Colorful Options Offered In Chilli Recipes

By Stella Gay


Many families need meals that will stretch the household budget and this is ever so true when there are lots of hungry people to feed at one time. When settlers headed West in wagon trains, stews were popular. As time passed, the cooks began to combine all sorts of ingredients. These chilli recipes were handed down to kin through the years.

People from different cities joined the wagon trains and provided a diverse amount of information on how these dishes could be prepared. Ethnic groups were accustomed to spicy additions like jalapenos, that burned the mouth after each bite. Some people enjoyed peppers but could not tolerate spicy foods. A recipe was created to meet the needs of many settlers, and sauces were always thick and rich.

Based on where the dish is prepared, certain ingredients will be available. Some people liked to use the largest bean available to ensure appetites were satisfied after the meal. The cook could use the basic kidney shaped bean, or a Navy bean. Cold climate natives were more inclined to use the northern bean. The meat selected for the dish will alter which bean will be used.

The method of cooking will have a direct influence on cooking time. These hearty stews can be prepared using a stove top that is powered by electricity or natural gas, a slow cooker, crock pot, or a pot hung on a spit over an open fire. The latter was popular among the settlers, and the cook prepared the meals from a chuck wagon. Some of those chefs chose to use left over coffee in the mixture as part of the flavor enhancers.

The texture of the sauce is influenced largely by tomatoes. The cook can choose to use fresh tomatoes or those that are steamed and canned. The thickening of the sauce will occur as the mixture cooks, so cooks are able to use liberal amounts of whole tomatoes that are crushed just before entering the pot. A certain amount of the tomatoes can be diced into bite sized pieces.

Including fresh vegetables will give cooks an opportunity to add a personal touch to the pot. In a southern stew, sweet onions are used, but red onions can add texture and color. Many chefs like to add a dash of lemon juice, and use scallions to provide depth to the creation. To give the mixture more body, a chef might choose to use fresh or dried parsley, and some chopped pieces of celery.

Caution should be used when adding water to the cooking vessel because the mixture will have the tendency to resemble soup if too much water is added. If the recipe was initially created using a stove top burner, then water should be added at different times during cooking. Slow cookers do not allow moisture to evaporate so water should be used conservatively.

Dry ingredients will include lots of chilli powder which will be the ultimate base for the stew. Cayenne pepper will be added based on preferences. The meats used in the dish can include chunks of beef, ground beef, turkey, or pork. The fat content of each item should be monitored to ensure the dish is balanced at the end of the cook cycle. The dish can be served in a bowl filled with rice.




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