What's your secret or special ingredient in Chili?

[Dazed0N0Confused]

My boyfriend has a chili cook-off coming up at his work & has signed himself up... The problem? I have to cook it 😂

Now, my secret ingredients, I have 2, sometimes 3, are:
1. A few ounces of whiskey that I have on hand, this time around it's Jack Daniels.
2. A bottle/can of an Amber or darker variety of beer, this time it's a Boston Lager (12oz)
3. A little bit of Baking Cocoa, which I'm not adding this time around.

I like the flavors the beer & whiskey bring to the chili. I have to make an ingredients list so people can read it, so any recovering alcoholic won't have to worry about potentially craving an alcoholic beverage after eating it, as they can skip over eating my chili. Normally the cocoa rounds out the flavors & makes it robust, but I'm opting out of it because I'm using brown sugar instead of regular sugar in my seasonings.

But what's your secret ingredient to chili, or any dish for that matter?

No judgement on people's ingredient (s) choice, you don't know if it tastes good/bad unless you've tried the recipe their way.

[andreasderjuengere]

I heard that some people add a little cinnamon; others add honey.

Myself, I often use Worcestershire Sauce to round up the flavour. And PLENTY of hot-fried garlic. I grind Oregano before adding, and see to it that the entire dish will at least rest half a day before it's eaten. Some Basil, fresh from the garden, also adds an individual note.

[AviatorTom]

If I told you it wouldn't be a secret, would it. Let me just say it's something you sprinkle from a bottle.

[jennifer_bloom]

There is a spice I find that good Chilli bowls have - they put something in their beef to give it an added punch - not spicy but something that seems really Mexican. Not sure what it is, maybe an orange spice.

[purplepoppy]

I'm not a beer drinker but I agree it's the best stock for a chilli. For the meat I prefer beef shoulder and oxtail. The gelatin from the oxtail adds body

[NathanDavis]

I will smuggle you some authentic, mole sauce powder from my sources... might give it a bit of an interesting twist

[Dazed0N0Confused]

I've had mole & it would absolutely be good in chili in moderation.

[NathanDavis]

now I'm intrigued!! to try some myself

[msc545]

Beer, and a little sugar, and halfway through cooking it I take it off the stove and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight which makes a huge difference in the richness of taste.

[Sparkie460]

My secret ingredient is a bar of good quality dark chocolate

[TrueConfection]

I use a little cinnamon and a little all spice in my chili.

[Andres77]

Are you using beans or is Texas chili an option?

[Dazed0N0Confused]

Personal opinion, buy it's not chili without beans lol

[Andres77]

Texas chili doesn’t have beans

[Pterodon]

The world championships in Terlingua, Texas beans are not allowed. The reasoning is there are over 5,000 kinds of beans and it would be a bean contest and not a meat stew contest

[Andres77]

Hear! Hear!

[Andres77]

@Dazed0N0Confused
I use 3 lbs of meat.
1 x maple bacon.
1 x finely cubed stew beef.
1 x 75% lean ground beef.
Marinate the beef with seasoning to taste plus liquid smoke, 48 hours.
Onions and jalapeños, cooked down in a porter.
Chili paste made with beef broth.
Puréed a can of cream corn.
If it’s too soupy at the end throw in small amounts of finely ground corn flour. It takes over an hour for the corn flour to soak up the extra wet. Don’t overdue it, be patient.
Chili paste is home made.
DM me for details.

[Pterodon]

The corn wouldn’t be allowed either. They don’t allow fillers of any kind

[Andres77]

@Pterodon
Not even cheese balls?

[Andres77]

I’m also doing a competition but there are no rules. But Texas chili with cream corn, maple bacon and cheese balls Is REALLY good. Just sayin

[Pterodon]

No they’re very strict. No fillers of any kind

[Still-alive]

my 'secret ingredient' is me eating it. thats my 'ingredient' heh

[Dazed0N0Confused]

That's my boyfriend too 😂

[krin_m]

Coffee and Roasted Cumin powder + Dried Ghost pepper powder (only a small pinch)

[Dazed0N0Confused]

Coffee? 🤔
Like rich espresso or a specific blend? Or whatever's on hand?

[krin_m]

Thick dark french roast.

[Dazed0N0Confused]

Oooooo I'm going to have to try that next time around!

[FreyaRed]

Tabasco and Port wine or Sherry

[Jennz6]

Brown sugar and pot💃

[joeldalton]

I make my chili powder from scratch.

[Guy13]

Brown sugar or molasses spice depending

[jamesgoldman]

Splash of red wine and good dark chocolate

[BJP21]

Tabasco hot sauce goes a long way.

[Pterodon]

Hatch chile powder

[BlacklightShade]

Love.

[jimmy2]

Lol g o with him and get the credit