Chilli anyone?
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It depends ENTIRELY on judges. Chili is very regional. Most important is to do some spywork on the judges preferences. How spicy, beans or not, tomatoes or not, how much liquid, cube or ground beef, etc.
General tips - toast and grind from whole spices (cumin is the only one you NEED for sure, all others are extra) and whole dried chilies. Guajillo is or new mexico are a good base, not too spicy, gives you lots of redness. Add spicier things like chile de arbol to taste.. I prefer big chunks of beef rather than ground, I sear and then braise. Coffee notes help, so does chocolate but don't go overboard. Dark malty beers - porters, stouts and beef stock.
If you're using beans, this is a time it is OK to soak beans with salt. Yeah they take longer to cook, but it keeps the beans from splitting when you simmer.
General tips - toast and grind from whole spices (cumin is the only one you NEED for sure, all others are extra) and whole dried chilies. Guajillo is or new mexico are a good base, not too spicy, gives you lots of redness. Add spicier things like chile de arbol to taste.. I prefer big chunks of beef rather than ground, I sear and then braise. Coffee notes help, so does chocolate but don't go overboard. Dark malty beers - porters, stouts and beef stock.
If you're using beans, this is a time it is OK to soak beans with salt. Yeah they take longer to cook, but it keeps the beans from splitting when you simmer.
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don't know if "The Best" but here goes. this will make about 6 or 7 quarts
in large heavy pot brown 2 lb pork neck bone in 2 Tbs canola oil over medium heat. when well browned, remove neck bones. brown 1 large chopped onion, 1 head finely chopped garlic, 1 medium chopped green pepper, 2 medium chopped pablano peppers, 2 ancho peppers, 2 mitchella peppers till onion is clear. return neck bones. add 2 cups chicken stock, 2 cups diced or crushed tomatoes, 1/2 cup red wine, 1 Tbs ground cumin, 1 Tbs mexican oregano, 1 tsp salt. slow simmer for 4 to 6 hours. remove neck bones. when cool enough to handle, remove meat from the neck bones and return the meat to the pot.
soak 2 cups dry pinto in water overnight. drain. cook the soaked pintos with 1 large chopped onion, 1 stalk chopped celery, 1 chopped carrot, in 6 cups veg or chicken stock until tender, remove 1 cup cooked beans, puree and return to pot. combine with neck bones. heat to slow simmer. add fresh peppers to taste, i like a blend of jalapano, serrano, and fresno. add fresh herbs to taste. simmer about an hour.
scott
in large heavy pot brown 2 lb pork neck bone in 2 Tbs canola oil over medium heat. when well browned, remove neck bones. brown 1 large chopped onion, 1 head finely chopped garlic, 1 medium chopped green pepper, 2 medium chopped pablano peppers, 2 ancho peppers, 2 mitchella peppers till onion is clear. return neck bones. add 2 cups chicken stock, 2 cups diced or crushed tomatoes, 1/2 cup red wine, 1 Tbs ground cumin, 1 Tbs mexican oregano, 1 tsp salt. slow simmer for 4 to 6 hours. remove neck bones. when cool enough to handle, remove meat from the neck bones and return the meat to the pot.
soak 2 cups dry pinto in water overnight. drain. cook the soaked pintos with 1 large chopped onion, 1 stalk chopped celery, 1 chopped carrot, in 6 cups veg or chicken stock until tender, remove 1 cup cooked beans, puree and return to pot. combine with neck bones. heat to slow simmer. add fresh peppers to taste, i like a blend of jalapano, serrano, and fresno. add fresh herbs to taste. simmer about an hour.
scott
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2,618 Posts
If it is a traditional Texas style chili contest no beans allowed!
Meat should not be ground, it should be hand chopped into small cubes that are all about the same size. Texas chili has no tomato in it usually, when I make it I use 8ounces of tomato sauce to 2 pounds of meat. And definitely no whole or crushed tomatoes. The sauce should be smooth.
So not knowing location, or rules of the contest that is all the help I can give!
Meat should not be ground, it should be hand chopped into small cubes that are all about the same size. Texas chili has no tomato in it usually, when I make it I use 8ounces of tomato sauce to 2 pounds of meat. And definitely no whole or crushed tomatoes. The sauce should be smooth.
So not knowing location, or rules of the contest that is all the help I can give!
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Chili shouldn't have beans in it, IMO.
I like to use cubed up chuck flap meat or short ribs.
Make your own chili paste...I like to toast, seed and soak a variety of dried chili's. Ancho, guajilo, pasilla, New Mexico, etc. Its best to use a variety of chili profiles (some smoky, some sweet, some spicey, etc). I then take the soaking water and chilis and blend them to a puree to use as a flavor base.
I like bacon in mine.
Dark chocolate or mexican chocolate (as mentioned above) is a nice addition, just don't add too much. But it can add a depth of flavor and an unidentifiable component to the dish
Beer is good too
Always use fresh whole spices, toasted and ground (if you can)
Brown sugar to balance flavors
I like to use cubed up chuck flap meat or short ribs.
Make your own chili paste...I like to toast, seed and soak a variety of dried chili's. Ancho, guajilo, pasilla, New Mexico, etc. Its best to use a variety of chili profiles (some smoky, some sweet, some spicey, etc). I then take the soaking water and chilis and blend them to a puree to use as a flavor base.
I like bacon in mine.
Dark chocolate or mexican chocolate (as mentioned above) is a nice addition, just don't add too much. But it can add a depth of flavor and an unidentifiable component to the dish
Beer is good too
Always use fresh whole spices, toasted and ground (if you can)
Brown sugar to balance flavors
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anchovies and powdered dry shiitake mushrooms for the UMAMI
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If your contest is the International Chili Cook-Off in Terlingua TX you have already found out that beans are forbidden.
But, that's just Texas.
Competitive chili-chefs are hugely secretive, but I was amused to find, at Terlingua, a booklet for sale that purports to give the recipes of the last twenty or so winning entries. Didn't believe it for minute, but we bought one anyway. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/rolleyes.gif
Mike /img/vbsmilies/smilies/drinkbeer.gif
But, that's just Texas.
Competitive chili-chefs are hugely secretive, but I was amused to find, at Terlingua, a booklet for sale that purports to give the recipes of the last twenty or so winning entries. Didn't believe it for minute, but we bought one anyway. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/rolleyes.gif
Mike /img/vbsmilies/smilies/drinkbeer.gif
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Can't believe no one said to add reconstituted pureed ancho chili peppers.. that's my "secret" ingredient in my chili. Adds a ton of deep earthy smoky flavor and dark color.
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I said that like 3 replies upthread /img/vbsmilies/smilies/rolleyes.gif
I hope the OP posts results of the competition!
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Great! You're right you did say that. Let me refine my statement.. the only chili you need to do this with is ancho.. if you want heat then why not just add cayenne?
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Cayenne adds heat with no flavor. Other chili peppers add heat and flavor to your dish. My chili powder is a blench with ancho as the base(no difference rehydrating dried anchos or powdered!) then I add varying amounts of 9 other peppers for a very complex flavor profile. I use chipotle for some smokey background, habenero for heat and a fruity flavor, bird chili for more heat, etc etc. People buy my chili powder and I make it in 3 pound batches now!
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Chili Arco Iris (Rainbow Chili)
10 pound butt all cooked and smoked (weighed prior to smoking in the Weber Smokey Mountain Smoker)
All of the following veggies and peppers are coarsley chopped with seeds may/may not be removed.
12 Tomatillos washed and peeled
5 chili Poblanos
9 Jalapenos
7 Habanero or Cubanelle peppers
4 Red Bell Peppers (MANDATORY MANDATORY)
4 Yellow or Orange Bell Peppers
5 White Onions
Chicken Stock
5 TBSP cumin
Garlic (aka Russian Penicillin) to your heart's desire
S&P
Chinese Parsley aka Coriander leaf
Sweat the oinions over a low temperature but don't allow the liquid to evaporate. While they (and you) sweat with shear delight, cut up the rest of the peppers to your specifications - you may/may not retain all of the seeds! After the onion liquid reaches maximum volume add the pork meat along with the peppers, tomatillos and seasonings to the pot. Simmer ever so slowly (slow bubble) for around 6-10 hours - like a braise. Should the liquid reduce too much, add some chicken stock to taste. Sprinkle with some chinese parsley (aka leaf coriander). Serve over a bed of rice and on the side add two heated flour tortillas massaged with butter and lard.
10 pound butt all cooked and smoked (weighed prior to smoking in the Weber Smokey Mountain Smoker)
All of the following veggies and peppers are coarsley chopped with seeds may/may not be removed.
12 Tomatillos washed and peeled
5 chili Poblanos
9 Jalapenos
7 Habanero or Cubanelle peppers
4 Red Bell Peppers (MANDATORY MANDATORY)
4 Yellow or Orange Bell Peppers
5 White Onions
Chicken Stock
5 TBSP cumin
Garlic (aka Russian Penicillin) to your heart's desire
S&P
Chinese Parsley aka Coriander leaf
Sweat the oinions over a low temperature but don't allow the liquid to evaporate. While they (and you) sweat with shear delight, cut up the rest of the peppers to your specifications - you may/may not retain all of the seeds! After the onion liquid reaches maximum volume add the pork meat along with the peppers, tomatillos and seasonings to the pot. Simmer ever so slowly (slow bubble) for around 6-10 hours - like a braise. Should the liquid reduce too much, add some chicken stock to taste. Sprinkle with some chinese parsley (aka leaf coriander). Serve over a bed of rice and on the side add two heated flour tortillas massaged with butter and lard.
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8 Posts
I think it's so hard to characterize chile varieties. Heat you can definitely put on a scale. Body, taste, depth, how its flavor goes with other ingredients, so hard to characterize. That's why I love chiles and that's why I love the variety I can get here in Oregon.
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As my buddy Sergio would say, "The use of dried chillis is very elegant. All that is required is onion, salt and pepper, and meat (and/or beans)." Deseeded Ancho chillis is a very good based, you can also just include the seeds from the dried chillis for heat. Also any particular fresh chillis can be added for there heat.
Often times less is more. But for a competition I suppose the judges expect some overload.
Often times less is more. But for a competition I suppose the judges expect some overload.
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Yup, the huachinanga is a regional variant of jalapeno, distinguished by larger size and thicker, firmer flesh and tougher skin (amongst other characteristics), that make it a better candidate for smoking.
$9 Canadian for 1.41 ounces, not out of the question but might be better deals out there. Been looking for a cheap source of good Merkin oil, this would be it if shipping is not prohibitive:
http://www.origengourmet.cl/aceite-de-oliva-extravirgen-con-merken-mapuche-250-ml.html
$9 Canadian for 1.41 ounces, not out of the question but might be better deals out there. Been looking for a cheap source of good Merkin oil, this would be it if shipping is not prohibitive:
http://www.origengourmet.cl/aceite-de-oliva-extravirgen-con-merken-mapuche-250-ml.html
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