How do you make your chilli really tasty?

[Bemyclementine]

Mine always seems a bit bland.

I soften diced onion, garlic, chopped pepper. Add mince and brown. Tin tomatos, oxo cube (my mum always did....) kidney beans, chilli powder. Simmer. What am I missing?

I forgot to mention smoked paprika - usually the sweet one, as there is plenty of Chili in it anyway, so it’s more for the smoky flavour than the heat.

Cook it the day before you want to eat it. Most things like this taste better after sitting overnight.

Full fat mince

Fresh red chilli
Cumin
Oregano

The key thing is toppings!

When serving chilli I always set out a bunch of small bowls containing yummy toppings that people can add to their own plates - eg soured cream, shredded cheese, chopped coriander, lime wedges, chopped green chillis, tortilla crisps. And a bottle of tobasco of course.

Also, Mexican food often benefits from frying in a bit of iard instead of olive oil. Use black beans or a mixture instead of kidney beans. Since it's the weekend anyway, I would have used dried beans instead of tinned - just start them soaking in the morning. With black beans you can keep the liquid. Oh and a splash of irange juice doesn't do any harm.

Cumin
Smoked paprika
Oregano
Cinnamon
Ground coriander
Dark Chocolate

Marmite and dark chocolate

A generous dollop of marmite.

My chilli is spectacular and my ingredients are

Mince
Onion
Green pepper
Tomato purée
Garlic (2-4 cloves)
Chilli (2 tsp I like it hot)
Cumin (1 tsp)
Paprika (1 tsp)
Bay leaf
125 ml milk (the milk proteins are essential to a deep flavour)
Beef stock pot or cube
Tin of tomatoes (1-2)

Oh nigella has a good chilli recipe but it’s got about 100 ingredients in it! It’s quite sweet too - my Aunty condensed it down to a version with fewer ingredients that was just as yummy! It’s got sweet chilli sauce in it - if anyone interested just tag me and I’ll post a pic when I get home 🤤

A teaspoon or two of ground coriander

A splash of Worcestershire (Lea and Perrins or supermarket )

A half teaspoon of cocoa powder or instant coffee or grated 70% dark choc.

Chocolate (super dark) and dark soy sauce as both add some depth. This is truly the best chilli I (and all the people I’ve ever made it for) have ever had. It also batch cooks like a DREAM

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/burnt-aubergine-veggie-chilli

You’re missing cumin and coriander.
Child alone isn’t enough to give it the distinctive flavour. Sometimes I add smoked paprika too.

I make this all the time. It’s amazing.

1 large onion finely chopped2 garlic cloves crushed1 chilli chopped1lb minced beef1 tbsp chilli powder1 tsp ground cumin½ tsp cinnamon1 tsp dried oregano3 tbsp tomato puree1 tin chopped tomatoes2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce1 heaped tbsp brown sugar¼ pint beef stock400g can red kidney beans220g can butter beansSalt and pepper

Mine's from a Lee & Perrins leaflet. I use a tbsp of cumin though

My own recipe is amazing

Onion
Garlic
Finely diced celery & carrot
Cumin
Smoked paprika
Chilli powder or fresh chillies
Quorn mince (or meat mince)
Tinned tomatoes
Pint of stock
Kidney beans
Tomato purée
Lime juice
Cocoa powder
Fresh coriander

Serve with jalapeños, soured cream, grated cheese, and carbs of choice.

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/chilli-con-carne-recipe

I follow the bbc good food recipe and double the spices. Always lovely.

Garlic surely? I may be wrong though, as I don't actually like chilli.

Always feel chilli is best after it's been long simmering so it gets all thick. Love chilli con carne.

Liquid smoke, just a tiny bit but it really lifts it.

I know it’s for a vegetarian chilli, but Felicity Cloake’s chilli starts with rehydrating a range of dried chillis to create a base. There’s a fruity chilli like ancho for chilli flavour, smoky chipotles, and then a really hot chilli for heat. You can vary ratios to suit you. It adds much more complexity and makes a a dish really celebrating chillis than adding a spoon of generic chilli powder does.

Yes

Yes please! I am very interested, thank you.