Chilli not hot enough

DiddyS said:

I've frozen down a batch of chilli con carne for when some friends visit on
Sunday.

Having just tried some, it is just not hot enough even though I used more
chilli powder than the recipe said.

How can I make it hotter? Can I just add some more chilli powder when I
reheat it? But how would I get it mixed in evenly? Or is there something
else I can use to give it a bit of heat?

I'd be very grateful for any advice to help me save a duff chilli from the
bin.

Add cayenne pepper when you reheat it. Not too much!

Bob

DiddyS said:

I've frozen down a batch of chilli con carne for when some friends visit on
Sunday.

How can I make it hotter? Can I just add some more chilli powder when I
reheat it? But how would I get it mixed in evenly? Or is there something
else I can use to give it a bit of heat?

I'd be very grateful for any advice to help me save a duff chilli from the
bin.

If you're worried about it mixing in properly use some hot sauce and
stir it in well... that should make it fiery enough for anyone's
tastebuds!

--
~Karen aka Kajikit
Crafts, cats, and chocolate - the three essentials of life
http://www.kajikitscorner.com
Online photo album - http://community.webshots.com/user/kajikit

Bob Myers said:

"DiddyS" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

can I make it hotter? Can I just add some more chilli powder when I
reheat it? But how would I get it mixed in evenly? Or is there something
else I can use to give it a bit of heat?

Sure, feel free to add chili powder and other spices/herbs
to your heart's content - after all, this IS just a batch of chili;
if it turns out not to your liking, then you'll do it better next time.
Stir as much as you need to mix it all in.

Keep in mind that not all chili powders are created equal - some
have considerably more heat than others. You can also add
cayenne pepper, jalapenos or habaneros (diced/minced), any of the
various commercial hot pepper sauces (I can't keep myself from
adding Tabasco to just about everything, and Tabasco is a bit on
the mild side as some of these go).

[snipped good stuff about when to spices]

Most hot sauces are sour, and that might not be what you want here.

I don't like to mix dried red chiles and fresh green chiles, so I'll
again recommend adding cayenne pepper. Serve the fresh jalapenos or a
habanero salsa separately.

Bob

"DiddyS" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

can I make it hotter? Can I just add some more chilli powder when I
reheat it? But how would I get it mixed in evenly? Or is there something
else I can use to give it a bit of heat?

Sure, feel free to add chili powder and other spices/herbs
to your heart's content - after all, this IS just a batch of chili;
if it turns out not to your liking, then you'll do it better next time.
Stir as much as you need to mix it all in.

Keep in mind that not all chili powders are created equal - some
have considerably more heat than others. You can also add
cayenne pepper, jalapenos or habaneros (diced/minced), any of the
various commercial hot pepper sauces (I can't keep myself from
adding Tabasco to just about everything, and Tabasco is a bit on
the mild side as some of these go).

When making the chili in the first place, also keep in mind that
WHEN you add ingredients can be as important as WHAT
you add. A lot of what will go into the heat and spiciness of
the chili is best considered "volatile" - if it goes in early, the
flavor will mellow out quite a bit by the time the chili is finished.
(Garlic is a great example - there's a huge difference between
the contributions of garlic which has been cooked a long time,
and raw minced garlic tossed in right at the end.)

Bob M.

"DiddyS" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've frozen down a batch of chilli con carne for when some friends visit
on Sunday.

Quoted message said:

Having just tried some, it is just not hot enough even though I used more
chilli powder than the recipe said.

How can I make it hotter? Can I just add some more chilli powder when I
reheat it? But how would I get it mixed in evenly? Or is there something
else I can use to give it a bit of heat?

I like to add a bit of dried ground chipotle to my chili. Adds a smoky
depth along with heat.

Chris

"Chris" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:LSOGf.32609$H43.13623@trnddc08...

Quoted message said:

"DiddyS" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've frozen down a batch of chilli con carne for when some friends visit
on Sunday.

Quoted message said:

Having just tried some, it is just not hot enough even though I used more
chilli powder than the recipe said.

How can I make it hotter? Can I just add some more chilli powder when I
reheat it? But how would I get it mixed in evenly? Or is there something
else I can use to give it a bit of heat?

I like to add a bit of dried ground chipotle to my chili. Adds a smoky
depth along with heat.

Chris

Hi,
I'd just like to thank everyone for all their helpful suggestions. I've
printed them out for future reference. If I live long enough I just might
learn to cook. LOL.
My friends will be very grateful to you too, as they like their chilli HOT!
Thanks,
Derek.

DiddyS said:

I'd just like to thank everyone for all their helpful suggestions. I've
printed them out for future reference. If I live long enough I just might
learn to cook. LOL.
My friends will be very grateful to you too, as they like their chilli HOT!

I use Thai ground chili, "prik pon" -- It adds heat to anything without
adding flavor.

http://www.panix.com/~clay/cookbook/bin/show_ingredient.cgi?prik-pon

--
Clay Irving <[email hidden]>
A university is what a college becomes when the faculty loses interest in
students.
- John Ciardi

In article <[email hidden]>,

DiddyS said:

I've frozen down a batch of chilli con carne for when some friends visit on
Sunday.

Having just tried some, it is just not hot enough even though I used more
chilli powder than the recipe said.

How can I make it hotter? Can I just add some more chilli powder when I
reheat it? But how would I get it mixed in evenly? Or is there something
else I can use to give it a bit of heat?

I'd be very grateful for any advice to help me save a duff chilli from the
bin.

At my house, different people like their chili differently. I put some
hot stuff on the table. I don't know what you have in the UK, but
various kinds of ground pepper (like cayenne), hot sauce (like Tabasco)
and salsa or pickled peppers are good.

--
Dan Abel
[email hidden]
Petaluma, California, USA

DiddyS wrote:
Hi,

Quoted message said:

I'd just like to thank everyone for all their helpful suggestions. I've
printed them out for future reference. If I live long enough I just might
learn to cook. LOL.
My friends will be very grateful to you too, as they like their chilli HOT!

Did you remember to use some cumin? The missing link might not be "hot"
as much as the well rounded flavor cumin adds.
Goomba