What makes red grease?

[NewAtThis]

CarolPa, mmmm pie. Frozen is good, but you're right, it's not homemade!

Apparently the employees don't even know this chili recipe. The owner mixes the spices himself and gives it to them to combine with the other ingredients. I bet his wife doesn't even know the secret!

Steven.

 

[Dawgluver]

CarolPa, mmmm pie. Frozen is good, but you're right, it's not homemade!

Apparently the employees don't even know this chili recipe. The owner mixes the spices himself and gives it to them to combine with the other ingredients. I bet his wife doesn't even know the secret!

Steven.

Hmm. Maybe you need to go through their trash!

 

[NewAtThis]

Their trash... Oddly, I'd love to! But they'd catch me. They're open 24 hours a day, so I think I'd be busted pretty quickly. But if I could, imagine the empty spice bottles I might find. Then again, they probably have their dumpsters under lock and key, or else they dispose of the chili scraps off site to protect the recipe. Oh well... I guess I'll just have to keep experimenting, which is almost as fun as dumpster diving and much more sanitary.

And with that, I've reached a new low in this thread. Thanks everybody for all your advise. Sounds like I have my answer: red grease does not come from red meat. It comes from any fat that's been stained by red peppers (chili powder likely) or tomatoes. That's one more piece of the puzzle to work with.

Thank you!
Steven.

 

[GB]

I have a recipe for Wendys chili. It is my go to chili recipe. I am not sure how real it really is, but I will try to remember to post it here when I get home from work.

Interestingly, the meat Wendys uses for their chili comes from old burgers that have been left and not sold. There is a bin next to the grill that they scrape the scraps into and that is what goes into their chili.

 

[NewAtThis]

Thanks, GB. At first, the burger scraps method seemed disgusting to me, but then again, why not? If they can use leftovers and scraps to make a delicious and non-spoiled chili, more power to them! If you do post the recipe, I'll be interested to read it.

Thanks again.
Steven.

 

[jennyema]

I'm still not sure why you are thinking of putting tumeric in chili.

Tumeric turns things a golden yellow color and can stain. Its used as a food coloring.

It also tastes bitter and earthy, which can be a good thing in some kinds of chili.

Its the base of many Indian curry powders.

I am pretty sure that the orange color you are looking for comes from tomato product, as a meaty tomato sauce, sloppy joes and other things that that don't contain chili powder or turmeric or a spice that could turn it orange often have that greasy orange appearance.

I'd add some tomato paste as well as tomato juice.

 

[salt and pepper]

Its the fat in the meat, chili powder and tomato's that the redish/orange color comes and rises to the surface. I would not use veg oil in chili. Use bacon for flavor and fat. Also you must simmer it long enough to render all the fat to get those "spots" your looking for.

 

[NewAtThis]

Thanks, jennyema. If you do a Google search for "tumeric in chili" you will find many, many recipes. It is indeed common in chili. For my old chili, I don't use tumeric, but now that I'm trying to duplicate an existing chili, I have to use the ingredients that make my new chili look, taste, and smell like what I'm imitating. The two biggest "ah-ha" moments came when I discovered cumin and when I discovered tumeric. Cumin for the flavor, and tumeric for the flavor and color. I had been trying tomatoes, paprika, and chili powder to achieve the orange color and staining capabilities of what I've gotten from the restaurant. None of that worked. Then I found turmeric. It improved the flavor, matched the color, and contributed the staining. I'm not saying the staining is a good thing, but it's a characteristic of the chili I want to duplicate, so it's part of the deal. So yeah, in my ideal personal chili recipe, tumeric wouldn't play a role, but it is common in chili, and to meet my goals with this recipe, it appears to be essential.

Thanks again.
Steven.

 

[NewAtThis]

Thanks, Salt and Pepper! mmmmm, bacon! I love that. That's a great tip, along with simmering. I will definitely incorporate increased simmering in the next batch, and maybe bacon fat, but not as likely since we don't keep it in the house. Perhaps my ground beef is fatty enough to fry with out the vegetable oil.

Thanks again.
Steven.

 

[GB]

If you do post the recipe, I'll be interested to read it.

Here it is...

Wendy's Chili

2 pounds ground beef
1 29-ounce can of tomato sauce
1 29-ounce can of kidney beans
1 29-ounce can of pinto beans
1 diced green pepper
1 diced medium onion
1/2 cup diced mild green chiles
1 to 6 diced jalapeno peppers (if heat desired)
1 29-ounce can diced tomatoes or 3 chopped medium tomatoes
2 teaspoons cumin powder
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons sugar

1. Brown the beef in skillet and drain off the fat.
2. Combine all of the ingredients in a crockpot or cook on stovetop.
3. Cook on low for 3-10 hours or on stovetop till done.

 

[CarolPa]

Thanks GB. This is very close to how I make my Chili, except I use just 1 can of beans. I haven't had Wendy's chili for years, I will have to try some to see if it tastes like mine.

Now I'm hungry for chili.

 

[NewAtThis]

Thanks, GB.

I really like that the recipe you posted is so basic. The only ingredient I'd view as exotic is cumin, and as I've learned, cumin is pretty standard in chili recipes. I might make it sometime just to see how much it tastes like Wendy's.

Steven.

 

[NewAtThis]

Ok, everybody. Thanks to all of you! I think I've seen enough to have my answer.

It seems that red grease does not come from red meat. It comes from either red peppers or tomatoes. And if I want the grease to rise to the top, it needs to simmer a while. That's exactly what I needed to know, and it's why I came here with my question. Thank you all!

Steven.

 

[Andy M.]

That Wendy's recipe uses 3 times the beans and 3.5 times the tomato that I use for two pounds of beef. Not to mention the chilies component.

 

[Oldvine]

Chili powder will stain grease red. Some restaurants will used canned chili but allow it to slow cook for awhile in their own kitchen, adding a couple ingredients, which will change the flavor from a just-opened can taste to their own version of home made.

 

[NewAtThis]

Hi, OldVine.

Thank you. That's an interesting take on the the subject of restaurant chili. And good confirmation that chili powder will turn grease red.

Thanks again.
Steven.

 

[Addie]

The fat in my chili is in red specks after refrigerating, if I didn't completely drain the burger first after browning. I use chili powder.

Can you call the restaurant and ask how they make theirs?

I was going to suggest the same thing. Some restaurants are very reluctant to give out their recipes, so you might considering just asking for a list of their seasonings. Let them know how much you miss their taste of home.

 

[dragnlaw]

The only ingredient I'd view as exotic is cumin, and as I've learned, cumin is pretty standard in chili recipes.
Steven.

I think as you start to further experiment with recipes you will find that cumin is one of the most common ingredients in soooo many.

You might even get to the point of grinding your own with a pestle. So much fresher! and the aroma floating around.... hmmmmm.....