Easy Chili Con Carne Recipe - Her Highness, Hungry Me (2024)

FAQs

What is the trick to a good chili? ›

I keep salt, muscovado sugar, red wine vinegar and chilli powder on hand. I nearly always add a tablespoon of the sugar so have added this to the recipe — a bit of sweetness adds real depth to the sauce. Many people add chocolate instead, but I prefer to eat the chocolate.

Traditionally, we expect a robust, spicy base, meat and/or beans, perhaps some bonus veggies, and a thick, rich consistency. Unlike soups, which are brothy, or even bisques, which are creamy yet thinner, chili is meant to be more stew-like; it's a definite stick-to-your-ribs creation.

Beans and non-vegetable fillers such as rice and pasta are not allowed." If that sounds a bit uptight, the ICS's Homestyle Chili competition defines chili as: "any kind of meat, or combination of meats, and/or vegetables cooked with beans, chili peppers, various spices, and other ingredients.

Most Common Chili Spices. Cumin, Chile Powders, and Paprika are the most common spices in chili followed by garlic, onion, coriander, Mexican oregano, and bay leaves. These ingredients can be combined to create a savory and well-balanced pot of top notch comfort food.

In this recipe, red wine, Worcestershire sauce and beef stock add depth of flavour and some sweetness, but you can also add a square or two of dark chocolate at the end. Also, browning the meat thoroughly will add lots of flavour (see the technique video at the bottom of the page for tips on how to brown meat).

You can use sauce, diced, whole, even rotel for some kick. Add garlic, cumin, and probably more salt. Chipotle chili powder is really nice in chili. Just add a little at a time until it tastes the way you want it too.

2. Add cornmeal: Cornmeal absorbs excess liquid, so adding a tablespoon of it to your pot of chili will thicken the final result. Allow the chili to simmer for about ten minutes after you add the cornmeal.

Not only will tomato paste add a tangy flavor to the dish, but it will also act as a thickening agent. For this purpose, you can use homemade or store-bought tomato paste. Add 1 can of the paste to your pot of chili, stir the mixture, and let it cook on medium heat for about 30 minutes.

When to add beans to chili? ›

You know the saying, “save the best for last?” To keep your beans nice and plump, add them about 20 minutes before you finish cooking. This will give them plenty of time to impart that perfectly seasoned chili flavor to your recipe without overcooking.

Although canned chili will already have some seasonings, fresh herbs and spices will add bolder flavor. You can upgrade your chili using ingredients you likely already have on your spice rack, such as chili powder, ground cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper.

Bloom Your Spices

It's not always about what spices you use, but rather how you use them. Adding salt and chili spices at the end won't infuse the dish with true depth of flavor. Instead, bring out the flavor of the spices by adding them when you brown the meat or soften the onions.

With only about 1 tablespoon per pot added toward the end of the cooking process, the vinegar will make the flavors more vibrant without overwhelming the dish with its biting tang. Through just a splash, everything becomes a little brighter, and the chili's flavors are more balanced.