Chilli Con Carne........i Cannot Never Get It Right

[dieseldick]

i love chilli con carne but i can never make it the same as i get in a mexican resturaunt . yesterday i bought beef mince , garlic, 3 tins kidney beans , 1 jar of tesco chilli mild sauce, tin tomatoes, 1 tube chilli puree .

i used 1 whole tube of tesco chilli puree in it and its still not even spicey or hot . i cooked it in slow cooker for around 6 hours high heat.

how do i make a good chilli con carne

[Old_Geezer]

Not an expert but might it be better to sling the chilli purée and chilli mild sauce, and chop & bung the real thing in ?

Were I to do one I'd first check out the web recipe sites and find one that has a lot of good reviews/comment for it.

[retrocop]

If you want it hot cut up 4-5 fresh green chillis in small rounds.Leave the seeds and put the lot in the pot seeds and all. Depending on amount of chilli con carne I make I also add some dark cooking chocolate for the real authentic Mexican taste. Just add a few teaspoons of chilli powder if you have no fresh chillis to hand.
I use onion,tin of chopped Toms and one diced green pepper in my Con Carnes plus some Tom Puree.

[MargoTester]

If you want something really easy by a packet of Schwartz(no other brand)chilli con carne mix and follow the instructions on the back. Used a tin of red kidney beans in chilli sauce for extra flavour. If you like it really hot used the Hot chilli mix. Works every time!

[Mamyalynne]

If you want something quick then go packets, but as you are using a slow cooker, do it right

This is a good recipe and simple, replace sweet paprika with a hotter chilli powder if you prefer and yes a square or two of the darkest chocolate at the end.


http://www.lifestylefood.com.au/recipes/2097/gordons-chilli-con-carne

[retrocop]

Margo. That's cheating. I always use re-hydrated dried kidney beans.
I can not see the attraction in using a slow cooker for SOME meals. I know I am a pensioner with a bit of time to cook but to cookm a fresh chilli con carne from scratch takes no time at all once the small amount of prep is done in advance. I know some people are out at work all day and like to slow cook but they still have to prep the ingredients first if using fresh and not out of a packet or tin.I agree tougher cuts of meat are better slow cooked but I do that in the oven and could never like a slow cooker. I bet I could cook up a chilli con carne in about 20 mins from scratch.

[retrocop]

Margo
Incidentally. I have cooked a Creole Prawn Jumbo this morning for the tribe when they come home from work. That was a little time consuming and is why you had it easy earlier on the crossword site. :-) xx

[Mamyalynne]

You can but is commonly thought mince requires little cooking - it actually benefits from a long slow simmer as in a good Italian Ragu.

[EcclesCake]

This recipe is pretty close to how I make a chilli con carne http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3228/chilli-con-carne.

[retrocop]

I meant Gumbo. The Jumbo wouldn't fit on the oven. hee hee.

[Peter Pedant]

O retro
I thought you were gonna reminisce

It was the night of the Grand Chili blow out ,me and my mates
ans we went back to the station - the one on the news where someone had blagged the lavatories, and no one knew who - it led to the local headline:

toilets stolen - cops have nothing to go on

sorry - gets coat and leaves .....

[MargoTester]

I knew I would attract censure from the purists but I just thought that the would be a quick and fail safe way for Dieseldick. I don't possess a slow cooker. I would like your recipe for Creole Prawn Jumbo Pleae Retro.

[Mamyalynne]

Oh it isn't censure Margo - I use short cuts a lot living alone.

[Mamyalynne]

^ In the kitchen I might add.

[tigerlelly]

Forget the sauce and puree. Cook 2 large strong-flavoured onions in 1 tablespoon of oil with 4 large cloves of crushed garlic, 2 heaped teaspoons hot chilli powder, 1 tsp of cumin and 1 tsp of cayenne pepper. Then add mince and cook gently until browned. Cool slightly and spoon off any excess oil (I use a packet of 5% fat mince so there usually isn't any to get rid off). Add a quarter of a bottle of red wine, 2 tins of red kidney beans and a quarter of a tube of tomato puree. Cook gently for about 30 mins. If it gets a bit dry chuck in more wine. Recipe from a Mexican friend. Serve with sour cream and guacamole.

[tigerlelly]

OOps, forgot to say add 2 tins of chopped toms. at same time as wine. Enjoy!

[retrocop]

Thanks Tigerlelly
You reminded me that I use cumin as well.i knew a bloke who used a can of coke in lieu of beef stock.
Margo
Do you want the GUMBO Recipe? :-)

[EcclesCake]

I think cumin is an essential ingredient to a chilli, it gives so much extra depth of flavour.

[dieseldick]

how much dark chocolate doi i add ? isnt it strange to add chocolate to this

[237SJ]

They eat chocolate with everything in Mexico. I found that out when I had an omelette with mole sauce and didn`t know what mole was. Then I found out it was chocolate. It was horrible BTW

[dieseldick]

ive just added some, its ok, ill know better when its done on slow cooker.