18:25)
  • “When you’re going to mass-produce anything, you have to sacrifice certain attributes. You have to commodify everything.” – Arellano (19:36)

• The Paradox

  • Americans crave “authenticity” once they've gotten used to the milder, mass-market version:
    “The American gets inured to that modified flavor profile, and then that's when they want more. But by then, it's too late.” – Gustavo Arellano (21:07)

V. The Present: The Cycle Continues

• Jalapeños as a Case Study (21:32–22:39)

  • Jalapeños became hot due to flavor and exotic appeal, but their flavor was standardized and heat reduced to fit mass market tastes.
  • Advertisement references (“Pace’s thick and chunky salsa…” “New York City??!”) highlight the deep Americanization of salsa and jalapeños. (22:51)

• Changing Tastes: “Hot Ones” and Heat-Seeking Americans

  • As American palates adapted, so did demand—now there’s a market for much hotter peppers (e.g., Carolina Reaper), with viral challenges.
  • “Americans more than anything...You don’t see Mexicans doing these fucking contests where like, oh, I’m gonna eat 15 Carolina reapers at once.” – Arellano (23:08)

• Flavor vs. Heat: Two Camps

  • “For me, the jalapeño was never spicy to begin with...You would use them for the flavor...But there’s nothing wrong with putting a little bit of spice in it.” – Arellano (24:05)

• Personal Adaptations

  • Arellano carries his own serrano pepper to restaurants:
    “With a chile, the serrano? Hell, no. It’s called the chile de morda. A biting chili. So you get it, you eat it, and you eat it like a carrot.” (24:56)

VI. Looking Forward: The Rise of Heirlooms?

• Loss of Choice in the Marketplace (26:46)

  • “I think the issue is not so much that the TAM pepper exists...The failing came at the marketplace when they took over, and we didn't really understand what was happening…They didn’t intend for us all to forget that another kind of pepper existed.” – Brian Reinhart (26:46)

• Expert Advice

  • “If you want a good hot jalapeno, buy some of these heirloom varieties. You know, plant your own...get to know these varieties because these are, as with wine grapes, as with heirloom apples, you know, they’re very unique. And we need to celebrate this amazing germplasm and hope that we keep it available.” – Dr. Walker (28:03)

• Practical Solutions

  • Even the creator of the mild jalapeño says:
    “I know I go for the Serrano at the supermarket because they’re hot.” – Dr. Ben Viallon (28:40)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The peppers are designed that way.” – Dr. Stephanie Walker (05:17)
• “Nobody’s been hiding this information. Nobody’s been conspiring…but somehow we just missed it.” – Brian Reinhart (15:31)
• “I do remain optimistic that Americans will all eventually become Mexicans.” – Gustavo Arellano (25:37)
• “If the day ever comes when your serrano peppers start to taste different—well, maybe it’s not just you.” – Willa Paskin (28:46)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:38–03:43 — Brian Reinhart notices milder jalapeños and investigates.
• 07:06–11:54 — Dr. Stephanie Walker explains capsaicin and breeding for mildness.
• 12:15–15:15 — Dr. Ben Viallon details creation of the TAM Jalapeño.
• 16:23–21:07 — Gustavo Arellano: historical cycles of Mexican food in America.
• 23:08–24:56 — Discussion of heat-seeking American food trends (“Hot Ones”), Arellano’s pepper-carrying habits.
• 26:46–28:31 — Loss of pepper variety in stores & hope for an heirloom chili movement.

Conclusion

The journey of the jalapeño from fiery staple to mild mass-market commodity is the result of deliberate choices by scientists and industry—driven by American preferences for predictable, versatile, less spicy foods. Ironically, as Americans' heat tolerance rises, their jalapeños have never been milder. The episode closes with hope for a chili “heirloom” revival and a reminder: If your peppers suddenly seem dull, it’s probably not your imagination.