Chipotle aficionados across America report an extra kick in their favorite burrito.
Users of a 50,000-strong fan page on Reddit say the chain’s Tomatillo-Red Chili Salsa has gotten unbearably hot in recent months.
TikTok was also inundated with users wondering if the sauce has gotten spicier, describing it as “Satan’s spit” and “inedible.”
As a Chipotle fan living and working in Manhattan, where you can’t go two blocks without seeing the iconic swirled pepper, I had to try it for myself.
The steak burrito bowl is my usual choice at Chipotle, but I usually opt for the milder green salsa than the spicy red offerings
While the first chip was fine, the spice didn’t really kick in until after I ate a few. After eating anywhere from seven to 10 chips, I had to go get water to help process the spice.
I ordered the steak burrito bowl and salsa and chips from two different Chipotle locations. Both with the infamous spicy Tomatillo-Red Chili Salsa
Despite rampant speculation on social media, Chipotle told DailyMail.com, “Our recipe for tomatillo red chile salsa hasn’t changed.
“However, we use dried red chiles that are sourced seasonally from different regions that may have different heat levels.”
But analysis has shown wide variations in the spiciness levels sold at its restaurants, ranging from 2,730 to 3,420 Scoville units — which may explain some of the discrepancy customers report.
Scoville measurements measure spiciness by measuring how the capsaicin in the pepper resists dilution by sugar water. The more resilient it is, the spicier.
To get a somewhat reasonable sample size, I visited two stores in the East Village and ordered two different items: the fries and hot dip and my favorite steak burrito bowl with a generous serving of spicy sauce.
I usually order the milder salsa verde. While it has a bit of a kick to it, it’s nice and comfortable with the rest of my Chipotle order.
When eating with chips, the red salsa was unbearable after a few bites – even for a seasoned Mexican food eater like me.
Even other colleagues – who claim to be spicy food connoisseurs – reported that it was now too hot to bear.
However, the burrito was much more manageable, probably because the spicy is drowned out by other ingredients like cheese and rice.
At first I thought I could handle the challenge without water, but eventually I swallowed my pride and surrendered
CHIP AND DIP – MORE LIKE MORE LIKE INSANE AND PAIN!
Our taste test started with the chips. I grabbed a crispy tortilla chip and scooped up a generous helping of red sauce.
A few seconds after my first bite, the spice felt good.
I started thinking to myself, ‘Oh, I think the people on the internet are making a mountain out of a molehill again’.
After a few seconds I felt an explosion of spice over the two edges of my tongue. They were seemingly set on fire when I swallowed the chip and dip.
The Chipotle sauce uses dried red peppers as a base. The peppers come from Central and South America and are filled with capsaicin extract.
The chemical is considered an irritant and neurotoxin in mammals, known to inflame flesh — such as your tongue — upon contact.
It also contains other regular seasonings such as salt, pepper and garlic, according to the company.
Despite the heat wave, the spice was bearable for the first few chips.
However, there was a reinforcing effect. As I ate more chips, the effect of the spice intensified.
Unfortunately I had ordered a whole bag of chips and had a long way to go before I finished.
By chip six my eyes felt like they were going to water and my nose was running. I could feel the blooming heat over my forehead and cheeks.
By chip ten I had to go to the kitchen to get a glass of water – which I had initially forgotten to bring in my hubris prior to this challenge.
THE BURRITO – CHEESE IS YOUR FRIEND
With my mouth on fire and my belly full of water, it was time to head to the burrito bowl.
I ordered my usual, white rice, black beans, steak, tomato salsa, corn and extra cheese. However, the wrinkle this time was that I went for the red salsa instead of my usual salsa verde.
This is how I usually consume my Chipotle so at least I had a comparison.
The spice was fine. While it was still spicier than I would be comfortable with, it tasted much better when mixed with the other ingredients.
However, this makes sense given the other elements of the scale.
The heat from the chips and salsa made my face warm, as I felt the fire build up around my forehead and cheeks
I love cheese and choose a lot of it with my Chipotle order. Dairy products contain a protein called casein that is known to combat spicy oils.
Chipotle says on its website, “This is how it turns out to be the best way to neutralize [the spice] is with casein, the main protein found in, you know, milk.’
The starchy rice and beans in the bowl also help suppress the spice, as food experts have noted that it serves as a physical block between the spilled food and your tongue.
These products are also heavy and have properties that allow them to absorb the spicy oil, lift it off your tongue and suppress the heat.
Chipotle says the red chili contains: “dried red chili – earthy and floral, fruity and hot, smoky and sweet.”
After the experiment, I think I’ll still choose the salsa verde on my burrito bowls in the future.
The worst part of this experience came right after I left the office for work that evening, as eating so much salsa during the day gave me the ‘runs’ as it can be described.
I went to the bathroom three times that night after I got home from work, and again the next morning before work, with the burning sensation from the night before now felt in a different part of my body.