Whaaaat?? Molasses in chili??

[Billnpatti]

A while back, one of the forum members and I were discussing the RIGHT way to make chili. He advocated adding molasses to the chili. I came down pretty strongly on the side of no molasses in chili. It just didn't seem right. But after discussing back and forth, I decided that the proper way to settle it was for me to make a pot of chili with molasses added. Not a whole lot, but just a tablespoon or two. You don't actually taste the molasses, it is hidden in the background but it gives a very good flavor to the chili. I tried it and now I am a convert. I am here to tell you that a small amount of molasses mixed into a pot of chili is what Martha Stewart would call "A good thing."

I don't remember which member gave me this excellent cooking secret buy if he reads this and remembers our conversation, let me say this publically.....you were right, I was wrong and thanks to you, I learned a darned good thing. We are never too old nor too wise that we can't learn something from a friend. Thank you very much. :thumbsup:

 

[BillinOregon]

I also add dark beer (Guinness is best) and bakers chocolate. A glug o' molasses perks up a lot of stews.

 

[coloradoclyde]

the RIGHT way to make chili

Whaaat?? I've never seen two recipes the same.
Depending on where you live in this country they can be vastly different.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Chocolate? Molasses? Stout?

The next thing folks will be chiming in with using ground turkery or better yet the oxymoron "vegetarian chili", or doing it Yankee style with spagetti in the bottom of the bowl :shake:

:youcrazy:

LD

 

[satx78247]

If you weren't resident in God's Country (TX), I wouldn't be either shocked or outraged. = The next thing you know, you'll be advocating putting tomatoes and/or beans in chili.======> HERESY.
(Even those "somewhat strange" folks to the west of El Paso KNOW BETTER than tomatoes/beans/pasta/ketchup or anything similar in their GREEN chili.)

yours, satx

 

[coloradoclyde]

A tall glass of chocolate molasses stout would go quite nicely with a bowl of vegetarian chili. :thumbsup:

 

[Ron LaClair]

My grandmother taught me how to make chili 63 years ago. She said that she always added brown sugar to anything with tomatoes in it, chili, goulash etc. I have four trophy's for 1st place in chili contests. Once I made chili and didn't have any brown sugar so I put maple syrup in it....I won 1st place. :stir:

 

[tenngun]

Chili is....well just ask a Texian. No tomatoes no pasta or rice or molasses ect. Well this child likes it all. You know golash is a pork and krut stew and pizza is a hot baked bread. You should only add a little nutmeg to your French toast batter. However while I like real chili I like those tomato and bean chili flavored stews, I enjoy pizza but like that pepperoni topped bread too, I dearly love golosh and whats called golash. Put it in a bowl add some tobasco enjoy a pint of bitters...Its all good.
Last week I made some ropa vejas, cooked with cinnamon and shreaded beef. Yes cinnimom, I will make it again :wink:

 

[Billnpatti]

Yep, that used to be my stand....no tomatoes, no beans and, for crying out loud, no pasta. I was very steadfast until I decided to add a tablespoon of molasses to my chili. I had to admit that molasses in chili was, in fact, a good idea. Just one more example of how there is more than one way to skin a cat. No, there is no cat in my chili. Cats go in tamales :haha:

 

[satx78247]

GROAN.

yours, satx

 

[coloradoclyde]

If it helps your pain any, last week I made refried beans from scratch for the very first time. No canned stuff, and they were awesome.

:grin:

 

[satx78247]

GOOD PLAN.
(I don't trust canned anything to be what you would want to consume.= The older that I get the more that I use locally grown produce & farm-raised meats.)

yours, satx

 

[crockett]

In the Hispanic food sections at supermarkets there is some kind of sugar sold in a solid form- looks like a bell or a cone. I don't know what it is called but it is a dark sugar. Wonder if it is similar to molasses.
A small bit of sugar to balance out the acids is probably a good idea- I'll have to try it.
And, I belong to the chili police :thumbsup:

 

[coloradoclyde]

In the Hispanic food sections at supermarkets there is some kind of sugar sold in a solid form- looks like a bell or a cone. I don't know what it is called but it is a dark sugar. Wonder if it is similar to molasses.
A small bit of sugar to balance out the acids is probably a good idea- I'll have to try it.
And, I belong to the chili police :thumbsup:

Its called a Piloncillo, essentially Mexican brown sugar.....harder than a dang rock. if they were a bit bigger I could shoot them out of my cannon.

 

[coloradoclyde]

A small bit of sugar to balance out the acids is probably a good idea

Sugar doesn't really balance the acid it just makes your product sweet&sour or sweet&tangy
When making tomato spaghetti sauce I add a 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to neutralize some of the acid and the sweeten to taste.

It will actually foam up in the pan just like when you add baking soda to vinegar. proof that it is balancing the PH.

 

[satx78247]

"And I belong to the chili police". = As do I. - Fwiw, I couldn't care less what people put in a pot & cook, as long as they don't try to pass it off as "TEXAS CHILI".

They can call it stew, goulash, hash, soup or anything else EXCEPT "chili" & I'll say not one "untoward word under my breath".

just my OPINION, satx

 

[coloradoclyde]

Variety is the spice of life.....and food too! :grin:

 

[Len Graves]

I've had chili with meat (con carne)elk, buffalo, deer, cow with and without,with beans ( some with many kinds), with onions and without, with tomatoes and without,with molasses , sugar syrup, and without, with bitter chocolate and without, over rice, macaroni, spaggetti,Fritos , sprinkled with cheese or pepper flakes. Everyone called it chili. Not Texas chili, Michigan chili, just chili. good in its own way. Why are you so darned particular that someone might call Texas chili something you haven't tried or heard of?

 

[satx78247]

Simple: because for about 185 years, TEXAS (RED) CHILI has meant just ONE traditional recipe, that was created by The San Antonio Chili Queens on the Plaza Central in San Antonio, circa 1830.
(On this site, HC/PC is revered in many things. Why not in traditional cuisine?)

By the same token, the GREEN CHILI of NM and the recipes of several Southwestern NA Nations has meant ONE thing.
(The mutton-based "Navaho Chili" is likely at least 300 years old.)

yours, satx

 

[coloradoclyde]

And didn't both those recipes originate from Spain?