# Chili question re: thickness/consistency **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 9, 2013, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chili-question-re-thickness-consistency/663059 "2013-07-09T17:20:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2013, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chili-question-re-thickness-consistency/663059/41 "2013-07-11T13:19:21Z")
> [@redtail23](#): > > That’s OK, we make one that’s got onions, beans, corn, and mushrooms. Some crunched-up tortilla chips at the end is all that’s needed to thicken it. Texas just don’t know what they’re missing. Sure we do… beef and vegetable stew flavored with chili powder and garlic. It may be good, but strictly speaking, it’s not chili. And yeah, porkolt and chili are surprisingly similar in execution, if not exactly that similar in taste. ---
**Author:** ![redtail23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3e96dc/32.png) [@redtail23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/redtail23)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2013, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chili-question-re-thickness-consistency/663059/42 "2013-07-11T14:06:35Z")
No, it’s not Texas chili. You don’t own the word, you know. The SO makes a fine pot of red chili, too, it’s not like I’m not familiar with what that is. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2013, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chili-question-re-thickness-consistency/663059/43 "2013-07-12T13:19:42Z")
> [@fumster](#): > > Paprika is just ground chili peppers, just a specific variety of them. New Mexican ground chilis tend to be bright red, while ground anchos can be red/brown. Really? Then what’s the difference between paprika and chili powder? Different types of peppers? Because paprika has almost no taste, while chili powder seems to have a lot. (One of the few spices that tastes good on its own, actually. Most need at least salt.) ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2013, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chili-question-re-thickness-consistency/663059/44 "2013-07-12T13:51:17Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Really? Then what’s the difference between paprika and chili powder? Different types of peppers? Because paprika has almost no taste, while chili powder seems to have a lot. (One of the few spices that tastes good on its own, actually. Most need at least salt.) First off, there’s a difference between “chili” powder and “chile” powder. CHILE powder is powdered chiles- various varieties, with Ancho probably being the one most used in chili. CHILI powder is a mixture composed predominantly of chile powder (can be multiple kinds), ground cumin, garlic powder and Mexican oregano. Small amounts of other spices are often included, but the bulk of most chili powders is the first 3 ingredients I listed. Paprika is basically just a variety of chile powder made from a particular sort of Hungarian chiles. And, if your paprika is tasteless, you have old or cheap paprika. Go get yourself some fresh Hungarian half-sharp paprika and you’ll change your opinion of the stuff. ([Pendery's - World of Chiles and Spices](http://www.penderys.com/paprika.html)). \*Penderys is a good place to look at the sheer variety of chili and chile powders out there, and they have pre-made blends/packages for the recipes of the Terlingua competition winners- my dentist’s winning recipe is at the bottom of the Terlingua winners section under “Chile Blends”. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2013, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chili-question-re-thickness-consistency/663059/45 "2013-07-12T14:52:47Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Really? Then what’s the difference between paprika and chili powder? Different types of peppers? Because paprika has almost no taste, while chili powder seems to have a lot. (One of the few spices that tastes good on its own, actually. Most need at least salt.) Well, **bump** pretty much nailed it. I would also recommend Spanish paprika, especially the smoked kind, to broaden your paprika horizons. As bump says, if your paprika is tasteless, you’re using shitty paprika. I’m a fan of sweet paprika particularly from the Kolocsa region of Hungary, but Szeged paprika is good, too. [Here’s a link to Penzey’s](http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/results.html) and all their various paprikas. The California Sweet Paprika is also pretty damned good, with a wonderful bright red color. Good paprika should smell like the essence of red peppers. If it smells like nothing, then it’s sawdust. If all you know is McCormick’s, then I don’t blame you for your assessment. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2013, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chili-question-re-thickness-consistency/663059/46 "2013-07-12T14:58:19Z")
> [@Critical1](#): > > I use corn meal as a thickener. > > what? > [@pulykamell](#): > > Nothing wrong with that, although masa harina is a bit more common. Isn’t masa harina simply a form of cornmeal? I don’t think it’s wheat flour – it’s yellow, not white. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2013, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chili-question-re-thickness-consistency/663059/47 "2013-07-12T14:59:51Z")
> [@bump](#): > > First off, there’s a difference between “chili” powder and “chile” powder. CHILE powder is powdered chiles- various varieties, with Ancho probably being the one most used in chili. > > CHILI powder is a mixture composed predominantly of chile powder (can be multiple kinds), ground cumin, garlic powder and Mexican oregano. Small amounts of other spices are often included, but the bulk of most chili powders is the first 3 ingredients I listed. So, if your recipe already includes oregano, cumin, etc., you might as well ditch the chili powder and use chile powder instead, yes? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2013, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chili-question-re-thickness-consistency/663059/48 "2013-07-12T15:10:47Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Isn’t masa harina simply a form of cornmeal? I don’t think it’s wheat flour – it’s yellow, not white. Masa harina is made from corn, but nixtamalized corn (treated with slaked lime, i.e. calcium hydroxide). ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2013, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chili-question-re-thickness-consistency/663059/49 "2013-07-12T15:13:11Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > So, if your recipe already includes oregano, cumin, etc., you might as well ditch the chili powder and use chile powder instead, yes? That’s what I tend to do. (And I use the terms “chili powder” and “powdered chiles” to try to avoid the confusion, as not everyone makes the “i” and “e” distinction for “chili/e”.) Basically, I rarely use actual chili powder when making chili, but include all the ingredients of it as I’m cooking my chili. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2013, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chili-question-re-thickness-consistency/663059/50 "2013-07-12T16:10:31Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > So, if your recipe already includes oregano, cumin, etc., you might as well ditch the chili powder and use chile powder instead, yes? Sure- why not? I suppose a lot of people like to start with the ratios in the chili powder as a starting point and tweak it with a little bit of stuff here and there. You can make an awfully good chili with only chili powder though. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2013, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chili-question-re-thickness-consistency/663059/51 "2013-07-12T16:12:15Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Masa harina is made from corn, but nixtamalized corn (treated with slaked lime, i.e. calcium hydroxide). It’s basically ground hominy that’s been dried, if you want more common American terms. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2013, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chili-question-re-thickness-consistency/663059/52 "2013-07-12T16:20:20Z")
More accurately, dried hominy that’s been ground. 😉 ETA: (I’m not even sure if that’s accurate. Just assumed so. Sources seem to support your version of the process.) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2013, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chili-question-re-thickness-consistency/663059/53 "2013-07-12T16:35:20Z")
> [@bump](#): > > It’s basically ground hominy that’s been dried, if you want more common American terms. That works, too, but how often do you get to throw around words like “nixtamalized” around? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2013, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chili-question-re-thickness-consistency/663059/54 "2013-07-12T17:27:28Z")
Whoops, one too many "around"s in that post. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2013, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chili-question-re-thickness-consistency/663059/55 "2013-07-12T17:32:43Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Whoops, one too many "around"s in that post. Aw shucks! ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2013, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chili-question-re-thickness-consistency/663059/56 "2013-07-12T21:28:31Z")
I’m with **Smapti** on the thickness of chili. What it says to me is that you may have added a lot of flour to get it that way, which isn’t a good thing, IMO. I make my chili with black beans, peppers (fresh and dried), cumin, Mexican oregano, tomatoes. The meat is usually chicken, as I like the flavor. The canned beans and tomatoes provide ample liquid, and I let it reduce over the heat. First day is usually more stew-like. Subsequent days, it’s always thicker. Honestly, I usually have no quarrel with whatever people want to put in the dish and still call it chili. But celery and carrots just seem wrong for this dish. ---
**Author:** ![phxjcc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8491ac/32.png) [@phxjcc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phxjcc)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chili-question-re-thickness-consistency/663059/57 "2013-07-15T20:04:57Z")
sssshhh…secret ingredient: Jiffy Muffin Mix. 30 mins before serving take 1 cup of liquid, wisk in 2 TBLS of Jiffy, nuke for 1 minute and you get something that looks like brown paper paste. Then wisk this glop into the Chili and cook for ~ 30 minutes. Total liquid is 4 cups water and 14 oz of canned tomatoes, total volume in pot is ~ 4 Qts. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chili-question-re-thickness-consistency/663059/58 "2013-07-15T20:15:44Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Honestly, I usually have no quarrel with whatever people want to put in the dish and still call it chili. But celery and carrots just seem wrong for this dish. I can almost handle the celery, I guess, if one were going into a New Orleans inspired chili starting with a trinity. Carrots are kinda odd, though. But the one that really sticks out for me is mushrooms. I don’t think I’ve ever seen or heard of mushrooms in chili. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chili-question-re-thickness-consistency/663059/59 "2013-07-15T20:34:20Z")
My mon used to make a vegetarian “chili” that had among other things cashews. Sounds wierd and I know it’s not real chili but damn it just worked. ---
**Author:** ![redtail23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3e96dc/32.png) [@redtail23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/redtail23)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chili-question-re-thickness-consistency/663059/60 "2013-07-15T21:22:30Z")
😃 Yeah, the recipe didn’t have mushrooms when it got to us. The SO learned it as Southwest Chili from someone he worked with who was from New Mexico and claimed it was common there. We were making it one time and for some reason decided to throw in some mushrooms we needed to use up…after all, it already had all that other stuff in it…and lo! it was good. The SO has won several unofficial chili contests with it. 🆒 I could possibly see using a mirepoix as part of a chili base, if done right. I use some variation of that for a lot of dishes that you wouldn’t expect and it’s good. I’d think it would fall under the Texas rules, though - it’s OK as long as you can’t tell it’s there. (I used to know an old Italian guy that owned a restaurant. He grated carrots up into his tomato sauces for sweetness and flavor. I would never have known except for having a friend that cooked for him - but it works and it’s good.) I personally find the various white chilis to be an odd concept, but a lot of people really like them. I’ll have to try one someday. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chili-question-re-thickness-consistency/663059.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chili-question-re-thickness-consistency/663059.md?page=4)