Chili con carne

[OldLeftieLawyer]

OK, so I got a batch simmering.

I'm sure this has been axed a thousand times here, but I'm a relative newbie, so what's your secret chili ingredient?

And, how do you eat it? We throw a handful of chopped Maui onions on top, and lots of shredded sharp cheddar, and stir in some sour cream.

[Stinky The Clown]

1. Siracha hot sauce

........ which looks, for all the world, like it is made in Thailand or Vietnam, but was invented in Northern California and is made entirely from a special cultivar of Jalepenos. It is now being exported to those places! :)

I use more of this than I do salsa or ketchup.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

3. Oh, yeah..........

It's wonderful stuff.

I had NO idea that was its history. Everyone I know who's a genuine foodie is nuts about Sriracha.

You know the absolutely coolest stuff, H2S.

[The empressof all]

6. We call that the chicken sauce in our family

I always thought it was Asian in origin as well. We use it for everything. I just splashed some into the egg wash for the fried boneless breasts I'm gonna be pan frying up tonight.

[wryter2000]

7. No kidding?

Invented in NoCal? Was it invented by Vietnamese people, and that's why it's labeled in Vietnamese?

I love that stuff. A few drops is all you need to heat something up. I almost wish they made it tamer, because the flavor is divine.

[mike_c]

15. check them out-- the pepper sate is their BEST product...

...but VERY hard to find. http://www.huyfong.com/frames/index.htm

on edit-- damn, I see the pepper sate sauce isn't on their product list any longer. That was GOOD STUFF.

[wryter2000]

19. Interesting

I didn't realize the chili garlic sauce was different from sriracha. I think I actually prefer the chili garlic sauce.

[Stinky The Clown]

11. Actually, I just learned this.

There was an article on it in Saveur a few months back. It is based on an old Thai recipe, but made with (US) indigineous ingredients. The jalepeno cultivar was discovered quite by accident, but the guy who started the company recognized it as special when he bought some peppers from a new supplier.

He now runs the company with his daughter and they have, indeed, gone global and are playing to rave reviews worldwide.

Its a very special sauce.

[catnhatnh]

2. My real secret.....

...is adding just enough balsamic vinegar and then balancing that with a bit of either honey or molasses.Also, being a texture freak I add some celery, parsley, and green onion...all light on flavorings but they build one more layer of complexity into the taste and "mouth-feel"...

[OldLeftieLawyer]

4. See,

I do brown sugar with red wine vinegar. Same principle. And it's never the same taste twice.

That's something I never thought about - the texture, the "mouth-feel" - but now you've got me thinking..........

[catnhatnh]

9. Mouth-Feel...

...should have it's own thread.For myself,it can make or break a dish.Think of ANY favorite soup and the texture that will be involved.A cream soup must have at best well cooked vegetable mix,yet a chicken soup can have stuff with real snap left.In any oriental dish we expect it.Chili, or the best of it SHOULD be complex,both in flavors and textures.Think of southern fried chicken-there is no spice on the face of the planet that counts as much as-is it crunchy-and THEN how did it taste...I add bunches of stuff to almost everything I cook based just on adding depth-celery seed,cuz it's small,almost always carrots for however they wind up,parsley. parmesan...whatever...okra is a biggy...try it all,and DO it all,there is NO downside-throw the 3 best extras you see in a recipe of yours......I'm bettin' no one can describe it and you'll have a signature dish...

[OldLeftieLawyer]

13. Oy

You just gave me a whole new food thing to think about, and that's no .small accomplishment

This is where my spaghetti sauce comes from, and it's completely Chinese, especially in terms of flavors "marrying".

Absolutely brilliant, cat. Thank you SO much for this.

[catnhatnh]

26. Your most welcome. Ma'am....

(blush)..............

[japple]

5. Gotta have some kind of chipotle sauce. Not much, but enough

to give it that rich smoky flavor and add a little fire. Other than that, my recipe is basic: peppers, onions, (Laura's) ground beef, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, red beans or pinto beans. Sometimes I use black beans. We usually just eat ours plain with cornbread. My husband used to make corncakes which were just cornmeal, salt and hot water (let sit for 1 hr.), pat into little cakes and fry on a griddle. Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside. I'm making myself hungry.

[wryter2000]

8. Just don't put peanut butter in there

I've never done that, but I've "heard" (you know how that goes) that some people do. Then, they won't reveal their secret ingredient and someone allergic to nuts eats it. Very bad news.

[mike_c]

10. oh now you've gone and started a flamewar in C&B....

Please GAWD don't tell my you put beans in it.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

12. EXCUSE me?

Did you see anywhere that I wrote that I put BEANS in my chili?

I put corn in it.

<waiting while he decides if that's flameworthy or not, buffing nails, humming>

[mike_c]

14. you're kidding, right? heh heh, good one....

corn-- oh you're slaying me.... :rofl:

But seriously, it's not SAFE to joke about chili.

Corn. Oh you kidder, you.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

16. Yes, yes, you're right

I'm such a kidder.

<hiding cobs>

[japple]

18. But I gotta have beans in it.

Don't like it without beans.

[politicat]

17. Chocolate and instant coffee/espresso

That's mine. DH's is curry powder.

Dark chocolate and a teaspoon of instant coffee or a tablespoon of cold espresso deepen the flavors and add richness. No, there's no sweetness or coffee/chocolate taste.

DH puts curry powder in his chili, but I find the flavor foul.

[ernstbass]

20. cocoa

and I have to have beans in mine.

[Stepup2]

21. My secret is not so secret

I use dark Cocoa powder and just a touch of ground cinnamon, 1/2 a well mashed chipolte in adobo, and dark red kidney beans. Brown really lean small chunks of hormone free chuck with two sweet onions, bulb of smashed garlic, mexican oregano, cumin, cayenne and red pepper flakes, then add 2/1 ration of stewed to crushed of tomatoes. I let this simmer all day

[Jessica]

22. I always put a 1/2 bottle of beer in mine.

No cheap domestic light beer - whatever good stuff I have on hand. :)

[Mr. McD]

23. I make my own chili powder blend.

I don't care for most of the commercial chili powders. No beans though.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

24. Dare I axe?

What's in your blend, because I would LOVE to make my own, but I honestly am too lazy to do the research.

If you don't want to give it up, I understand.

But, I will have to curse your family for the next six generations.

Nothing personal .............

[Mr. McD]

25. No problem for the sake of my Granddaughters

I just use 1/3 New Mexico(hot) chilies, 1/3 California chiles and 1/3 Pasilla chilies. I add the other spices separately.

[anitar1]

27. Have you ever tried Penzey's Spices?

They have wonderful blends of chili powders. Mixed by hand. All of their product is good. The best I have ever bought. You can order a catalog online. I like to make different kinds of chili, depending on the mood I'm in.