HELP! chili too tomato-ey

[vagriller]

I made some chili recently for some friends that came over. Below are the main ingredients I put in it. The other ingredients were herbs and spices. It looked great, and tasted good. But it was a bit tomato-y. I would like to cut down on that a bit, and also add a little kick with some peppers. I have never put peppers in my chili though so I don't know how to proceed. I will be making a batch for a chili cook-off at work, so I want it to be awesome!


3 lbs gr beef
3 14.5 oz cans beans
3 14.5 oz cans diced tomatos
2 14.5 oz cans tomato paste
no onions at all (extra garlic to compensate)


I like the tomato paste because it gives the chili a thicker sauce, not clear and runny. I wondered if leaving out a can of diced tomatos, and half a can of tomato paste would help. Any suggestions?

 

[Andy M.]

Your recipe contains no chile peppers, either fresh, dried or in powder form. Hard to call it chili...

I use 8 Oz of tomato per pound of meat and no tomato paste. If you want it thicker, don't add more tomato flavor (paste), cook the chili down to reduce the liquid or add less. Many chili recipes use masa, corn flour, to thicken the chili.

Also, many chili recipes contain salt, black pepper, onion, cumin and oregano.

Beans are optional in chili recipes. Purists insist they don't belong but I use them. You csn either mix them in or serve the chili over beans.

 

[Uncle Bob]

I personally don't care for too many beans so I would drop 2 cans of beans....
Drop a can of tomatoes...Drop a can of paste....

Consider adding things like, bell pepper, cumin, chili powder, beef or chicken broth, green onions, chocolate, Masa harina, ancho chilis etc....

Good Luck!

 

[vagriller]

Your recipe contains no chile peppers, either fresh, dried or in powder form. Hard to call it chili...

Also, many chili recipes contain salt, black pepper, onion, cumin and oregano.

Andy,
My chili contains chili powder and red pepper sauce, as well as salt, black pepper, cumin and oregano. That was covered in sentence 3 of my OP.

And my chili will always have beans, because I like beans.

 

[Selkie]

Simple. Drop one can of diced tomatoes, and one can of tomato paste.

I use 2-1/2 to 3 lbs of ground chuck in my chilli: 2 cans of diced tomatoes and 1 can of paste is plenty!

 

[Phil]

I suppose chili recipes are like cole slaw and potato salad, everyone is different. But you know you have too much tomato flavor in yours. I don't use any paste or tomatoes. I use an eight ounce can of tomato sauce and water per pound of meat. For me, you must have cumin, (that's the chili flavor), garlic, chili powder, masa flour, and oregano. There's more, but that's really the basics for me.

 

[jabbur]

I add cayenne pepper and paprika as well as the spices already mentioned. The best thing to do is to taste it. If it's too tomato-y add more spice. If you don't want it too spicy, add something sweet like chocolate (I use Hershey's syrup) or sometimes I'll add apple jelly. It gives it another layer of flavor without making it too spicy (DH doesn't like really spicy).

 

[Andy M.]

Andy,
My chili contains chili powder and red pepper sauce, as well as salt, black pepper, cumin and oregano. That was covered in sentence 3 of my OP.

And my chili will always have beans, because I like beans.

I saw that you mentioned herbs and spices. Not knowing what that specifically referred to, I listed specifics. Regardless, chili peppers are neither herbs or spices.

 

[Wyogal]

as for chocolate, you may want to try cocoa powder, adds a depth of flavor without the sweetness. Also, smoked paprika adds a nice note, too.
Chili powder and cumin, you could maybe increase those amounts, not sure how much you have used in your recipe.
Yes, decrease the amount of tomatoes. (some chili doesn't even call for tomatoes, just chilies and meat)
(and it helps to include that information in the original question in order for us to help you)

 

[Jeff G.]

Can't imagine chili without onions or fresh peppers.. I use equal amounts of diced onions as I do various chili peppers. You have a LOT of tomato going on there.... back off on the canned tomatos, lose the paste. I use tomato juice and one can of diced tomatoes for a large pot of chili..

 

[vagriller]

Can't imagine chili without onions or fresh peppers.. I use equal amounts of diced onions as I do various chili peppers. You have a LOT of tomato going on there.... back off on the canned tomatos, lose the paste. I use tomato juice and one can of diced tomatoes for a large pot of chili..

My wife is allergic to onions, but I happen to have some onions to put in this next batch for the cook-off. She won't be eating any of it anyway.

I will back off both the tomatos and paste a bit, and try maybe some ancho chilis. How do I incorporate them?

Chili powder is not a spice?

 

[Phil]

One more thing...

If you are using vegetables in your chili, you're not making chili, you're making chili flavored stew. You also may be limited in your area to flavorless chili powder. As others are noting, the basics of chili are beef, onion, chili powder, cumin, oregano, tomato sauce, paprika and masa flour. Look up some southern chili recipes in cook off competition.

 

[Wyogal]

Chili powder as it exists on the store shelf generally contains a mixture of spices (sometimes including dried onion), but technically, chili powder is ground, dried chilies.
As far as incorporating chilies, well, if they are dried, grind them (like in a coffee grinder), or if they are fresh, dice them. Then just stir in. I like to add spices and dried chilies to the meat, towards the end of browning, then add the liquid.

 

[vagriller]

If you are using vegetables in your chili, you're not making chili, you're making chili flavored stew. You also may be limited in your area to flavorless chili powder. As others are noting, the basics of chili are beef, onion, chili powder, cumin, oregano, tomato sauce, paprika and masa flour. Look up some southern chili recipes in cook off competition.

Chili powder as it exists on the store shelf generally contains a mixture of spices (sometimes including dried onion), but technically, chili powder is ground, dried chilies.
As far as incorporating chilies, well, if they are dried, grind them (like in a coffee grinder), or if they are fresh, dice them. Then just stir in. I like to add spices and dried chilies to the meat, towards the end of browning, then add the liquid.

Thanks for the info! I add my spices (and chili powder!) to the meat before all the other ingredients too.

Phil, in my house we call it chili. I realize everyone makes it different, and many people are pretty adamant about it. I am not.

Got any pulled pork bbq recipes?

 

[Jeff G.]

My wife is allergic to onions, but I happen to have some onions to put in this next batch for the cook-off. She won't be eating any of it anyway.

I will back off both the tomatos and paste a bit, and try maybe some ancho chilis. How do I incorporate them?

Chili powder is not a spice?

Personally, I would look for some green Anaheims, a few pablanos and definitely cerranos.

I dice my fresh peppers and saute them along with the meat an onions.

 

[Andy M.]

Check out this site to see the variety of dried and ground chiles and chili powder blends. Spices at Penzeys Spices Spices, Herbs and Seasonings A-E

 

[RisaG]

Add Some Stuff

I would saute some onions and garlic until soft, then add some peppers - different colored bell peppers and maybe a couple of poblano chiles (dark green - in some parts of the country they are known as either ancho - the peppers used for chile rellenos), roasted & peeled and then chopped OR a couple of tablespoons of chili powder (pure chile if possible). Let that cook for a little while, then add the beans and tomatoes. Maybe even a bottle of beer and let it cook down for awhile until it is thick.

I've never made a chili that had that few ingredients - there are always onions, garlic, peppers or chiles or both. Also a ton of spices - usually some pure chile powder (ancho, chipotle, cayenne - something like that) - not the commercial stuff because it has a lot of other herbs included and a ton of salt. This way you control the salt content too. Of course salt and pepper are important ingredients and a touch of sugar usually balances the flavor of the tomatoes. Or the acidity of the tomatoes.

These are my suggestions.

 

[vagriller]

Ok, I think I have a good solution. I will cut out a can of tomatoes and a can of paste, and add some fresh peppers. How many peppers per pound of meat? I don't want it Texas hot, just a good kick.

 

[Snowflake]

Wendy's Chili

Go to google - search Wendy's Chili Recipe - few too many beans for me but basically pretty darn good.

 

[Jeff G.]

Ok, I think I have a good solution. I will cut out a can of tomatoes and a can of paste, and add some fresh peppers. How many peppers per pound of meat? I don't want it Texas hot, just a good kick.

OK.. instead of the hot peppers use some poblanos and just a few of the hotter peppers. For a pound of meat.. 3/4 cup chopped(not packed in the cup, just loose). That should give you good base.

I generally try to add as much chopped pepper by volume as onion..