Trying to find that secret ingredient in Chili

[897tgigvib]

This is a Wikipedia article with issues to be careful about. It suggests that the recent huge increases in allergies to Peanuts is partially due to mass psychogenic issues. I don't think it can even cause the reactions at all.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peanut_allergy

The increases of antibacterial agents in soaps and the increases in recent years of many persons having strong aversions to things with normal levels of germs has led to a hypothesis being studied that the immune systems of those who don't get normal exposures to germs get reactionary immune systems under some conditions. My thinking is that this hypothesis does warrant a lot of study.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hygiene_hypothesis

This may well have something to do with the sudden increase, but I don't think it is the only cause. Genetics may predispose some to getting the allergic reactions, but the incorrect hygeine methods may precipitate the outbreak. But I don't know. It needs much more study.

 

[Jared77]

Ground cumin? Smoked paprika? Those 2 come to mind when I saw the list of ingredients. I will season the meat with onion powder, garlic powder, & sometimes some black pepper while the meat is browning in the pan. Then it's into the crock pot or stock pot with the other ingredients to cook down. Simmer, taste, season, repeat.

 

[MontyJ]

I have never had Steak n Shake chili, but I would cast a bet towards a light dose of sugar. It's one of those secret ingredients most people don't know about.

 

[Jared77]

Brown sugar or white sugar Monty?

 

[digitS']

Ducks', I was just thinking how I might prepare a pot of Jacob's Cattle Beans today. That's the only 1 of the 3 dry beans that I grew this year that I haven't tried yet.

(In case you are wondering: Soldier beans remind me of Great Northerns, which I like. Rattlesnake beans are very flavorful and make a good bean soup, almost worth the bother of trying to get them out of the pods . Jacob's Cattle weren't very productive but I will learn what they taste like today. )

Anyway, I came across a recipe called "Grandpa's Chili" or something like that. Grandpa obviously didn't like chili peppers!!! The only seasonings were black pepper and crushed fennel seed. Fennel Seed??

I did a search of fennel seed and chili. If you do that you will comeup with "The World's Best Chili" which seems to be all over the 'net. It has fennel seed.

Steve
who doesn't have any fennel seed in the house altho' he likes licorice-flavored foods

Edited: oh hey! Marshall suggested fennel! I'll assume he didn't mean bulb fennel. I never did find a use for that veggie. The seed fennel that I once grew was supposed to be for herb tea. I grew it 2 years and the plants flowered but never had time to mature seeds :/! Then I tried fennel seed in herb tea and decided that I didn't like it that way. You know, I just might have that jar of store-bought fennel seed in the cupboard!

 

[ducks4you]

These are great ideas and DH will be trying them in his next batches, probably one at a time. I REALLY appreciate the ideas bc nobody here has suggested hotter peppers, like everybody ELSE that we know!!
I forgot to mention that he uses both brown chili beans and black beans. Haven't tried cilantro yet, or carrots.
Anybody else?

 

[StupidBird]

There's a version I make that I don't even know qualifies as chili. Chicken leg quarters come cheap in these 10 pound bags. After cutting off and freezing all the drumsticks, I skin and cut off the fat for chicken cracklings and rendered chicken fat. The thighs go to make a big pot of stock. The cooked meat is boned and shredded and added at the end of the chili making instead of ground beef. Adding at the end keeps from over cooking the meat. I also add frozen corn to this. There's usually 2-3 quarts broth to freeze as well.

 

[ducks4you]

THAT sounds good, too.

 

[ksacres]

I would say try some cumin. It's a small thing, but makes a HUGE difference in flavor satisfaction.

 

[bj taylor]

in Mexican food they use chocolate for things like mole. I wonder if it would be a good fit for chili.