Chilli Con Carni problems

[pieman]

Hi,
I put together a ccc today with
mincemeat, two teaspoons chilli power,
tin of chilli beans in chilli sauce
2 teaspoons cornflower etc onions etc

it was OK but it did nt have that umph, that strong,
... burning... chilli taste.

was there something else I sh have done ?
some special chilli sauce or something,
maybe the chilli powder was nt up to it

thanks for any tips
Tim

 

[Wyogal]

cornflower?
by mincemeat, do you mean ground beef?
I also use cumin in my chili. How old is your chili powder? Sometimes I also put in chili flakes or ground red pepper (hot). Chili powder is usually a blend of other spices, not just chilies. I like to serve fresh diced onion and jalapenos with my chili.

 

[pieman]

minced beef in fact (not the christmas mincemeat )

maybe the chilli powder I used was inferior ...
maybe I should have got a sachet of chilli
for casserole... I dont know
Maybe there's a jar of chilli sauce somewhere
...( just like we buy curry sauce in a jar... then add meat .onions and casserole ! )
I just need a bit more umph in the end result !

the cornflower was just to thicken the end result.

 

[Selkie]

In addition to chili powder, I add a splash or two of Louisiana Hot Sauce (or Tabasco Sauce) and just a light dash of cayenne pepper.

Chili Con Carne literally means, "Chili with meat" and Texans consider it a crime to add beans to "con carne" which has been transformed into meaning, "without beans." Only using the term "chili" means with beans. - Just a bit of interesting regional cultural linguistic oddity.

Personally, chili of any kind or name is good to me! Good luck with yours!

 

[Joeboy]

I Made a chilli yesterday and it was the best one Ive have made

I used oxo beef stock, chiili powder, a little scotch bonnet chilli sauce, I also added a yellow pepper which i let cook down until i had almost disappeared. also i used a little soy sauce, some oregano and bay leaves

 

[apple*tart]

You can make a great (and in my opinion, superior) chili without using seasoning packets or pre-seasoned beans. You just need to use quality spices and more of them! In addition to chili powder, I use fresh onion and garlic, ground cumin, crushed red pepper, cayenne, sometimes a pinch of chipotle powder, and salt. I also use tomatoes as a base, but that definitely varies by region. To give you an idea of spice quantities, I use a pound of ground beef, several cups of beans (as measured cooked - a few cans of unflavored, drained, and rinsed beans would be the equivalent), and I use 2 tablespoons of chili powder (which is 6 teaspoons) along with other spices.

 

[vyapti]

Dried chilies are cheap and easy to prepare and can give you a variety of chili powder flavors, most with more of that slow burn that chili powder is supposed to have. I use a combination of ancho and chipotle peppers. For a single pepper, New Mexican would work. All it takes is to chop up the dried pepper, remove the seeds and grind it in a coffee/spice grinder. The result is much, much better quality spice.

 

[Wyogal]

I agree, I like using a variety of dried chilies, paprika, and cumin to make my own "chili powder." Using a variety gives a depth of flavor, hitting a variety of places in the mouth, creating different levels of heat.

 

[Nyeer]

I know real texans would cringe at my "Chili con Carne" recipe but what I do is: saute half chopped onion and 2 garlic cloves in 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, add 1 can of Rotel tomatoes and cook for a few minutes, add 2 large cans on beans in chili sauce, 1 1/2 pounds of cooked ground beef, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of chili powder, 1 tablespoon of paprika, 1 1/2 teaspoon of cumin powder, 1 teaspoon of oregano, salt to taste. You may add some beef broth if you like thinner but if you like it thicker add 1 to 2 teaspoons of masa. Another thing I sometimes add is 1 or 2 chopped chipotle peppers, it adds heat and a smoked flavor (those come in cans), treat it as you would any other peppers, remove the seeds to minimize the heat. Hope you try, I always serve it with freshly baked corn bread (or Fritos

 

[Wyogal]

I found that using smoked paprika gives a great flavor, too.

 

[GB]

You say you used 2t of chili powder, but do not say how much meat you used. I would think that would probably not be enough. You should be thinking in tablespoons, not teaspoons for the chili powder.

 

[Selkie]

Dried chilies are cheap and easy to prepare... All it takes is to chop up the dried pepper, remove the seeds and grind it in a coffee/spice grinder. The result is much, much better quality spice.

Vyapti, I envy you! Knowing me, I'd get hot chili powder, Scotch Bonnets or something equally "risen from hell" pepper all over my hands and then go to wipe my eyes!!! I know... I'd only do that once... but that's why I prefer my chili heat in a liquid form - for safety.

 

[jabbur]

You say you used 2t of chili powder, but do not say how much meat you used. I would think that would probably not be enough. You should be thinking in tablespoons, not teaspoons for the chili powder.

That was my first thought. Definitely up the amount of chili powder.

 

[TheMetalChef]

Garden variety "chili powder" (cumin, paprika, small amounts of garlic and onion powder, and an even smaller amount of cayenne) won't give you any "umph" at all.

I stunned my culinary arts professor in HS by taking a big fat handful of his chili powder and eating it by itself. There's no "umph" to be had in that stale old rubbish.

Consider also, "chili" is a native southwestern dish. Use native peppers - Cayenne comes from French Guiana via Louisiana. Jalapeno, Poblano, Pasilla, these are the kinds of chiles that the Texan cowboys would have used, because they were more readily available in the region, growing wild or sold by the local Hispanic fruit mongers where they also procured their tomatoes.

 

[GB]

I would say that depends on where you get your chili powder TheMetalChef. The stuff I get most certainly is not stale and most people would have a huge problem eating it straight without a gallon of milk at the ready. If you buy quality spices then you are more likely to have chili powder with umph.

 

[babetoo]

You say you used 2t of chili powder, but do not say how much meat you used. I would think that would probably not be enough. You should be thinking in tablespoons, not teaspoons for the chili powder.

i have a chicken casserole that calls for chili powder. in four or five times of making it, i gradually have upped the chili powder to 4 tablespoons . since i use so much chili powder it doesn't go bad. (i don't think) in other cooking for a bit more heat, i use red pepper flakes. it gives just a bit of heat in back of throat.

 

[TheMetalChef]

I would say that depends on where you get your chili powder TheMetalChef. The stuff I get most certainly is not stale and most people would have a huge problem eating it straight without a gallon of milk at the ready. If you buy quality spices then you are more likely to have chili powder with umph.

Which would be why I said "garden variety", as in the weak red powder that sits in most mega-marts.

 

[danpeikes]

Hi,
I put together a ccc today with
mincemeat, two teaspoons chilli power,
tin of chilli beans in chilli sauce
2 teaspoons cornflower etc onions etc
it was OK but it did nt have that umph, that strong,
... burning... chilli taste.
was there something else I sh have done ?
some special chilli sauce or something,
maybe the chilli powder was nt up to it
thanks for any tips
Tim

Don't use ground beef. Get a large peice of chuck cut it into 1/4" cubes. Brown them in a cast iron skillet will some vegtable oil or if you have it bacon fat. Up the heat with high your own blend of spices and skip the preblended stuff. Go with some good chili flake, cayan, some smoked paprika, cumin (ground fresh if you can), garlic powder, onion powder. Cook it low and slow.

 

[Michael in FtW]

I guess it's time a Texan that has been making and eating chili all their life threw their "dos centavos" in on this subject.

Not all chili powders are fiery hot freshly ground right from the factory, or made at home (Gebharts, Fort Worth Light, McCormick's Texas Style are all fairly mild). They are a spice blend that is used for its flavor - not trying to make the top 10 on the Scoville chart. Many prize winning chili cooks will use more than one brand of chili powder to get the taste they want if they don't make their own from scratch, and then use cayenne to adjust the heat. If you want that 3-alarm burns all the way down feeling, add some cayenne or other hot chili peppers to the mix. But then again, how hot they are is a subjective opinion - one person's "bland and boring" might be another person's "too hot and spicy for me".

Adding beans to your chili is your choice, it traditionally is taboo here in TX and forbidden in chili cooking competitions. I don't because I find it "dilutes" my chili. Some people will get a bowl of beans (pintos) "on the side" so they can add some to tone down their bowl of chili if it is a little too spicy for them.

Regarding "ground" meat ... the regular "hamburger" grind is a little too fine for most chili lovers that I know. We have "chili grind" available in the regular grocery stores that is coarse and about 1/4 inch diameter. This is a lot easier and more convenient that dicing the meat into little 1/4 cubes. Of course, if you have a store that still has a butcher that can grind the meat for you, something that is getting harder and harder to find, you can select the cuts of meat you want and have that ground for you.

The basic ingredients in most chili recipes is the meat (beef or a mix of beef and pork), tomatoes (puree or paste usually), a mix of ground hot and mild chili peppers, onion, garlic, Mexican oregano, paprika, cumin, salt (some or all of these are in chili powders with variations in amounts). Some people use beer, or stock or just plain old water for the liquid. Thickening, if necessary or desired, is usually with a slurry of masa flour (masa de harina which a little different than plain corn flour but both will work) and water added toward the end of cooking - about the last 5-10 minutes.

I don't know if your store carries them but there are some decent chili making "kits" (the spices and directions) on the market. The best, in my opinion, are either Carroll Shelby's or Wick Fowler's 2-Alarm or 3-Alarm chili fixin's. These are usually in the spice section or if you have a Mexican food section they might be there. They are, at least, a good starting point - you can always gussy them up with a little more of this or that if you want. Oh, Carroll Shelby and Wick Fowler are both award winning champion chili cooks.

If you want to look at some chili recipes to get some more ideas:

Recipes from past winners of the Terlingua International Chili Championship

Carroll Shelby's Chili Recipe - this site has some other recipes, some that include beans! On Shelby's recipe - if you don't want to use the cheese you can use corn flour for the thickening, and for the beer I would use a lager or something like Bass or Harp (Carroll used Lone Star if I remember right).

LOL ... I think I know what I'm having for supper tonight ....

(and this doesn't even get into the green chili's of New Mexico and Arizona ...)

 

[Rob Babcock]

You need cumin; chili won't taste right at all without it.