Sauce – What pepper is used in Sriracha sauce

The world record holder is currently the Carolina Reaper according to Guinness (as of AUG 2013).

This pepper began its family tree as a crossbreed between a Ghost Chili pepper and a Red Habanero.

The LA Times reports that the hottest Reaper has been clocked at 2.2 Million Scoville units. That's higher than some commercial pepper spray products. They go on to cite a study conducted by Winthrop University (South Carolina, US) that claims the average is closer to 1.5 M.

There is a hotter pepper contending for the throne. "Pepper X" (a codename pending a permanent name) is now supposedly clocking in over 3M but is pending Guinness verification.

What a time to be alive.

There are a lot of things you could add that would deliver a similar pepper and garlic flavor. One thing that comes to mind is Ajvar. It's a Serbian relish made primarily from red bell peppers, garlic, and eggplant. I live in the US, and the local supermarket carries it in both mild and spicy versions. Aside from being a lot milder, the flavor profile is pretty similar to sriracha sauce.

If you don't mind doing some more work, you could roast, skin, and mash some red bell peppers yourself. Then add some garlic, a bit of something sweet (optional), and some hot pepper (also optional).