Ultimate Chili Beef (Con Carne) tips

bluedroog

Not that it is usually practical in a domestic setting but…


Isn’t one of the keys to a good stock is to never actually finish it? I remember working in a pub kitchen as a youth and the chef / owner took great pride in this massive vat of stock which he just took what he needed and continually topped it up.

blue max

That sounds like the eternal student stew

Stulock Holmes

I use braising steak not mince. Cumin, Paprika, chilli powder AND chilli flakes, Worcester sauce, and plum tomatoes rather than chopped. Couple of hours cooking and the steak is tender and the tomatoes break down nicely. Add kidney beans 30 mins from the end - any longer they go mushy.

BISHI

Ok, couple of really good tips.
- always add dark chocolate.
- a couple of spoons of liquid molasses gives it a slight sweetness and depth.
I always slow cook mine then leave it to cool overnight before serving or packaging to freeze. It always tastes better having been allowed to stew in its own juices overnight.

Now, you have to trust me on this - everyone I have served this to goes away and tries it themselves-
Serve chilli on a bed of tortilla chips with melted cheese ( on chips). On top of chilli put a generous amount of cream ( sour or double) AND tinned pineapple rings cut into small chunks. Serve this with salad dressed in the syrup or juice from the pineapples. There is some serious umami going on between the chilli, the cream and the pineapple.
Just try it, I guarantee licked clean plates.!

KelvinS1965

I've got one on at the moment, having seen mention of cumin I've added that to my usual recipe. I have to try not to make it milder though as my MIL and son don't like it too hot. I have a feeling that tonight's one is going to be a bit on the warm side though...

KyleS1

I always add cumin and sometimes some ground coriander. 85% dark chocolate is great - a couple of squares right at the very end. I crumble a beef stock cube in aswell. Sometimes add some maggi liquid seasoning. I like to mix it up.

heathen666

Here's the recipe for the paste that I use for my chilli, it's a bit of hastle but freezes well for later use.

Paste recipe:

6 ancho chillies
4 Chipotle chillies
4 tbsp cider vinegar or lime juice
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 medium red onions, finely chopped
handful of coriander stalks
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
4 garlic cloves
2 beef tomatoes, peeled
2 tsp soft brown sugar

Tear the ancho chillies into large pieces and put them into a dry frying pan on a medium heat.  Toss them constantly for 4/5 minutes. They must not burn but gently toast. No smoke should be seen from them or the pan is far too hot. They will change from their dark colour to a lighter tobacco hue. You may have to do this in batches. Once done tip chillies into a bowl. Crumble in the Chipotle chillies, removing the seeds as you do. Then pour 200ml of hot water and the vinegar or lime juice. Leave chillies to soak for 30min.

Reuse the same pan and heat the vegetable oil, fry the onions, coriander stalks and spices on a low heat for 10 minutes until the onions are very soft. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Take pan off hest and leave to one side.

Cut the tomatoes into quarters and scoop the pulp into a sieve over a bowl and push  the juice from the seeds through.

Blend the tomatoes, tomato juice, chillies and soaking liquid in food processor until smooth. Push through a sieve into a bowl leaving behind the chilli skin.  Re-blend with onions and sugar, and season.

Put the paste and 1kg of cubed stewing beef into a casserole, cover and cook in a low oven (about 150c) for about 2hours or until the meat is very tender. Then add a teaspoon of high quality coco powder or dark chocolate at the end.

Job done!

FlagshipDevice

I always do mine in a slow cooker, usually for about 5 hours though sometimes more. Then leave it to cool to room temp and place in a container and put it in fridge for at least a day, two is better. The flavour matures nicely that way, same with curries.

I use a mixture of good quality steak mince and chunks of braising steak, I enjoy the different textures. I make a paste consisting of tomato puree, cumin, brown sugar and hot chilli powder. Worcester sauce and dark chocolate go in too, along with a carton of passata and halved cherry tomatoes. I love really hot food, so I'll always add a few finely chopped dried nagas in, along with a few chopped chipotles for a nice smokey taste. I love my hot chilli sauces, too, so I usually add a good splash of my current favourite - Psycho Juice Extreme Ghost Pepper Sauce. The zest of a couple of limes is good too.

Autopilot

Dark chocolate is great, but really what people should be adding is Cocoa powder. Surprised no one else has mentioned it yet. It's hugely popular in south and North America, and indeed most commercial (source in a jar) include it. It's what makes a chilli go from resembling a spicy bolognese with kidney beans (a British chilli) to a proper rich and dark chilli con carne.

Also, kidney bean are fine but there are lots of others worth trying to. Also agree that chuck beef and cumin is a must - and so is fresh chilli. Also, IMO, using a small bit of very hot chilli is usually better than lots of mild chilli. Try some smoked ones too.

Dieselxx

Chilli's