Chilli - make it better?

[Wryel]

I've started making my own chilli as its essentially the same as using the packet mix apart from preparing the chillis, garlic and having the correct spices. This is the recipe I've used (pretty much) but its not great. The main thing is the mince never seems that great. I'm tempted to buy some more expensive stuff but I'm wondering if there is a 'proper' way to cook it.

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
500g lean minced beef
250ml/9fl oz red wine
400g can chopped tomatoes
3 tbsp tomato purée
2 red chillies, thinly sliced, or 3-4 tsp dried chilli flakes
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
good shake of Worcestershire sauce
1 beef stock cube
salt and freshly ground black pepper
400g can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

I basically cook the onions and garlic until the onions start to get soft, chuck the mince in until browned, then chuck the rest in and simmer for 45 minutes or so. I skipped the wine and stock cube last night as our cupboards are bare at the minute but I doubt that would have an effect on the mince. I thought if I simmered it for ages the mince would be really nice but I think it could be better. Any tips?

[Will]

You need cocoa powder! And I'm not kidding either!

[Desmo]

Yep, we always stick choc powder in ours as it adds a bit of extra richness.

Also get hold of a slow cooker. They're not that expensive and you can let the whole thing simmer for hours. Ours usually sit there for around 3-4 hours.

[Lomster]

how much cocoa? never heard that before.

[Glaucus]

swap the red kidney beans, to red kidney beans in chilli sauce. It adds flavour and depth due to the sugars, vinegars and stuff in it.
Slow cook it for several hours if you can.
about 2 squares of 70% chocolate.
and biggest point you don't seem to have any chilli powder in it, about 1 tablespoon. This is needed, you can then add flakes or sliced chillies on top.

[Will]

how much cocoa? never heard that before.

You always need cocoa powder in beef chilli!!! :cool::evil:

[Wryel]

swap the red kidney beans, to red kidney beans in chilli sauce. It adds flavour and depth due to the sugars, vinegars and stuff in it.
Slow cook it for several hours if you can.
about 2 squares of 70% chocolate.
and biggest point you don't seem to have any chilli powder in it, about 1 tablespoon. This is needed, you can then add flakes or sliced chillies on top.

Sorry, the recipe didn't call for it but when I tasted it I put a fair bit in. So cocoa powder/chocolate and slow cook it. Right you are.

I used one of those heavy iron pots to cook it in. You know the orange ones? I forget who makes them but apparently this is a slightly cheaper copy. (Not that it was cheap though according to my mate). Anyway, could I slow cook it in that? Just put in the oven on a really low heat?

[Glaucus]

as long as it hasn't got any plastic and has a lid. You can cook it in the oven. 150ish and just check every 30mins or so to make sure it's not drying out/sticking.

[Jonny69]

Minus the wine, coriander and worcester sauce and it's the same as my chilli recipe. Keep it simple.

Don't add chocolate. It's a fad and that's it. I've tried the adding chocolate trick to a lot of food and all it does is make it taste of chocolate.

[Will]

I don't find it does at all. Pure cacao powder gives it a fantastic rich taste and amplifies the chilli flavours IMO.

[loki]

I don't find it does at all. Pure cacao powder gives it a fantastic rich taste and amplifies the chilli flavours IMO.

Agree with you there Will. I made a Chilli from scratch last week and the addition of a few blocks of good chocolate (Min 70% Cocoa) and corriander certainly made a big difference to a slightly hotter Chilli

[Wryel]

Minus the wine, coriander and worcester sauce and it's the same as my chilli recipe. Keep it simple.

Don't add chocolate. It's a fad and that's it. I've tried the adding chocolate trick to a lot of food and all it does is make it taste of chocolate.

I'll experiment. The main thing was the beef to honest, I wanted it nice and tender instead of 'bitty', but it sounds like that is down to cooking for a long time.

[divine]

Beef benefits from long cooking in most forms bar the obvious like steak IMO

[Streeteh]

I've found the best tip i can give is, as others have rightly said, to cook it as slowly as possible and then reduce before serving. To achieve this i purchased a cooking pot with a lid, i mix all of the ingredients on a medium heat hob and preheat the oven to approx 150C (my oven is rubbish though so it's probably more like 125C). Once its ready i stick the lid on an chuck it in the oven for a few hours, once it's been cooking for a while i take off the lid and stick the rice on the hob so the sauce will reduce while the rice cooks. After the rice is done you'll tend to find the sauce has reduced to a nice thick and gloopy texture which obviously enhances the flavor.

I slow cook everything i can in my oven, curries, bologneses', pies and caseroles all benefit from it.