While I've got some time at home without my lovely family I'm going to make me a slooow cooked chilli, but I wondered if anyone has any tips or ingredients that would make it even better?
Dark chocolate, roasted coriander and cumin seeds, cinammon, chilli powder and flakes, tomatoes, are the usual stuff I'd chuck in.
I'd normally use minced beef but I'd like to try steak (what would I look for in the supermarket?) and maybe smoked chillies.
Quality isn't too important but I wouldn't know how to ask here in switzerland. My preference would be for cubed rump steak but there is a lower grade of beef in the uk i think they call it chuck. It is usually a little more earthy in flavour but with the slow cooking and red wine plus the strong chilli flavours it tenderises okay and tastes much the same as the more expensive cuts.
I suggest using pork or a mix of pork and beef. I use pork fillet, roughly chopped by hand with toulouse sausages, skinned and chopped. The fat content improves texture and the semi cured sausage meat gives extra flavour. I agree on dark choc and also use a bit of dried porcini to increase the savoury taste. My big cheat was to use kidney beans with chilli sauce in a can but I haven't found those here. If anyone knows if and where, please let me know
We eat that all the time in Michigan. They sell these frozen turkey rolls that are high/perfectly balanced in fat. Very tasty, and some how it works out to be better for you .
If you need a couple of dried chilis I have Pasilla, Ancho, and Chipotle stocked to the ceiling I can afford to drop a couple in the mail if you like. Chili eh? I have a week coming up just like yours, maybe I'll make stuff some of my own sausages and make some white bean chili, sit on the terrace with a few liters/gallons of MullerBrau and watch the cows...
And bones: All slow cooked stuff benefits from bones. The btchers here often have veal shin with marrow. Will improve texture and flavour. As for turkey, well it really is the work of Satan. I eat everything: offal, calves cheeks, ox tail, seaweed, verfy smelly cheese and can't abide turkey. Its supposed to be tasteless but I cant see that myself.
I wouldn't go for a steak. The tougher meats have more flavour and if you're cooking slowly then there's no issue. Personally I prefer chuck (from the shoulder) or shin.
Yeah I slow cook my chili for a couple hours(ATLEAST), the cheaper meats, braising meats, favor the slow cooking process and often are far more tender then even fillet cuts.
Just a note...german cooks have no idea how to cook chili. Every time I have worked with them here in Switzerland they make the whole thing, start to finish in 15 to 25 minutes. When I slow cook, take off water/fat, etc they scratch their heads and tell me I have no idea how to cook. Pfff. They also will use a sauce bolognaise or teryaki if 15 minutes seems too long.
Yes to red wine, brown sugar, and dried porcini! I sometimes put in a bit of sun dried tomato paste or a dash of soy sauce. If it's for someone who can't handle chilli heat, I use a Nigella tip, and put in some ground cloves - then you get a great non-chilli heat in your finished dish.
Where is that shop located? Tram lines? Would you happen to know if they have Masa Harina there? I also have some corn husks...maybe just tamales and a lil velveeta action.
Make it with beer (and drink one while you are at it), chicken ('cause beef is iffy) and 3 days of cooking minimum; cook low, cool, reheat, forget it for a day (oops) and then ccr again and again.
Use a heavy caster iron cooking pot if you have one.
I'll get in trouble for taking this thread off topic.. but there is a relation...
corn meal.... ( can't have chili without cornbread ) .. has anyone seen proper corn meal, not corn flour which is ground beyond recognition but corn meal in this country?