By virtue of the fact the Serrano Chilli originated in the mountainous region of Hidalgo and Pueblo, Mexico, and that the Hidalgo pepper is named as it is, says it all. They are closely related. Whilst both have a similar heat level, it would seem that on a Scoville rating basis, the Hidalgo may be fractionally less hot
than the Serrano (6000 to 17000 SHU versus 8000 to 22000 SHU for the former.
Another difference is that the Hidalgo is an heirloom. Heirlooms are plants that are not planted on a large scale, but rather old cultivars planted by farmers and gardeners for their special qualities. these qualities might include taste , colour, resistance to disease and other virtues
An heirloom will typically be found in isolated areas away from modern large-scale agriculture. The seeds may be passed from generation to generation, and in doing so, the traits of a specific type of Chilli are kept alive. And thank goodness for that! It would be such a great pity if some of the Chilli world’s treasures were lost to us because they were not farmed on a big industry commercial level.
Serranos are grown commercially on a larges scale . They are second only to the Jalapeno in popularity. They are commonly found in supermarkets in the USA. Hidalgos on the other only be found at farmers markets. The Hidalgos sold at these markets will typically been grown by small lot farmers
The Hidalgo Chilli grows to about two inches in length and is typically ½ an inch wide. It has a red skin, it has fuzzy green stems and leaves.Its flowers are white. It can be used very much in the way that a Serrano is used to make great hot sauces, pickles, and Mexican Cuisine.
Keep it in the family!
Image credits:
This and fFront page: By H. Zell /GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0 from Wikimedia Commons