Homemade chilli con carne recipe | Jamie Oliver recipes (2024)

FAQs

How can I improve my chilli con carne flavor? ›

Enrichen with chocolate and coffee

Underscore the meaty flavour of your chilli by adding a few squares of dark chocolate, a shot of espresso or a spoonful of cocoa powder to it while it's bubbling away on the stove. It will enrichen your stew in a way you can't quite put your finger on.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large casserole pan on a medium-high heat, add the chopped veg, chilli powder, cumin, cinnamon and a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper, then cook for 7 minutes, or until softened, stirring regularly.

Similarly, adding onion powder to your chilli is a great idea if you want to enhance the flavours. It blends well with garlic powder and other spices, lending a sweet and savoury flavour to dishes that you can't get from fresh onions. Onion powder also has a stronger aroma which would not go amiss in chilli con carne.

You know the saying, “save the best for last?” To keep your beans nice and plump, add them about 20 minutes before you finish cooking. This will give them plenty of time to impart that perfectly seasoned chili flavor to your recipe without overcooking.

Stir some puréed pumpkin into your chili just after sautéing your aromatics (onions, garlic, etc...) and before adding any liquid. This will deepen and sweeten its flavor, making it a great balance for all the chile peppers and heat.

Most Common Chili Spices. Cumin, Chile Powders, and Paprika are the most common spices in chili followed by garlic, onion, coriander, Mexican oregano, and bay leaves. These ingredients can be combined to create a savory and well-balanced pot of top notch comfort food.

Spices: While cumin, chile powder, and cayenne pepper tend to be common additions to many chili recipes, there's a broad world of flavor out there to experiment with. Try a little fenugreek, turmeric, garam masala, or sumac to layer in more complex flavors.

I like to mix it up and use black beans, butter beans, cannellini beans or pinto beans. A can of mixed beans also works well, but avoid the type that come in their own sauce. Sometimes I add a can of sweetcorn - It looks pretty against the colours of the chilli.

Unless the recipe tells you to keep the canned beans in their liquid, you should drain your can and give the beans a good rinse before using. This will improve the flavor and texture of your finished dish.

Why do you put vinegar in chili? ›

With only about 1 tablespoon per pot added toward the end of the cooking process, the vinegar will make the flavors more vibrant without overwhelming the dish with its biting tang. Through just a splash, everything becomes a little brighter, and the chili's flavors are more balanced.

There are a couple of surprising ingredients which can add depth to your chilli. A square of dark chocolate (70% or over) added at the end will add a sweet richness to the finished dish and many recipes add a little black coffee.

If you want more of a smoky flavor, add cumin, Spanish paprika, ancho chili powder, or a combination. If you are looking for more heat, add cayenne, crushed red pepper, or Hungarian paprika. If it's too spicy add a little brown sugar and some sweet paprika.

If there's not enough salt it will taste flat. Or maybe more chili powder. I little Cayenne is always good unless you are feeding children or very sensitive people. If people like it spicy, you can add hot sauce or hotter chile powder, like New Mexico, for example.