Chilli with/without beans

[Yorky]

I suspect when you say, "I couldn't taste it," that you mean it wasn't "hot" enough. When I serve chili to guests, I go a little on the mild side, and put a variety of hot sauces on the table. Not everyone is looking to have their faces blown off. I aim for good flavor, and let the pepper-heads add as much heat as they want.

Yes it was much milder than I expected but also there was virtually no taste of anything. However, it was 30 years ago and my memory is fading.

 

[caseydog]

Yes it was much milder than I expected but also there was virtually no taste of anything. However, it was 30 years ago and my memory is fading.

Sorry about the bad experience. I can understand the part about it not being as hot as you expected, but a good chili should have good flavor. People tend to think that Texan (and Mexican) food is supposed to be scorching hot, but that's not really true. Beef rules in Texas, and we like to taste our beef. But, no excuse for no flavor.

It is a balancing act -- heat is good, but we still want to know we are eating beef.

CD

 

[Yorky]

BTW, my previous comment about your chili was meant as a compliment.

I did think that.

Thank you.

 

[Yorky]

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[Mountain Cat]

Dad made some excellent chili back in the day. He made it either spicy or more moderate, depending on how much my mother wanted to eat of it.

It NEVER had beans in it. Never.

Now, I've made chili about three times, and all my chilies have been vegetarian / (vegan if you didn't top with the optional cheese or sour cream I'd have at the side), and so all of mine have had beans in them. I made them considering the guests I was hosting - a few vegetarians and one lactose intolerant omnivore on one of those occasions. (I also had a legume-intolerant guest, so there were self-serve tacos people could make anything of they wished...)

I can see a place for either style.

 

[Yorky]

I've used diced beef for the small quantity of chilli that I'm cooking today. About 400 gms of the pointy end of a New Zealand fillet. I can't remember ever cooking less than 1 kg (of meat) before so I'm experimenting with the spices. I ground sufficient spices (cayenne pepper, Kashmiri chilli powder, cumin seed, coriander seed, oregano and salt) for 3 kg of beef and then used 1/6th of it saving the rest in a sealed container in the fridge. It's been on the gas for almost 1 hour now but I've yet to taste it.

[Edit: I've now taken a taste and it's definitely hot enough. I used four large red cayenne chillis (because that's what I had) but only three red Thai chillis. The sting is lingering on my lips].