Need some Advice on a Sweet and Spicy Chili Recipe

[SQWIB]

A co worker is hung up on a sweet and spicy chili he gets from Bagelocity.

We both picked up some for lunch and were picking it apart and tasting to see what the ingredients are.

Not sure of the technique but pretty sure it's just a basic cook.

I'm not sure if some of the sweetness is coming from honey or just a plain sugar.

I know there are several ingredients that are sweet such as red peppers and tomatoes, but its a bit sweeter than the ingredients would allow.

I been searching on line for a starter recipe and think I found a starting point for the chili

Tell me what you think.

SWEET AND SPICY CHILI

1 lg. red onion, chopped
4 whole jalapeno peppers
1 each, seeded, chopped green pepper & red bell pepper (I would double the red)
2 cloves garlic, peeled, chopped, sauteed in butter
3 (14 oz.) cans stewed tomatoes
1/2 c. cocktail vegetable juice (probably v-8 and would double as well)
3/4 c. red wine (burgundy preferred)
3 tbsp. sugar
6 tbsp. vinegar
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce (any suggestions here?)
1/4 tsp. chili powder (increase to 1 teaspoon)
1/4 tsp. celery salt
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. seasoned salt
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne
1/8 tsp. white pepper (think this can be omitted?)
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. onion salt
1/8 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. seasoned pepper
4 lb. lean ground round or chuck
2 (14 1/2 oz.) cans dark red kidney beans, optional

Mix all ingredients except beef and kidney beans in large pot. Cook over medium heat about 1 1/2 hours.
Meanwhile, brown meat in large skillet. Drain off excess fat. Keep cooked beef warm while the chili mixture is cooking.
After chili mixture has cooked 1 1/2 hours, stir in beef; cook 30 minutes. Stir in kidney beans; cook for another 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.
For best flavor development, let chili set for several hours or refrigerate overnight. Heat thoroughly before serving.

I would probably crock for several hours after step 3

[barkonbutts]

Looks good to me. i would use Honey instead of sugar but that is just me. Also the V8!! Use that all day long... they also might have snuck in a bit of Apple juice to sweeten it up.. I have done this before but used cider because at the time I had a bunch...

just a thought..

[TATONKA3A2]

I always add a little brown sugar in our chili....I think I have heard of people adding cinnamon even but I haven't added that.

[Texas-Hunter]

I have seen some folks down this way add chocolate to there chilli to give it a hint of sweetness...

[curious aardvark]

that recipe is just waqy to finicky. there are 4 kinds of salt (oops 5 - missed the seasoned pepper).

cumin ? seriously. basically just go heavy on the oregano. lose the four kinds of salt that are just flavoured salt.
1/8 tsp powdered garlic ?
seriously 1/8th of a teaspoon ?

you can pretty much omit anything in a recipe with 4lbs of meat in that says 1/8th of a teaspoon.
It's not going to have any perceivable impact. None, nada, zip.
use more fresh garlic, powdered garlic in a chilli ? what is the point ?

So lets modify that recipe - leaving out the stuff that serves no useful purpose:
and having useful amounts of the stuff that does work.

1 lg. red onion, chopped
4 whole jalapeno peppers
1 each, seeded, chopped green pepper & red bell pepper (I would double the red)
4 cloves garlic, peeled, chopped, sauteed in butter
2 (14 oz.) cans stewed tomatoes - thick chilli is better than thin chilli
3/4 c. red wine (burgundy preferred) - any red wine will do and better measure is to use one of the tomato cans.
3 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce (any suggestions here?) - red tabasco
1 tsp. chili powder
2-3 tsp. oregano
1 tsp salt - season with more when it's finished reducing down. you can always add more salt to something - absolute bastard to reduce the amunt once added.
Even better is to add 1 tbs soy sauce instead of the salt. adds the saltiness but also a bucketload of umami.

4 lb. lean ground round or chuck
2 (14 1/2 oz.) cans dark red kidney beans, optional

personally if I wanted a bit of sweet I'd use maple syrup and not just plain sugar. the maple flavour would work better with the beef.

And as far as red wine for cooking goes - just use the cheapest that isn't actually vinegar.

And a half ounce of high cocoa chocolate grated in at the start of the process - will add a certain something.

chocolate and red wine go extremely well together.
Made some beef and chocolate ground jerky with a 100% cacoa 'chocolate' few years back. was pretty interesting stuff. Had red wine in too as i recall :-)

[crusty ol salt]

smoke the chuckie and shred it into the chilli

[SQWIB]

OH here Is what I got, any last minute suggestions.

SWEET AND SPICY CHILI

1 lg. red onion, chopped

4 whole jalapeno peppers

1 each, seeded, chopped green pepper & red bell pepper (I would double the red) (SQWIB)

2 cloves garlic, peeled, chopped, sauteed in butter (4 Cloves of Garlic) (Curious Aardvark)

3 (14 oz.) cans stewed tomatoes (2 (14 oz.) cans stewed tomatoes) (Curious Aardvark)

1/2 c. cocktail vegetable juice (probably v-8 and would double as well) (SQWIB)

3/4 c. red wine (burgundy preferred)

3 tbsp. sugar (replace with 1/2 cup honey) (DigginDogFarm) (barkonbutrts)

6 tbsp. vinegar (reduce to 3 TBSP) (Chef Jimmy)

1 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce (sriracha brand) (Meateater) or red tabasco (Curious Aardvark)

1/4 tsp. chili powder (increase to 1 TBSP) (Chef Jimmy)

1/4 tsp. celery salt

1/4 tsp. oregano (3 tsp. oregano) (Curious Aardvark)

1/4 tsp. seasoned salt (replace with 1 tbs soy sauce) (Curious Aardvark)

1/4 tsp. salt (omit) can be added later (Curious Aardvark)

1/8 tsp. cayenne (1/4 tsp cayenne) (SQWIB)

1/8 tsp. white pepper (omitted) (kathrynN)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (Chef Jimmy) (TATONKA3A2)

¼ teaspoon allspice (Chef Jimmy)

1/8 tsp. garlic powder (1 teaspoon) (SQWIB)

1/8 tsp. onion salt

1/8 tsp. ground cumin (omit) (Curious Aardvark)

Hershey's chocolate powder (about 3 TBS). (kathrynN) (texashunter)

1/8 tsp. seasoned pepper

4 lb. lean ground round or chuck

1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (jpittssr)

2 (14 1/2 oz.) cans dark red kidney beans, optional

[barkonbutts]

Looks like a bunch of cooks string the pot!!! Hope it turns out great!!

[jbg4208]

Oh, this should be interesting...

let us know how it turns out.

[BBQ Engineer]

Looks like I'm late to the party, but for a sweet chili I definitely use brown sugar and also molasses. I think baked bean type of ingredients into a savory pot of chili...balances out beautifully!

[SQWIB]

Looks like I'm late to the party, but for a sweet chili I definitely use brown sugar and also molasses. I think baked bean type of ingredients into a savory pot of chili...balances out beautifully!

do you think I should use the brown sugar in place of the honey?

[SQWIB]

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