How do you make your Mexican chilli?

FrenchTart said:
I can see your point and some Anglicised food I do enjoy (for example, quite a few of the BIR curries) but I think a lot of the hate for mince-based chili comes from a combination of factors.

First off, it's a dish that is cooked at home (badly) a lot by amateur cooks that assume shoving mince and chilli powder in a pan makes chili. On top of that, getting good quality mince is also something that is not that simple to do. Yes, you could go to the butcher and ask for some decent chuck mince mixed in with a bit of rib or brisket or something but that's often too much effort for your average home cook. Then you've got the problem with mince of cooking it correctly. It's actually harder to get mince right than it is to get a few pieces of shin or whatever correct. For the latter you just "cook it for a few hours until it is tender or falls apart, if you like it that way".

I agree with you that it's possible to use mince to make a good chili (probably :p I haven't done so myself) but I also think that one of the most simple improvements you can make to a classic anglo-chili is to swap out the mince for a tough cut of beef and cook it for longer.

The chili powder suggestion is a reasonable one though I personally have preferred results when I keep my chillies whole and only prepare them just before I'm about to use them. They seem to retain a lot more flavour that way.
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I think you're dead on with what your saying, I guess we all grew up eating a bunch of dishes based on awful grey mince that ended up being boiled rather than fried, but it's a shame that so many people seem to give up on it.

Personally, while I enjoy chunk meat based chili, I feel like it's a fundamentally different dish. It scratches my itch for a stew rather than a chili if you get me? I enjoy a chunk chili in a bowl with some corn bread, but I love a mince chili with some rice or nachos, or on a burger or a hot dog.

Obviously with the chunk meat you get the tender pieces of meat and unctuous sauce, but with mince you get ridiculous amounts of surface area which, if properly browned, can pretty much blow your head off with maillardy goodness.

PS: Nice to meet a fellow manc with some interesting views on cooking.
 
Jolteh said:
I think you're dead on with what your saying, I guess we all grew up eating a bunch of dishes based on awful grey mince that ended up being boiled rather than fried, but it's a shame that so many people seem to give up on it.

Personally, while I enjoy chunk meat based chili, I feel like it's a fundamentally different dish. It scratches my itch for a stew rather than a chili if you get me? I enjoy a chunk chili in a bowl with some corn bread, but I love a mince chili with some rice or nachos, or on a burger or a hot dog.

Obviously with the chunk meat you get the tender pieces of meat and unctuous sauce, but with mince you get ridiculous amounts of surface area which, if properly browned, can pretty much blow your head off with maillardy goodness.

PS: Nice to meet a fellow manc with some interesting views on cooking.
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I have to admit that I've kind of given up on using mince in anything but burgers or things like koftas. You've made me want to go back and try again with it though. I might try at the very least supplementing my regular chili with super-browned mince to start with. I'm not sure I'm ready to try a wholly mince-based dish just yet :p

As you say, eating not so great food when you were growing up can have a lasting effect on your attitudes towards dishes later on in life. Aside from making curries, my father wasn't the most adventurous of cooks and (possible in part due to this) I was a massively faddy eater until I'd lived away from home for at least a couple of years. There are still lots of things that I need to go back to and correct the terrible childhood memories of.

I can definitely see your point about whole-meat chili scratching the stew itch rather than a chili itch. I guess as someone that has only had really badly made mince chili I don't get the itch for that but that could well change if I manage to make or try a version that is good.

I didn't realise you're in Manchester. I'm in beautiful Burnage, one of the seven wonders of the world - so say all the scals on mopeds that right up and down my street anyhow.
 
I spent ages perfecting a recipe of my own (I think a lot of people have delusions of grandeur when it comes to their own chilli recipes :p), but then tried Thomasina Miers's 'quick' chilli con carne recipe. It's absolutely brilliant, and can be found online.

I make it with about three quarters beef shin, and a quarter pork shoulder. I also add a ton more beans in to bulk it out. It's still crazily-meaty.

No need for chocolate or coffee etc as you use proper Ancho chillis for the base notes. Chil de arbol's for the heat, plus all the spices. I'll admit I was unsure about putting chorizo in but it really does work. I trust the 'authenticity' of her recipes being a regular visitor to her restaurants.

Leave the meat in steaks/large hunks (as big as possible), cook for as long as you can and then take the meat out before serving. Then shred it all with forks, chuck it back in and serve. You won't go back to mince unless you're desperate!

EDIT: Here's the recipe: http://www.shortlist.com/instant-improver/how-to-make-the-perfect-chilli

Goes amazing with her habanero/carrot salsa.
 
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Mine is a lazy recipe, but is still delicious, enjoy!

In order of adding to the pan:

1 Large onion
2 tea spoons "very lazy chopped garlic" - the white wine vinegar in it works well
2-3 red chillies
500g high quality mince
1 tin of kidney beans
1 Orange bell pepper
1 tin Chopped tomato
1 Beef stock cube
A little salt
Pepper
Heap on Chilli powder, (unsmoked) Paprika and Cumin
1 Table spoon cocoa
A bit of fruity red wine

Stir and simmer until thick
 
Scam said:
I spent ages perfecting a recipe of my own (I think a lot of people have delusions of grandeur when it comes to their own chilli recipes :p), but then tried Thomasina Miers's 'quick' chilli con carne recipe. It's absolutely brilliant, and can be found online.

I make it with about three quarters beef shin, and a quarter pork shoulder. I also add a ton more beans in to bulk it out. It's still crazily-meaty.

No need for chocolate or coffee etc as you use proper Ancho chillis for the base notes. Chil de arbol's for the heat, plus all the spices. I'll admit I was unsure about putting chorizo in but it really does work. I trust the 'authenticity' of her recipes being a regular visitor to her restaurants.

Leave the meat in steaks/large hunks (as big as possible), cook for as long as you can and then take the meat out before serving. Then shred it all with forks, chuck it back in and serve. You won't go back to mince unless you're desperate!

EDIT: Here's the recipe: http://www.shortlist.com/instant-improver/how-to-make-the-perfect-chilli

Goes amazing with her habanero/carrot salsa.
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Looks like it would make a nice chili though it's fairly far from authentic (not that I'm saying the recipe I use is - it's closer but I still have changed it to suit my own tastes).

Having a selection of proper chillies doesn't mean that you shouldn't include chocolate and espresso btw. They both add a savouryness (is that even a word?) and richness that really makes the dish stand apart from others.
 
Fair enough. I've not been to Mexico so can't comment on the authenticity, and obviously there's the argument of where chilli con carne comes from originally, anyway!

The ancho chillies are great though. Very chocolatey/tobacco'y, so I see no need for chocolate/coffee personally. I might try it one time though.
 
Ancho are awesome yeah :) In my chili I use ancho, pasilla, chipotle, guajillos and arbol. You almost can't go wrong with adding extra chillies to a chili - as long as they're good quality and flavoursome ones.
 
How important is the 'allspice' from that recipe? I have never used it before and not sure i'd have any other uses for it if I got some.
 
I know it isnt very Mexican but we always add Chorizo in our chilli and it makes it taste much better
 
Ok here we go -

Brace yourselves, I cook my chilli using turkey breast mince!

Before all the naysayers chime in and call me a heathen, I assure you, I have tried all different chilli's (beef mince, slow cooked shredded beef etc etc) and this is my absolute favourite and is fantastic for a typical midweek meal.

Pre heat pan with olive oil to medium heat and add the following -

1 medium red onion chopped into small squares
1 medium red pepper chopped into small squares
3 or 4 cloves of garlic finely diced
1 large medium heat red or green chilli chopped (do not de-seed)

After a couple of mins move to side of pan, add turkey breast mince and brown off. As it browns off break it down with a spatula into small pieces (smaller the better).

Mid way through browning mix in all of the veg that's been cooking in the side of pan.

Add tobasco and a teaspoon of chilli paste and mix in.

Add 1 or 2 tins of chopped tomatoes and tomato purée

Season with salt and pepper. Be generous with the pepper.

Add kidney beans. If you can, get ones that come in a a chilli sauce. It's not vital but it all helps add to the colour and flavour.

Add a good helping if Worcestershire sauce

Add dried oregano and a modest amount of cayenne pepper and cumin.

Add generous amount of turmeric and smoked paprika

Add 3/4 of a bottle of larger (I use becks or Heineken)
Stir in and let simmer on a low to medium heat.

Top off with a touch more smoked paprika and continue to simmer.

Top off with fresh lime juice and spring onion and serve with rice or whatever takes your fancy.

Bring on the haters! Don't knock it till you try it! :cool:
 
Turkey mince! bann this man!

Heh, interesting, i have never tried that! i fancy some chilli at the weekend so might try it with some turkey mince if i can pick some up.
 
Where do you folks get your dried chillies from? I've been wanting to buy some varieties in big bulk bags to store in the freezer but don't really know a good place to get them from.
 
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