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Chili is a family staple in many homes and it wouldn’t be wrong to say that everyone has their own recipe.
However, people who always DIY their chili recipe end up feeling like, “My chili is missing something!” If your chili isn’t tasting how it should, we are sharing some tips here to help you improve the taste.
My Chili Is Missing Something
Before we move on to the tips, we do want to make sure we’re all on the same page about what chili is. We are talking about that spicy weekend meal that’s made with beans, canned tomatoes, and ground beef.
So, if you are making a chili-like this and are having issues with the flavor, check out the following tips!
- Bacon
If you want to add a meaty, smoky, salty flavor to your chili, you can just add some bacon (three or four strips cut into small cubes will be more than fine). This is because bacon doesn’t only add meat but it adds flavor through bacon fat and curing ingredients as well.
For this purpose, you need to cook the bacon pieces in a hot frying pan until they are crispy. Once they have been fried to golden perfection, put them on the paper towel and pour all the fat into a container.
Then, you can use this bacon fat to cook your other chili ingredients like ground beef and onion. Once the ingredients are cooked, crumble the bacon on the top and stir them into the pot. Cook for a further 10 minutes to infuse the flavor.
- Separate Cooking
In the majority of cases, people cook onions and beef together to save time but it steams the ingredients rather than browning them. As a result, the flavor will be lost.
So, if you want to enjoy a real umami flavor, make sure that you cook the onions and beef separately (it will take a few extra minutes but it will be worth your time). To begin with, you should brown the beef in bacon fat and then use the same oil or fat to cook onions.
When the onions are golden brown, add the browned beef to the pan as well as the tomatoes.
- Garlic Matters
We all use garlic powder because of the ease it brings but it doesn’t settle well with chili. That being said, if your recipe calls for garlic, make sure to add two to three garlic cloves (you can chop them or add them whole).
Add the garlic to the onions once they are browned and stir-fry for a minute or two. It will add a rich flavor to your chili.
- Give Heat
Chili is incomplete without chili powder but it doesn’t have to be the only spicy ingredient. So, if your recipe demands two teaspoons of chili powder, add one and add other spicy ingredients. For instance, you can add jalapenos to add fresh and bright spiciness to chili.
In addition, you can add chipotles to add a smoky character. Some people also use the dried chili paste mixed with pasilla and ancho chilies. Also, make sure that the paste doesn’t have any seeds and stems, and make the puree. This puree will add a unique yet spicy touch to your chili.
If you want spice without heat, try adding a teaspoon of dried cumin or coriander, or both.
Sure, you will add canned tomatoes to the chili but adding a few spoons of tomato paste will add a concentrated and intense flavor. Also, when you add the tomato, make sure to cook everything long and slowly until the aroma starts building up.
You may need to add a spoon or two of sugar if your tomatoes are sour.
- The Secret Ingredient
There is nothing better than dark chocolate or cinnamon to enhance a meaty flavor, especially in chili. If you want to add cinnamon, use half to one teaspoon of powder or one stick. For chocolate, use a few squares from a slab.
Add these secret ingredients while adding tomatoes and the flavor will slowly melt in the chili.
- Deglazing
When you make chili, after frying the meat and onions, the pan may have a sticky, dark layer on the bottom. Remember to deglaze the pan with red wine, hard cider, or beer (use any one of these options) so that none of this flavor is wasted.
When the alcohol starts bubbling up, scrape off the sticking layer and let everything mix up in the liquid. Adding alcohol will improve the flavor, so simmer the pan and watch the flavor go from zero to a hundred. Add this delectable liquid to the chili pot.
- Acidic Ingredients
If you are making your regular chili but it tastes too bland, you may need to add an acidic ingredient. For instance, you can add a spoon or two of lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, wine, or red wine vinegar to spruce up the flavors.
We hope these flavor tips improve your chili. Remember that long, slow cooking with the lid off will reduce the liquid and concentrate the flavors. Also, sometimes a little salt is all that’s needed to bring out the taste. Let us know how it goes!
