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zxcvbob zxcvbob is offline
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Default Chili question (Or maybe it should be chile question)

Rich wrote:
> "Blair P. Houghton" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>
> Rich wrote:
>> Once again, I'm trying to replicate the recipe that wowed the judges. If I
>> can figure out the ingredients in Gebhardt® chili powder, I can decide
>> whether I really need to use the product, (I'm not trying to impress
>> ConAgra) or if the other ingredients can be adjusted to cover the
>> Gebhardt®
>> flavors. If it's just anchos, cumin, oregano, and garlic powder, those
>> ingredients are already in the recipe independently, so why bother?

>
> Probably a lost cause. Gebhardt's is an old, famous, and very
> successful brand. Their exact blend is likely to be an
> I-could-tell-you-but-then-I'd-have-to-kill-you grade of industrial
> secret. And in things like chili powders, the differences in
> stoichiometry can be small yet crucial.
>
> Is the problem that you can't get Gebhardt's? It's available in a lot
> of grocery stores, and I have no doubt if you go to froogle.com you can
> find a reasonable online supplier.
>
> I generally adulterate it with extra cumin, garlic, oregano, and hot
> paprika, but even with none of those it makes classic chili.
>
> Starting from scratch, you'll want a mix of earthy, bright, and hot
> chile varieties. Guajillo, ancho, and pequin, for example. With
> several thousand varieties to choose from, the combinatorics are
> astronomical.
>
> Then add some cumin, garlic, and oregano (Mexican oregano if you can
> get it, but only for authenticity; the regular kind is fine), and maybe
> onion.
>
> The peppers and herbs should all be a dry type, if your goal is a
> powdered mix. Doing it all from fresh creates a very different, but
> very interesting flavor.
>
>
> I make a damn good chili already, using powdered chiles, dried chile pods,
> fresh garlic, onions, etc. I'm just trying to make some of that "World
> Champion Chili" to see what the fuss is all about. I don't want to mess with
> the recipe, I just want to replicate it as closely as possible. The reason I
> was asking about the ingredients in Gebhardt's is just wondering if it
> really is necessary to the recipe or is there because Mr. Wilkey knew that
> cookoff sponsor ConAgra was adding $5000 to the prize if the winning recipe
> included Wesson® Oil, Gebhardt® chile powder, Hunt's® Tomato Sauce, Ro*Tel®
> Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies, and Tabasco® Pepper Sauce.
>
> Here's the recipe: http://www.chilicookoff.com/Winner/WC_2005.asp
>
> It's all pretty straightforward except for those "mild," "hot," and "red"
> chili [sic] powders. I plan to use Chamayo Hot New Mexico and the Chamayo
> Mild New Mexico, and go with anchos powder for the "red" in my initial test
> batch (as suggested by zxcvbob). Oh, and I will use all the ConAgra products
> initially, too, at first, including the Gebhardt's. Later, if I like the
> result, I'll experiment with replacing the commercial products with
> homemade. The canned tomato products and the canned broths are loaded with
> salt, for example, and I prefer to control the seasonings independently. My
> own broths will certainly be an improvement, especially the beef broth. The
> commercial shit is mostly salt and caramel coloring.



Actually, I would use more Chamayo and less Ancho than that. Maybe
equal parts of Chamayo Hot, Chamayo Mild, and Ancho. Then adjust the
heat later with cayenne.

I've made pretty good chili, if I may say so myself, (and I may) using
just medium-hot Chamayo, or just guajillo, or just cascabel chiles. But
usually I put in at least a couple of Ancho pods. I don't recall ever
making chili with just Ancho peppers. I might have to try that...

I just looked at the winning recipe. It says:
2 tablespoons Gebhardt® chile powder
1 tablespoon hot chile powder
1 tablespoon mild chile power
5 tablespoons red chile powder

Notice the spelling of the Gebhardt chile powder -- with an 'e'. That
makes the other three suspect. Is it really ground chiles or is it
commercial chili powder of unspecified brand? I suspect the latter,
because otherwise there's not enough oregano in the recipe. OTOH,
there's already too much cumin... It's very difficult to interpret.
That's probably intentional.

Bob