How Chili Is Made
Chili is one of the most popular dishes in America, and it’s also one of the most versatile. Chili is the type of food that a chef can truly make their own. Everyone has their preferred recipe and flavor profile. Whether you want to explore different styles and flavors of chili or perfect a favorite recipe to make again and again, you’ll go through the same basic process to make the dish.
Choosing Ingredients
When making chili, you’ll have to make a few important decisions about ingredients. Choose what protein will be included, what spice profile, what type of beans, how long you’ll cook the chili, and how spicy you want your chili to be.
Cooking the Chili
Here are the basic steps for how chili is made:
- Brown the meat and/or sweat the vegetables. Depending on what type of meat chosen, your cooking method may vary. You might grill beef or chicken in batches or pan-fry it. Pork could be slow-roasted or smoked. You’ll also want to sweat the aromatic vegetables, which are usually onions, garlic, and peppers.
- Next, pour liquid into the pan to deglaze it. Liquid options include soup stock, beer, hard cider, or tomatoes and their juices. Once the liquid is in the pan, you’ll simmer the beans, meat, and other vegetables added. Season with the spices you want to include at this stage.
- The last step adds body and depth to the flavor. You should simmer the chili at this point. Placing dried chili peppers in the pot will really bring forth that delicious chili flavor. You can simmer the chili on the stovetop at a low setting, cover the pot and put it in the oven, or place the chili in a slow cooker. Once the meat and/or vegetables are tender and the flavor is full-bodied, remove the dried peppers and the chili is ready to eat.
