Yes, I’ll give them the “ways” and means, so to speak. That’s perhaps the unique part of Cincinnati style Coney Island and what sets it apart. But claiming Greek Chili as solely a Cincinnatti invention is, I think, innaccurate.
By “roasted,” you mean, tossed them dry in hot skillet?
The package I bought seems to be hulls only, no seeds. I don’t know whether they need any further treatment; but I do have a mortar and pestle, if grinding is necessary.
I was planning to just throw a tablespoon in the pot at the initial sauteeing-the-onions-peppers-and-garlic-in-oil stage, since that seems to be how they’re used in Chinese cooking. (Other spices in chili, I usually add to the pot after browning the meat and after adding water and canned tomatoes.)
devilsknew, would you say that recipe is spicy hot? My wife and I can stand a little heat; my daughters not so much. I’d be tempted to to cut the cayanne to 1/4 teaspoon or even less. Don’t know why I try to accomodate them though, darned picky eaters.
That recipe is for 3 pounds of meat. Chili powder isn’t necessarily all that hot, depending on the brand, as it’s a mix of chili peppers and spices (most notably, cumin.)
The standard recipe on Gephardt’s brand of chili powder calls for a tablespoon per pound of meat, but doesn’t have as much liquid as the Cincinnati chili recipe.
If we’re talking ancho or that commercially mixed chili powder (like Schilling or whatever) that’s not a lot of chili powder, especially for 3 pounds of beef.
That’s a very small amount of cayenne for such a large volume as others have pointed out, it won’t be spicy… greek chili is classically not very hot, but it is flavorful and spicy in other ways.
Everyone has his own tolerance, of course. But commercially prepared chili powder is really very mild. I add chipotle powder, paprika and a bit of cayenne, then add diced peppers. I don’t do Scotch bonnets or habaneros or pequines or ghost peppers or any of that shit that makes your eyes bleed, though.
Yea, I’d use ground chuck… oh, and the secret to good greek chili is never to skim the beef fat, or only drain half of the fat. You need a light scum of reddish brown fat across the top of the pot.
Chili was invented to make cheap, tough cuts of meat palatable. That’s why you stew it so long. I’ve even seem recipes for making it with pemmican. Stuff cowboys would bring on the trail.
Same for any stewed meat, really. Ground meat is just a quick way to get the dish on the table. On the other hand, I simmer my spaghetti sauce for about four hours.
Or hell, if you are going to go all out for Greek Chili, why not use a Ground Lamb’s Breast, Ground Beef Chuck Roast, and a fresh Pork Sausage Mix? That would be ideal, and damn tasty, the intermingling of the fats.
I have no idea if it would be good or not. Do they make a hot sauce based on Szechuan peppers? I’d be inclined to try adding sauce to chili at the table first as an experiment. (says the person who adds Sriracha/rooster sauce at the table on a regular basis.)