What do you put in a chilli?
Discussion
A bit of a debate started in the office about how to make the best chilli. I really like my own:
Fry up some onions, garlic, red peppers and jalapenos
Brown some lean beef mince.
Add red wine, stock cube, tomato puree, marjoram, cumin, coriander, hot chilli powder and some killer chilli sauce (currently using 'Heartbreaking Dawns') to the mince.
Add the onions and other stuff from earlier.
Chuck in some chopped tomatoes.
Let it bubble away for about an hour then chuck in some kidney beans for 10 minutes.
Then pop it in the fridge until the next day.
What am I missing?
Fry up some onions, garlic, red peppers and jalapenos
Brown some lean beef mince.
Add red wine, stock cube, tomato puree, marjoram, cumin, coriander, hot chilli powder and some killer chilli sauce (currently using 'Heartbreaking Dawns') to the mince.
Add the onions and other stuff from earlier.
Chuck in some chopped tomatoes.
Let it bubble away for about an hour then chuck in some kidney beans for 10 minutes.
Then pop it in the fridge until the next day.
What am I missing?
Large onion and lean mince fried up.
Add 1-2 tsp hot chilli powder, 1tbs ground cumin and ground coriander with 2-3 chopped garlic cloves
2tbs flour
3tbs tomato puree
200 ml beef stock
100ml red wine
tinned tomatoes
kidney beans
tsp oragano
bay leaf
salt and pepper
slow cooker for 8 hours.
Yum!!
Add 1-2 tsp hot chilli powder, 1tbs ground cumin and ground coriander with 2-3 chopped garlic cloves
2tbs flour
3tbs tomato puree
200 ml beef stock
100ml red wine
tinned tomatoes
kidney beans
tsp oragano
bay leaf
salt and pepper
slow cooker for 8 hours.
Yum!!
Fairly similar to the OP, but usually use some fresh chillis (or frozen, we chop them up and freeze them so we can just chuck in a few spoonfuls) rather than a spicy sauce. Also tend to use a tin of kidney beans and a tin of something else like Borlottiti, Adzuki, etc.
I've tried adding things like chocolate, coffee and sugar based on various recipes but not really convinced it's worth it.
I've tried adding things like chocolate, coffee and sugar based on various recipes but not really convinced it's worth it.
You need fat. Stop using lean mince, start using beef shin, oxtails and brisket. EDIT - pork shoulder is also a must.
Find somewhere that sells chipotles in adobo sauce, and a good selection of other dried chillies. Use them, they have a much better flavour than fresh supermarket chillies.
Don't go too mental with the cumin, it can become medicinal in flavour. You can get away with more smoked paprika than you think, the smokiness mellows out over time.
Use bourbon rather than red wine. Red wine is a bit wrong for chilli.
Give it a lot of time. From cooking the onions until they're caramelised, to browning the meat properly (look up the malliard reaction for why it's important), then simmering for a long (6+hours) to ensure the ingredients blend.
Don't rush it. Cooking chilli is an all day (and two bottles of red) affair.
Find somewhere that sells chipotles in adobo sauce, and a good selection of other dried chillies. Use them, they have a much better flavour than fresh supermarket chillies.
Don't go too mental with the cumin, it can become medicinal in flavour. You can get away with more smoked paprika than you think, the smokiness mellows out over time.
Use bourbon rather than red wine. Red wine is a bit wrong for chilli.
Give it a lot of time. From cooking the onions until they're caramelised, to browning the meat properly (look up the malliard reaction for why it's important), then simmering for a long (6+hours) to ensure the ingredients blend.
Don't rush it. Cooking chilli is an all day (and two bottles of red) affair.
Edited by HarryFlatters on Tuesday 23 January 13:38
breamster said:
This recipe!Slice up, into 1" strips against the grain, brisket, 2 kg
Soak a few dried chillies in a pint of coffee
peel and dice couple of big red onions, finely slice up 10 cloves of garlic, slice up 3-4 decent fresh chillies, to taste
few lugs of oil in a casserole dish, fry off onions with 2 tsp of cumin, smoked paprika, oregano and smoked chipotle flakes until onions are soft
Add chillies, re-hydrated chillies, the garlic, cinnamon stick, large pinches of salt and pepper
Stir in coffee, 2 tins chopped toms, 3 tablespoons dark muscovado sugar.
Add the brisket, simmer, lid on for 3 hours ish until brisket can be shredded.
Shred brisket, add 3 slice up peppers, another couple of fresh sliced chillies, couple of tins of beans of your choice
Simmer for 30 mins lid off to thicken up and soften the peppers.
Great to freeze and reheat. Makes a massive pan full and always been a hit. Forget chilli with mince, not a patch on this.
Soak a few dried chillies in a pint of coffee
peel and dice couple of big red onions, finely slice up 10 cloves of garlic, slice up 3-4 decent fresh chillies, to taste
few lugs of oil in a casserole dish, fry off onions with 2 tsp of cumin, smoked paprika, oregano and smoked chipotle flakes until onions are soft
Add chillies, re-hydrated chillies, the garlic, cinnamon stick, large pinches of salt and pepper
Stir in coffee, 2 tins chopped toms, 3 tablespoons dark muscovado sugar.
Add the brisket, simmer, lid on for 3 hours ish until brisket can be shredded.
Shred brisket, add 3 slice up peppers, another couple of fresh sliced chillies, couple of tins of beans of your choice
Simmer for 30 mins lid off to thicken up and soften the peppers.
Great to freeze and reheat. Makes a massive pan full and always been a hit. Forget chilli with mince, not a patch on this.
Vandenberg said:
I stick to the jailhouse recipe, but add a shot of tequila and bourbon and as well as mince throw in either shin of beef or stewing steak for more texture.
Cooked long and slow for about 8 hours, let it rest overnight and only eat on day 2.
Definitely make sure you've made enough for day 3/4 - and (in my view) is best done in a slow cooker.Cooked long and slow for about 8 hours, let it rest overnight and only eat on day 2.
Almost all of this has been mentioned above, but here are my key pointers
Never use mince - use a better quality meat, chuck, brisket, add in some pork shoulder if you feel like it. I sometimes use diced rump steak if it's on offer. Fry all of the fat until it's mostly rendered, and then remove.
Fry the meat, don't boil it - brown it in batches if you need to
Use a mix of chillis, some fresh, some dried, some for heat, some for flavour. There's no excuse these days, you can buy half a dozen different varieties of dried chilli in any supermarket. Only use chilli sauce if you need to up the heat at the end.
Add things like peppers (if you're using them) about 30 minutes from the end, along with the beans (if you're using them)
I prefer black beans to kidney beans
Add some sliced onion at the same time as the peppers - in addition to the chopped onions at the start
Simmer for a LONG time - minimum 3 hours.
Max a massive quantity - fill the biggest pan you've got. Portion it and freeze it, but don't forget to save a decent portion for 2 days time.
Never use mince - use a better quality meat, chuck, brisket, add in some pork shoulder if you feel like it. I sometimes use diced rump steak if it's on offer. Fry all of the fat until it's mostly rendered, and then remove.
Fry the meat, don't boil it - brown it in batches if you need to
Use a mix of chillis, some fresh, some dried, some for heat, some for flavour. There's no excuse these days, you can buy half a dozen different varieties of dried chilli in any supermarket. Only use chilli sauce if you need to up the heat at the end.
Add things like peppers (if you're using them) about 30 minutes from the end, along with the beans (if you're using them)
I prefer black beans to kidney beans
Add some sliced onion at the same time as the peppers - in addition to the chopped onions at the start
Simmer for a LONG time - minimum 3 hours.
Max a massive quantity - fill the biggest pan you've got. Portion it and freeze it, but don't forget to save a decent portion for 2 days time.
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