Unusual Ingredients in chili con/sin carne

[annabelle]

There is at my house. That's good enough for me.

[jayt90]

My DW pulled the following recipe off of the internet to cook for a pot luck today. The major differences in prep and cooking were chili powder in place of the ancho chiles and cooking it overnight in a chicken roaster we use like an oversize slow cooker. When I got up this morning I asked her how it turned out and she said it didn't taste like chili to her. I had a taste and said it tasted like it had sweet spices in it. I was surprised when I read the recipe. It calls for allspice, cinnamon, and cloves. These seem like pretty unusual ingredients for chili con carne. I was more or less able to rescue it by reducing the rather liquidy sauce and adding more garlic and cumin.

Do these ingredients seem out of place to you?

www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chili-con-Carne-363749

The recipe has 1/2 cup ground anchos, and that should provide thickening with masa, as long as the tomatoes are not too watery.

So how much chili powder was substituted? If 1/2 cup (doubtful) there would be thickening, too .

I like the Epicurious recipe. It does need a variety of dried chiles, including hot, pungent, and smoked.

Your addition of garlic and cumin is fine. The amount of allspice, cloves and cinammon is minimal, and should add just a hint of sweetness if the dried peppers are expanded and dominant.

12 oz. of dark beer will add sweetness, and sloppiness. A smaller can of Pilsener would be my choice.

The recipe reminds me of a prize winning chili in Esquire many years ago, which I unfortunately lost.

So I will use this one, with a combination of ancho, poblano, serrano and habenero peppers, and a can of lighter beer.

[ojisan]

Secret spice ingredients:

http://nyti.ms/1alnpNU

[patrickamory]

Thread left turn, but I wonder how much you can avoid the spice contamination problem by grinding your own whole spices?

[sandrew834]

I made this for the first time the other night. It was so good. Added 2 small very finely chopped carrots and celery sticks (as long as they are very finely chopped it's an amazing addition) and now and again I add a bit of squash. Also add a can of corn to the mix, bay leaf and cumin. Left out the flour etc, just boiled a bit more to evaporate extra moisture. Really good this!

[jayt90]

Thread left turn, but I wonder how much you can avoid the spice contamination problem by grinding your own whole spices?

Quite a bit, I imagine. Insect parts are a natural occurrence, and I don't blame the growers/packers if a few get through. Hopefully the spice is lower in insecticide residue if a few pieces of insect legs arrive in the package.

You can shake off insect parts, barely visible, and maybe blast with Dust Off if super fastidious.

The problem of occasional salmonella or other microbes can be dealt with by toasting ground spices.

Radiation is allowed to be used on spices in many places, and this will kill living insects or organisms, but the dead parts remain.

Edited November 4, 2013 by jayt90 (log)

[Burke]

This is the recipe I use for Authentic Texas Chili

http://www.homesicktexan.com/2009/02/more-precise-texas-chili-recipe.html

[patrickamory]

Here's my version.

[Norm Matthews]

I was just reading a list of cooking hacks yesterday and one was that olive brine could upgrade savory dishes and add depth of flavor. It also said a table spoon of vinegar (which is in olive brine) can add umami to a pot of chili.

 

[FeChef]

On 6/19/2023 at 7:19 PM, Norm Matthews said:

I was just reading a list of cooking hacks yesterday and one was that olive brine could upgrade savory dishes and add depth of flavor. It also said a table spoon of vinegar (which is in olive brine) can add umami to a pot of chili.

 

I add pepperoncini brine to my chili. Not sure olive brine would pair well with chili though.

[chromedome]

4 minutes ago, FeChef said:

I add pepperoncini brine to my chili. Not sure olive brine would pair well with chili though.

Weirdly, here in Atlantic Canada, a significant minority insist that it's "just not chili" without olives in it. Usually the most generic, pimento-stuffed kind.

 

I don't get it.