Love hot peppers, but....

[TheMetalChef]

hate wearing gloves to handle them? Allergic to latex?

Found a great method to deal with capsaicin on your hands after handling chili peppers....

Here's what you do:

After you've chopped/mashed/fondled/whatever you intend to do with your peppers, apply a small amount (2-3T, more if you have big ham hands like me! ) of cooking oil. Cheap stuff will do fine.

Rub your hands down, top to bottom, COMPLETELY for a good 10 seconds - just as though you were washing your hands with soap.

Then, wash your hands just as thoroughly with soap and water.

Here's how it works:

Capsaicin is only soluble in fat. This is why it sticks to your tongue, and why drinking high fat-content milk or buttermilk is the best way to cure the burn.

This same principle works when cleaning your hands - the oil picks up the capsaicin, then you wash the oil away with the soap.

I love my chilies, and I hate latex gloves. This was a godsend for me when I stumbled across it one day after chopping some peppers for the dryer (I make my own chili powder out of habaneros, Thai prik peppers, and cayenne) - No more fiery hands!

 

[Wyogal]

very cool.

 

[GrillingFool]

Oh come on.. I LIKE taking my contacts out with chili pepper fingers.

Thanks for the tip!

 

[Andy M.]

I'll have to try that. I take a different approach. Since capsaicin is a strong alkalai, I "wash" my hands with some vinegar, a strong acid, then soap and water. The acid neutralizes the alkalai and the problem is solved.

 

[TheMetalChef]

I'll have to try that. I take a different approach. Since capsaicin is a strong alkalai, I "wash" my hands with some vinegar, a strong acid, then soap and water. The acid neutralizes the alkalai and the problem is solved.

So, theoretically, rinsing your mouth with, say, lemon juice, would kill the heat faster than buttermilk?

 

[powerplantop]

So, theoretically, rinsing your mouth with, say, lemon juice, would kill the heat faster than buttermilk?

But which one gives you a better look on your face?

 

[Andy M.]

So, theoretically, rinsing your mouth with, say, lemon juice, would kill the heat faster than buttermilk?

I'm not saying that. I've only ever used the vinegar on my hands. Feel free to go ahead and test the theory if you don't mind the taste of vinegar.

 

[TheMetalChef]

I'm not saying that. I've only ever used the vinegar on my hands. Feel free to go ahead and test the theory if you don't mind the taste of vinegar.

That's why I suggested lemon juice, which would be a bit more palatable (thinking nice strong homebrew lemonade...)

 

[Russellkhan]

Buttermilk is fairly acidic too, so, at least in theory, it should be more effective than the lemon juice (fats + acid instead of just acid).

 

[Andy M.]

That's why I suggested lemon juice, which would be a bit more palatable (thinking nice strong homebrew lemonade...)

Sorry, I missed that. Lemon juice is not as acidic as vinegar. Either way, it's worth a try. What's the worst thing that could happen?!

 

[TheMetalChef]

Sorry, I missed that. Lemon juice is not as acidic as vinegar. Either way, it's worth a try. What's the worst thing that could happen?!

Mouth would still be burning?

 

[jennyema]

Good tip, Thanks.

But I'll probably still wear my vinyl gloves ... since my habs from the garden can blister skin.

 

[bigdaddy3k]

My children still bring up the face I made upon drinking buttermilk. They laughed and laughed. It goes in their memory of "dad's face after he tried..." probably right next to the crab apples face.

 

[Alix]

Good tip, Thanks.

But I'll probably still wear my vinyl gloves ... since my habs from the garden can blister skin.

You're lucky you can grow peppers Jenny. I have issues with them.

 

[infokid]

Wow. The acid and oil are 2 very good remedies for hot pepper. I use lots of pepper so I'm really thankful for these tips.

 

[GB]

I can vouch for Jennys habs. They are HOT! I use vinal gloves too. They fit well and do not feel uncomfortable like latex and no risk of developing a latex allergy. I buy the kind they use in the hospital. I get a box of 100 gloves for around $8 or so. One box will last a very long time. I use them for peppers and chicken. I am not grossed out by touching chicken, but I find it easier to handle with a glove plus (less slippage) and it is more convenient because when i am done with my chicken prep i take the glove off and can continue other prep without stopping to wash up again.

There are times when I don't use gloves though that I wish I had, like when I get a batch of jalopenos that are super hot and do end up burning my skin so I will definitely keep this tip in mind for those occasions.

 

[Count Omulis]

I absolutely adore hot food. Back in my days as a dishwasher (as a short stint between cooking) one of the cooks had a pepper garden and would bring me habaneros, jalapeños, cayenne, etc. The days I neglected to wear gloves I wish I knew this trick. Unfortunately my current pepper crop has some major insect damage.

As a side bar, anybody have a good site to order insanely hot peppers? I can get thai chiles, habaneros, etc. I want to play with some more exotics like ghost chiles and others of the like.

 

[macro_grp02]

Wow! These are very helpful tips, and I really appreciate you taking the time to explain how it works. It does make sense. Thanks.

 

[freefallin1309]

My children still bring up the face I made upon drinking buttermilk. They laughed and laughed. It goes in their memory of "dad's face after he tried..." probably right next to the crab apples face.

I had the crab apple face when I was a kid, the tree dropped them right off the side of my grandparents yard. Man that was nasty. You'd think as ugly as they are, no one would want to eat them

 

[jonnyjonny_uk]

Very good tip and also a good way of moisturising your hands

The times I've rubbed my eyes after chopping chillies?!..........ouch!