Help -- Chili Too Spicy!

[Girl49]

Almost ready to serve dinner chili to hubby, but it has too much heat. Recipe called for 1/4 cup of chili powder, and I combined regular (Gebhardt brand) with some ancho and chipotle powders. Also subbed one ribbed, seeded serrano pepper for jalapeno, as grocery didn't have latter. Already added some tomato paste and a little sweetener to tone down. Any other quick, easy way to tame the flames a little? Thank you!!

 

[merstar]

Try adding some olive oil - I use that often to tame things down. Also, add some cheddar or cheese of choice.

 

[GLC]

There's really nothing suitable for food that you can add that will neutralize the capsaicin. You can operate on the peppers before you add them, but once they are in the chili, you can only try to remove the capsaicin by removing the water. It's not water soluble, and you can't filter it, but you just wash some of it out, leaving the solids behind, and rebuild with fresh liquids and seasonings. Some changes can alter the flavors so that someone may perceive it as less hot, but if it's burning, it's still going to burn.

Here's something I haven't tried, but it might work. Capsaicin is oil and fat soluble. Stirring in a significant quantity of some neutral oil and skimming it off might carry off some of the heat. Otherwise, serve a big glass of milk with the chili and plan ice cream for dessert.

If you happen to have a jar of calcium caseinate around the kitchen (you don't), it's supposed to neutralize capsaicin, but I don't know of anyone who's both had access to it at the same time as they had a pot of over hot chili and got to test it.

 

[CWS4322]

Add more of the base (stock, tomatoes) to dilute the chili. A couple of teaspoons of sugar might help.

 

[Kayelle]

Float a couple of tablespoons of sour cream on the top of each serving. I think it helps tame the fire, both too hot and too spicy.

 

[Dawgluver]

I agree with the above. Sour cream, shredded cheddar, dairy will reduce the burn from the capsaisin. And a big glass of milk!

 

[Girl49]

Chili

Tx, all. Tried a bit more olive oil and some plain Greek yogurt...it helped a little. Froze most of the leftovers and will thin w/more stock and tomatoes, as suggested. Recipe had good flavors...just too much heat. Will mix my chili powders more carefully and use more sparingly next time.

Serrano pepper so small that I seeded and ribbed it by hand rather than with knife...whew...I must be sensitive to capsaicin. Skin still hot and numb even after washing hands.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Tx, all. Tried a bit more olive oil and some plain Greek yogurt...it helped a little. Froze most of the leftovers and will thin w/more stock and tomatoes, as suggested. Recipe had good flavors...just too much heat. Will mix my chili powders more carefully and use more sparingly next time.

Serrano pepper so small that I seeded and ribbed it by hand rather than with knife...whew...I must be sensitive to capsaicin. Skin still hot and numb even after washing hands.

I suspect it was the chipotle powder that put it over the edge.

Take some vegetable oil and rub it on your hands, then wash your hands with soap and cold water. The cold water will shrink the pores on your hands and the oil will pick up any capsacin still on your hands.

Whatever you do, keep your hands away from your face and away from anything else you don't want to burn!!!

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Serrano pepper so small that I seeded and ribbed it by hand rather than with knife...whew...I must be sensitive to capsaicin. Skin still hot and numb even after washing hands.

Perhaps not. IMO serranos are hotter than jalapenos.

You learned a lesson that many of us (me included) learned, wear disposable gloves when cleaning/chopping hot peppers. And definitely do not touch your face or wipe your eyes until gloves off and hands washed.

And another lesson. If you're not sure about hotness cook a milder recipe. You can always serve chopped peppers as a side dish, allowing your diners to pick their own heat.

All the same advice applies to salt. Both salt and hotness can always be added, but neither can ever be subtracted.

 

[chopper]

I agree with the above. Sour cream, shredded cheddar, dairy will reduce the burn from the capsaisin. And a big glass of milk!

The big glass of milk was the first thing I thought of. A bowl of chili needs a glass of milk anyway.

 

[Caslon]

I've used plain yogurt to tame overly spiced stews, etc. and it doesn't thin it down much at all.

 

[LPBeier]

When we had borders I would make a big pot of chili and make it on the mild side. Then I would put out various type of chilies such as ancho, cayenne and chili powders, chopped fresh jalapeno and two types of hot sauce. Everyone could make their chili as mild or hot as they wished. It worked out great.

 

[jennyema]

I suspect your recipe called for chili powder, which is a spice mix made up of powdered chiles, cumin, oregano and garlic.

1/4 cup is a reasonable amount of that. I use more.

Adding pure powdered chiles upped the heat quotient a lot.

 

[Uncle Bob]

All the same advice applies to salt. Both salt and hotness can always be added, but neither can ever (NEVER) be subtracted.

This!

Froze most of the leftovers and will thin w/more stock and tomatoes, as suggested. Recipe had good flavors...just too much heat.

Rather then diluting your recipe...or morphing it into something other than chili with sugar, sour cream and other "stuff....Consider making another batch or half batch of your recipe...sans all "heat".... then just blend the first batch with the second to maintain the integrity of your recipe...

Fun & Enjoy!

 

[CWS4322]

Uncle Bob--that's diluting it!

 

[Uncle Bob]

Uncle Bob--that's diluting it!

Adding chili to chili is not diluting....Just as adding a glass of milk to a glass of milk is not diluting it.

 

[GLC]

That's probably the best answer, if one finds out the chili they just made is too hot. Best part is... MORE CHILI! Yay! Or freeze half.

 

[Soma]

I always serve sour cream, AND yogurt, AND milk with hot foods....

I'm wondering if adding some tiny diced potatoes would help?...( or have helped...I know it's too late now, but for next time...)

or are potatoes simply to reduce an over-salted dish? I've tried that a few times, then removed the potatoes (not diced, too time-consuming to remove diced).

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

Like Uncle Bob said, the only thing that's going to help is to make another batch of the same chili recipe without any herbs and/or spices and mix the two batches together. That way the liquid to solid portions will not be disturbed and your chili won't be watered down.

 

[Rocklobster]

If a dish is has too much of anything the remedy is "Solution by Dilution"

Solely, adding other ingredients is masking. You will still likely have those overpowering flavors unless you dilute the original dish with a substantial amount of other ingredients. I feel you have the best success by adding more of what is already in the dish. Seems like a lot of trouble but you should quickly make up a small pot of chili with no spices, and add it to the pot you already made. Even if it is just a basic recipe because you probably have no meat left, but you could use tomato, onion, and other ingredients that you have.

Or you can leave the chili like it is, and run out and get another six pack of beer to chase it down with. lol