Help with a chili recipe?

Question

I recently attempted a chili recipe from the Food Network.

3 pounds stew meat
2 teaspoons peanut oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 (12-ounce) bottle of beer, preferably a medium ale
1 (16-ounce) container salsa
30 tortilla chips, crushed
2 chipotle peppers canned in adobo sauce, chopped
1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from the chipotle peppers in adobo)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin

Toss meat in salt and oil, then brown briefly in an open pressure cooker; add beer to deglaze, add remaining ingredients, and cook on low pressure for 25 minutes.

I followed the recipe for the most part, but for the beer I used Shiner Bock (which I suppose is a dark lager rather than a medium ale), I used blue corn chips because they're supposedly less "corny" tasting, and I omitted the extra cumin in the recipe because I'm not a huge fan of cumin.

The results were adequate, except:

1) When I removed the lid, the chili had a very souplike consistency. To thicken it, I added more corn chips and stirred them in. They
dissolved, and reached what I thought was a good consistency. But the next day, the leftovers were totally solid, slightly "corny" tasting, and didn't come back to a nice consistency even when microwaved.
Should you aim for a more soupy consistency in the pot and expect it to thicken later? Or were my results pretty much what I should expect?

2) I could definitely tell that there was beer in the recipe afterwards. There was just a ... slight "beery" taste. Would a medium ale (what beer would fit this role, anyway) leave less of a beer like taste while still contributing to the overall flavor?

3) I don't think I liked the chipotles in adobo. They add a smoky flavor to the chili that I don't
care for. However, I want to retain the heat that they add. Would adding more of the chili powder be the best substitution, or should I
try to add another type of chopped chile? I have dried Pasilla and New Mexico chiles around the house... would those work, and could I add them 1:1 for the chipotles? Or would you suggest some chopped fresh chiles, or some other variety of dried?

4) Will throwing the additional teaspoon of cumin into the chili really give it a cumin flavor? If so, is there something else that I could substitute, such as another teaspoon of the chili powder or some other spice altogether?

Answer 1

*The after day consistency sounds ok to me at least when I make my chili is like that the next day. I just add some water when I reheat it and it's fine, also 1 or 2 or 3 day old chili is the best.

*About the cumin, I do like the flavor. I would sub it for some sweet smoked paprika

*Adobo chiplote peppers I don't like them in the adobo sauce either, I usually buy them (for anything) dry and olive oil and some hot chicken stock and soak them then dump them in my food processor and make a paste.

*Also you can buy the chiplote powder or just use some chopped jalapeno or roasted jalapenos if you care for some smoky flavor.

*Beer I have never used to make chili, I've seen some recipes that call for it, but really never cared enough to try it.

Answer 2

Cook the chili with the lid off to reduce the sauce and thicken it. I personally would serve the chips on the side or something else if you don't like a "corny" flavor. The flavor the beer is supposed to add is a "beer" flavor, so if you don't like that, don't add it. That would also result in a thicker sauce. Chipotles are smoked jalapenos, so you could use just plain jalapenos to lose the smoky flavor-skip the adobo or find some without jalapenos. You could try oregano instead of cumin-yes, there is Mexican oregano. Good luck.

Answer 3

Pick a nice piece of chuck and have it ground. Chop finely onions and green bell peppers (must be fresh and smell good and strong). Fry up the meant, drain the grease, add water and boil for a while so the fat rises and you scoop it off. Add the onions and let them cook until almost tender. You will often need to replenish the water. Add the peppers. Cook until almost tender and add some McCormick chili powder - not too much, especially since more will be added near the end. Add in a small can of Hunt's tomato sauce. Keep stirring and let things blend, maybe 20-30 minutes. The juice will be thick, although you still must add water occasionally. Then add some more powder. For 2 lb., don't put more than a total of 2 teaspoons. Mix in about half teaspoon of fresh McCormick black pepper (hey, it's the quality spice brand). Stir about 2 minutes and turn off the gas. Once you put in the last shot of spice, you want it to dissolve and mix good, but not have time to cook away. Good meat is the key, and the secret is not to over-spice. The veggies, of course, should be flavorful - having just a few ingredients balances the tastes without losing them among too many things. Enjoy.

Answer 4

A pale ale would be a good medium ale to put in it. IF you want heat but no smoke, go for fresh serranos. Ive never used a pressure cooker for chili or anything else, but usually I cook chili in a regular pot for 3 hours or until the meat is fork tender, this allows for the chili to thicken through reduction rather than a starch thickener. As far as cumin and all the spices for that matter, let your tastebuds be your guide. You know what you like and dont like. Paprika could be a substitute for cumin, if you dont like cumin. They dont taste alike, but it can be done.

Answer 5

i do hope that this helps

In 4-Quart pot brown 2 lbs course ground beef (chili grind) in skillet. After browning, drain meat. Add:
1 can (14-1/2 oz) Swanson beef broth
1 can (8 oz) Hunt’s no-salt tomato sauce

Float 1 jalapeno pepper and 1 serrano pepper. Bring to boil then add Packet #1

Packet #1:
1 Tbsp onion powder (rounded)
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp Mexene Chili Powder

Cover and simmer at medium boil for 1 hour. Remove peppers, squeeze juice and set aside. Replace lid and continue medium boil for additional 15 minutes and then add Packet #2.

Packet #2:
2-1/2 Tbsp light chili powder
2-1/2 Tbsp dark chili powder
2 tsp cumin
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp white pepper
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
½ cube Knorr’s beef bullion
½ cube Knorr’s chicken bullion
¼ tsp brown sugar
1 pk Sazon Goya

Continue boiling with lid on for 30 minutes. Then, add juice from peppers and Packet #3.

Packet #3:
2 tsp Mexene Chili Powder
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp salt

Leave covered and simmer for additional 15 minutes and serve.

Answer 6

It sounds like you didn't let it cook long enough, or you were using the wrong method. I let my chili cook for 3 to 4 hours on low, stirring occasionally. As for the beer taste, same reason it needs to cook longer.

Answer 7

chilli because of its meaty and soupy textures... is a toughy.
chilli is always more soupy in the pot then 2 minutes after you serve it in the bowl.
if you waited 2 mins after you serve it and its still not the right consistency, then add crackers or chips. and when you re-heat it, dont use the microwave, use the pot to warm it again, much better, fresh made taste.

Answer 8

i always do my chili in my crockpot and sure it gets a little soupy looking but it always thickens up after. maybe next time before you mess with a recipe try making it the way it is supposed to be made and afterwards then experiment making your own from scratch.

Answer 9

The starch in the chips is what did you in. They sucked up the moisture and released their starch leaving you with the glob factor. Next time leave the chips for right before serving and eating.

Answer 10

what the heck are you doing. that don't look like no chili recipe to me. it looks like a bunch of chili thrown together. pick one and add ingredients to it. not 10 chilis. you got red. you got green. you got salsas. you got lots of chili recipies. you want a chili stew? try green chili. Simple..
meat about 1 lb. or a handful.
green chili roasted, peeled and chopped. about 2 cups.
potatoes, boiled.but firm about 2 medium. cubed
onion. 1/2 cubed
garlic. 1 tooth or sprinkle 1tsp. minced (dried) or lell if fresh minced. or garlic powder. (a must)
salt sprinkle to taste
1 tbs. flour
water

use deep frying pan. brown meat with oil. add onions when meat is almost done. 2 minutes. add flour and mix then add potatoes and chili. add water. enough to cover. mix constantly and if too thick add more water till stew like. add garlic and salt. all done. now if you want beans or vegies in it that is up to you. this can be eaten alone if you can handle the green chili. you can put it in your beans. you can put it over your eggs. on your everything.