"Jebediah Kornworthy" > wrote in message
news
> Hello all,
>
> I am new to this newsgroup. I used to watch this group and
> occasionally post here about 5 years ago. I am hoping to get a couple
> responses on what "secret ingredients" you use in your chili. I will post
> another question soon on what secret "spice" ingredients you use. Today,
> I am just looking at the weird things you like to add to your chili like
> beer or peanut butter.
>
> I have looked at many sites, blogs and other groups including
> yahoo groups at the different secret ingredients or unusual ingredients
> used in chili making. They don't have to be a secret, just unusual and
> something that works well. Maybe something that you have been
> complemented on before when you made your chili? Here is a list that I
> came up with in my travels.

<snip>

I think the most interesting ingredient(s) has not been mentioned.

1. The Proper browning of the protein(s) (Maillard effect)
2. A small amount of soy sauce will perk up the perception of a beefy
flavor.

Dimitri

Jebediah Kornworthy > wrote:

>Now that is what I was hoping for. A good idea. I like soy sauce
>but I haven't thought of adding it to chili. I will tell you one thing,
>I'll
>be adding it to my next batch.

A subtle amount of chocolate can do it to a chili.

Steve

On Feb 2, 2:32*pm, (Steve Pope) wrote:

> A subtle amount of chocolate can do it to a chili.
>
> Steve


I like to add a 1-ounce square of unsweetened baking chocolate to my
chili.

On Feb 2, 9:24*pm, "Jebediah Kornworthy" >
wrote:
> "missussex" > wrote in message
>
> ...
> On Feb 2, 2:32 pm, (Steve Pope) wrote:
>
> > A subtle amount of chocolate can do it to a chili.
>
> > Steve
>
> Thanks for the input. *I do use coco powder.
>

Tried cocoa for the first time this weekend and it did a nice job of
enriching in the flavor. It had a good backend or bottom but was a bit
thin up front, adding the cocoa did a nice trick. Gonna try the peanut
butter and citrus next time.

My personal "secrets" for good chile con carne (with beans)

Browning rubbed/spiced beef cubes, embeds flavors in the meat that
comes out into the stew.
Chiles! This weekend used 2 Pablano, 2 Anaheim and 4 Jalapeno,
skinned.
Good chile powder, used Penzeys "Hot Chile Powder" mix. Makes a huge
difference.

And now add cocoa powder. Thanks all.

On Mon, 2 Feb 2009 22:32:51 +0000 (UTC), Steve Pope wrote:

> Jebediah Kornworthy > wrote:
>
>>Now that is what I was hoping for. A good idea. I like soy sauce
>>but I haven't thought of adding it to chili. I will tell you one thing,
>>I'll
>>be adding it to my next batch.
>
> A subtle amount of chocolate can do it to a chili.
>
> Steve

i will sometimes use a little chili paste or sriracha (a.k.a. 'rooster
sauce').

your pal,
blake

"Steve Pope" > wrote in message
...
> Jebediah Kornworthy > wrote:
>
>>Now that is what I was hoping for. A good idea. I like soy sauce
>>but I haven't thought of adding it to chili. I will tell you one thing,
>>I'll
>>be adding it to my next batch.
>
> A subtle amount of chocolate can do it to a chili.
>
> Steve

Good stuff.

Also great for home made or even canned red enchilada sauce.

:-)

Dimitri

On Feb 3, 12:36*pm, "Jebediah Kornworthy" >
wrote:
> "Duwop" > wrote in message

> ___________________________________________
>
> It's always good to experiment. I make mine different every time.


<BG> Like we have a choice? If you're like most of us, your recipe for
this is in your head by now. And by nature chile's kind of a grab bag,
at least in our kitchen.

> Chipotle peppers from Penzey's as well. *I am nuts over this
> Chipotle pepper. It adds such a richness and silky smooth
> flavor that can't be matched.

Thanks, been buying the bulk stuff from the Mexican market, imagine
Penzey's is better. Have to try that next time.

> Browning rubbed/spiced beef cubes, embeds flavors in the meat that
> comes out into the stew.
> ____________________________________________
> Duwop, I'm going to try your beef cube idea next.

Think you'll like it. "whatever's cheap (and not too fatty)" is the
cut I highly reccomend.
This was one of the things we did that made a big improvement to our
chile.

> Chiles! This weekend used 2 Pablano, 2 Anaheim and 4 Jalapeno,
> skinned.
>
> I buy someone's chili mix and then I tweak it. *I really like
> your choice of chili's though. Do you grow your own peppers
> or do you buy them at the store/special market?


Bought, have a poor yard for a garden, too many tall trees and too
much shade, 4 redwood trees being the biggest of em.

Was talking food with a co-worker of mine and I mentioned how I could
put on a pork butt on the BBQ next time for her. Well I guess she
really wants some BBQ pork cuz she came in with about 5 lbs of
assorted peppers from her sister's produce market. Well, what could I
do? I had to make chile.

This week she brought in 3 lbs of Habs. Three! Don't know what the
heck to do with so many habs.

Thanks for starting the good convo,

Dale

In article >,
blake murphy > wrote:

> On Mon, 2 Feb 2009 22:32:51 +0000 (UTC), Steve Pope wrote:
>
> > Jebediah Kornworthy > wrote:
> >
> >>Now that is what I was hoping for. A good idea. I like soy sauce
> >>but I haven't thought of adding it to chili. I will tell you one thing,
> >>I'll
> >>be adding it to my next batch.
> >
> > A subtle amount of chocolate can do it to a chili.
> >
> > Steve
>
> i will sometimes use a little chili paste or sriracha (a.k.a. 'rooster
> sauce').
>
> your pal,
> blake

I'll second the cocoa suggestion for chili. :-) Also just a PINCH of
cinnamon. Too much will ruin it. It really takes just a smidge per pot.

I also like to add cinnamon to tomato sauces sometimes.
--
Peace! Om

"If the enemy is in range, so are you."
-Infantry Journal

Omelet wrote on Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:18:02 -0600:

>> On Mon, 2 Feb 2009 22:32:51 +0000 (UTC), Steve Pope wrote:
>>
> >> Jebediah Kornworthy > wrote:
> >>
> >>> Now that is what I was hoping for. A good idea. I like
> >>> soy sauce but I haven't thought of adding it to chili. I
> >>> will tell you one thing, I'll be adding it to my next
> >>> batch.
> >>
> >> A subtle amount of chocolate can do it to a chili.
> >>
> >> Steve
>>
>> i will sometimes use a little chili paste or sriracha (a.k.a.
>> 'rooster sauce').
>>
>> your pal,
>> blake

> I'll second the cocoa suggestion for chili. :-) Also just a
> PINCH of cinnamon. Too much will ruin it. It really takes
> just a smidge per pot.

> I also like to add cinnamon to tomato sauces sometimes.

I had not seen the recommendation for siracha before but some varieties
include fish sauce. It might work or it might ruin the chilli.
--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

On Tue, 03 Feb 2009 20:23:21 GMT, blake murphy
> wrote:

>i will sometimes use a little chili paste or sriracha (a.k.a. 'rooster
>sauce').

The last time I looked sriracha was pourable, not a paste.


--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that
interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

On Feb 4, 2:09*am, sf > wrote:
> On Tue, 03 Feb 2009 20:23:21 GMT, blake murphy
>
> > wrote:
> >i will sometimes use a little chili paste or sriracha (a.k.a. 'rooster
> >sauce').
>
> The last time I looked sriracha was pourable, not a paste.

Possibly the semantics there we

"I will sometimes use a little chili paste or a little sriracha..."
implying two different chile preparations.

Cindy Hamilton

On Tue, 03 Feb 2009 22:29:57 GMT, James Silverton wrote:

> Omelet wrote on Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:18:02 -0600:
>
>>> On Mon, 2 Feb 2009 22:32:51 +0000 (UTC), Steve Pope wrote:
>>>
>>>> Jebediah Kornworthy > wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Now that is what I was hoping for. A good idea. I like
>>>>> soy sauce but I haven't thought of adding it to chili. I
>>>>> will tell you one thing, I'll be adding it to my next
>>>>> batch.
>>>>
>>>> A subtle amount of chocolate can do it to a chili.
>>>>
>>>> Steve
>>>
>>> i will sometimes use a little chili paste or sriracha (a.k.a.
>>> 'rooster sauce').
>>>
>>> your pal,
>>> blake
>
>> I'll second the cocoa suggestion for chili. :-) Also just a
>> PINCH of cinnamon. Too much will ruin it. It really takes
>> just a smidge per pot.
>
>> I also like to add cinnamon to tomato sauces sometimes.
>
> I had not seen the recommendation for siracha before but some varieties
> include fish sauce. It might work or it might ruin the chilli.

the kind i'm speaking of is just chiles, sugar, salt, garlic and vinegar.
i haven't been using it much since i started using rehydrated dried chiles
to provide pep.

your pal,
blake

On Wed, 4 Feb 2009 06:04:07 -0800 (PST), Cindy Hamilton wrote:

> On Feb 4, 2:09*am, sf > wrote:
>> On Tue, 03 Feb 2009 20:23:21 GMT, blake murphy
>>
>> > wrote:
>>>i will sometimes use a little chili paste or sriracha (a.k.a. 'rooster
>>>sauce').
>>
>> The last time I looked sriracha was pourable, not a paste.
>
> Possibly the semantics there we
>
> "I will sometimes use a little chili paste or a little sriracha..."
> implying two different chile preparations.
>
> Cindy Hamilton

you got it in one.

your pal,
blake

On Tue, 3 Feb 2009 12:36:01 -0800, Jebediah Kornworthy wrote:

> "Duwop" > wrote in message
> ...
>
> My personal "secrets" for good chile con carne (with beans)
>
> Browning rubbed/spiced beef cubes, embeds flavors in the meat that
> comes out into the stew.
> ____________________________________________
> Duwop, I'm going to try your beef cube idea next.
> ____________________________________________

if you've only made it with ground meat, you definitely should try beef
cubes at least once. some people like a combination of the two.

your pal,
blake