Smokey Cola Chili - Amazing one pot recipe
Discussion
I prefer my chillis to have a bit of texture to the meat so always use the cheapest scrag-end mince, I find any decent mince/cuts are too soft once it's sat cooking for many hours. Personal preference though.
We always chuck in some cinamon sticks, is that usual and any reason why I shouldn't with this recipe? (Which I intend to try this weekend!) I think the Cola and cinamon would complement each other perfectly.
We always chuck in some cinamon sticks, is that usual and any reason why I shouldn't with this recipe? (Which I intend to try this weekend!) I think the Cola and cinamon would complement each other perfectly.
CaptainPeanut said:
Out of interest, how hot is this?
I like my chili with a bit of bite but unfortunately that's not a view shared by the wife and kids. Want to give it a go but don't have the freezer space for it to be exclusively for me
Cook a single batch, towards the end of the cooking add your portion to a separate pan/ casserole and add as many chillis as takes your fancy! Luckily my missus has gradually got used to my chilli loving so just loads up on sour cream!I like my chili with a bit of bite but unfortunately that's not a view shared by the wife and kids. Want to give it a go but don't have the freezer space for it to be exclusively for me
RobbieTheTruth said:
For me, cumin epitimises the 'ready made meal' taste. Every ready made curry, or tinned chili, or spicy variant of the latest Pot Noodle just loads up on cumin.
If you add it to this, it hits your senses first. You smell it in the aroma and it hits your palate as soon as its in your mouth.
The complexity of the dish shines without the cumin.
If you insist on adding a woody, earthy spice, add a small amount of Turmeric but I strongly suggest leaving both out.
Good thing about chilli is that it can be made a thousand ways, and the world is a better place with people trying to find the perfect recipe, and you can make it pretty much with what you have to hand!If you add it to this, it hits your senses first. You smell it in the aroma and it hits your palate as soon as its in your mouth.
The complexity of the dish shines without the cumin.
If you insist on adding a woody, earthy spice, add a small amount of Turmeric but I strongly suggest leaving both out.
Edited by RobbieTheTruth on Friday 23 May 07:54
I agree you can overdo the cumin, but I will always add teaspoon or so of whole cumin seeds into a chilli adds some great essential flavour IMO - when they cook they swell up a bit with the juice so you get a spicy pop when you bite into one - delicious!
My version has beans, chopped spicy chorizo, beer, sometimes some jack daniels (would go well with the coke!), and often to use beef chunks rather than just mince. Depending on how smokey I want it, I bung in a dried chipotle chilli or add some smoked paprika, especially if I haven't used any chorizo. A squeeze of lime gives it a nice sharpness too. it needs a long stewing (2 hrs min), especially if using beef chunks, and it's always better the next day.
I like a spicy hot chilli. What I try to do is get a mix of chilli hits by using different chillis - which all hit you in a different way, so I use black pepper, ground cayenne pepper, and a mix of fresh/dried that I might have around. If available, I cook scotch bonnet or naga chillies whole and remove them once it's ready to eat to give flavour but not too much heat, or chop them in if I fancy a very hot one.
I like to serve chilli with dirty rice (rice cooked with black beans and onions and a bit of seasoning), a salsa made of fresh tomatoes, onions, coriander and lime juice, and a dollop of sour cream (often just natural yoghurt) on top. Piled on tortilla chips is good instead of rice, or all the above piled into a tortilla wrap as a burrito works well too!
RobbieTheTruth said:
That's a good sign. If chili tastes great on the night of cooking, you can bet it's going to be amazing the next day!
Well thank god for this no more just chilli powder and chopped tomatoes for me It was lovely but not enough spice this time might stick a naga in next time then remove it had 4 green finger ones in this hapilly it will do us another 3 nights
cooked it on Friday, ate it Saturday night.
had to tone down the chillies for my 2 year old.
couldn't get ancho grande chillies; (rural Aberdeenshire doesn't have the facilities!) so i used 3 dried Chipotles instead. no green chillies at all.
i was worried about it drying out so added a bit more cola after 3 hours. this wasn't needed as it turned out a bit wet.
Tasted absolutely amazing. Cheers OP a great recipe.
had to tone down the chillies for my 2 year old.
couldn't get ancho grande chillies; (rural Aberdeenshire doesn't have the facilities!) so i used 3 dried Chipotles instead. no green chillies at all.
i was worried about it drying out so added a bit more cola after 3 hours. this wasn't needed as it turned out a bit wet.
Tasted absolutely amazing. Cheers OP a great recipe.
Well, it's a thumbs up from us. Even the missus liked it and she doesn't care for chilli at all. Three birds eye peppers went into ours, and two anchos, but it's not hot. Suits me fine, I'd rather be able to notice the complexity. Thanks for the recipe.
My only tip is don't bother trying to grate leeks, as they half fray and half turn into mush. Also IMO the salt is unnecessary too, was fine without.
My only tip is don't bother trying to grate leeks, as they half fray and half turn into mush. Also IMO the salt is unnecessary too, was fine without.
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