Flavour Boosters That’ll Do Wonders For Your Chili Con Carne

Flavour Boosters That’ll Do Wonders For Your Chili Con Carne

“Beef, it’s what’s for dinner.” How many times have you heard this old saying? While it never gets old, there are times when beef can grow plain and trite. The exact same thing can be said about a bowl of beans. There are a number of ways that you can prepare a bowl of beans and there are a number of benefits that come along with eating them, but unfortunately, there will come a time when you tire of them. Beans are a type of food that people are fiercely opinionated about, and in this case, this can be considered a good thing because it has lead to whole slew of exciting ideas for how to take your pot of chili con carne (or a vegetarian version) to new levels.

If you want to take chili con carne night and make it more exciting, you should consider adding in some of the following flavour boosters:

• Cocoa

Most people wouldn’t think that cocoa and beans would go together. Well, unsweetened cocoa and beans are really what you are looking for in this instance. This is an ingredient that can oftentimes be found in rich mole sauces and it should be an easy choice for anyone looking to spice up bean night. This little ingredient will not only deepen the flavor of your beans, but it’ll help balance out the whole concoction. Start with two tablespoons, try your results, and adjust to your preference from there.

• Espresso

Much like cocoa, people are going to be surprised by this one. Well, just like cocoa, this is also an ingredient that will bring rich, earthy depth to your overall flavor. In fact, you can use both cocoa and espresso together and let simmer for a bit longer than you normally would, and you’ll be left with end results that are so good, that this will immediately become your favorite chili recipe.

• Peppers

To a lot of individuals, beans aren’t beans without a little heat. While you always have the option of hot sauce and other additives, you can’t go wrong with real, authentic peppers. It might be best to start with some dried ancho peppers or chipotle peppers and go from there. That being said, if you want that peppery taste without adding too much heat, your best option is without the Anaheim pepper.

• Anchovies

No doubt an odd choice here, but letting a few anchovies simmer in your beans will add a kind of salty goodness that you won’t get from any of the other additives mentioned here. That being said, you don’t have to worry about it overwhelming the entire dish because it won’t — it’ll just provide a subtle saltiness that wakes up the beans and tomatoes.

• Beer

Who doesn’t love a good, cold beer after a long hard day’s work? Everyone does and you’ve likely earned it after putting in eight hours or more at the office. Pouring in a few swigs of beer and allowing it to slow cook in your beans can be a nice way to add some warm malt to your entire dish. Once again, you don’t have to be worried about overdoing it with too much liquid because much of the beer will cook off during the simmering stage.

Have you tried any of these flavour boosting ingredients in your chili con carne?

Guest Article.