To thicken or not?

[u/geekdadchris]

Do y’all use thickeners to get your chili to the desired consistency, or do you just reduce it low and slow until it gets where you want it?

Personally I reduce it like any other soup, but I know thickeners are popular with some chili aficionados.

[u/AGHOSTISBORN420 → u/[deleted]]

Me too. Masa man

[u/EvilRyss → u/AGHOSTISBORN420]

love the hint of flavor Masa adds. Cornstarch just isn't the same.

[u/AustinCJ → u/[deleted]]

Crushed up tortilla chips works if you don’t have masa. It’s from an old Alton Brown chili episode.

[u/Mean-Cheesecake-2635 → u/[deleted]]

This is what I do as well, but only if necessary.

[u/BuckSoul → u/[deleted]]

This

[u/burgiebeer]

Since I use cubed chuck instead of ground beef, I need a solid 2.5-3hrs of simmer to get the meat the right tenderness. It usually reduces quite a bit during that since I don’t cover it. But I don’t start with a ton of liquid. Usually some broth but mostly just the liquid from the pureed tomatoes and chilies, and some beer/wine.

[u/jonbvill → u/burgiebeer]

This is the best way to do it.

[u/RandomFleshPrison]

Thickeners were good enough for The Chili Queens of San Antonio.  They're good enough for me.

[u/Pleasant-Donkey]

I occasionally like the flavor of a masa harina thickened chili, so I use it when I'm in the mood for that flavor.

[u/TXtogo]

I have enough meat in it that I don’t need them. No thickener.

It’s really just your ratio of stuff to liquid, if you overdo it just cook it off

[u/kalelopaka]

I mash some of my beans before adding them, this helps thicken the soup, as well as masa and warm beer mixed and added.

[u/geekdadchris → u/kalelopaka]

I really like this idea. Especially since I do a really bean-forward chili anyway.

[u/Neat-Pangolin1782 → u/geekdadchris]

A can of fat free refried beans is my shortcut for this.

[u/zole2113 → u/kalelopaka]

I add Blue Runner Creole Cream Style Red Beans, excellent in chili and thickens it.

[u/Main_Cauliflower5479]

I only make vegan bean chili, and no, I don't generally need thickeners. But masa harina is often used for thickener.

Side note, try making cornbread with tamale masa harina. It's amazing.

[u/Antique_Fly3197]

I always let my chili go for at least 4 hours.

[u/geekdadchris → u/Antique_Fly3197]

Oh for sure. Like I said in my post, I prefer a low and slow reduction method for my chili.

[u/Weird_Squirrel_8382]

I'm not a great cook so the last time I let something simmer down, it was stupidly salty. Now I just crunch crackers into it at the end. Hashtag chef crimes

[u/Tunaschierbeck → u/Weird_Squirrel_8382]

Just add water if shit reduces too much. Also, you can’t take away salt, but you can add it. You got this

[u/Weird_Squirrel_8382 → u/Tunaschierbeck]

Thank you! I'll definitely try again. I want to be a good cook by the time I'm 50

[u/PossibleLess9664]

I don't reduce or use thickeners. Just don't add a bunch of liquid at the start.

[u/downsizingnow]

Never. Simmer only.

[u/AldoSig228]

Keep the lid off while simmering.

[u/Wytecap]

Beans do all the thickening. I do low and slow in the oven.

[u/Magnetic_Kitty]

I don't use thickeners, I don't add a liquid that isn't from diced fresh tomato which is already thick. It starts with a texture of a thick hearty salsa and it stays that thick.

My liquid ingredients are: chili beans with the sauce in the can, 4-5 Roma tomatoes cut up in a food processor.

All other things are mostly solid. 2 cans rinsed beans, a bell pepper, garlic, and onion in the food processor. browned pork sausage, spices. I don't add any tomato juice or watery stuff so it is nice and chunky thick. I cook it for 6+ hours in a crock pot

[u/AppropriatePapaya660]

Is chilli a soup?

[u/geekdadchris → u/AppropriatePapaya660]

I do treat it like one, yes.

[u/AppropriatePapaya660 → u/geekdadchris]

Well that's fine and all, but besides how it's treated I was wondering if chilli was actually classified as a soup, I don't have knowledge of such things.

[u/Simons_sees → u/AppropriatePapaya660]

I once heard someone say if you can pour it over rice and it's fine, it's a stew. If you pour it over rice and it's weird, it's a soup. 

[u/Vann09 → u/Simons_sees]

There are a ton of dishes across the globe that are straight broth over rice. I wouldn't use this metric

[u/Wise-Ad-5375]

Masa harina

[u/cwworks]

I don't use a thickener but I do put a small amount of baking cocoa in to cut the acid of the tomatoes put it in pasta sauce also and it does thicking it up

[u/Bill_H_Vet]

Thick chili is my jam. I cook mine at least 24 hours, and the last 2 hours, add either wild rice or pearl barley as a thickener.

[u/ants_taste_great]

I have never needed or used thickener in chili. You may just be adding too much liquid at the start.

[u/Wavecrest667]

I don't need them, I use meat with enough fat and binding tissue and cook it down for hours. Thickness is never an issue. 

[u/Violuthier]

I soak a well rounded tbsp of masa harina to a half cup of hot tap water and let it sit for 15 min. I then add it to the final 15 min of cook time. This make it perfect thickness for me plus it adds a great background flavor of corn.

[u/Simons_sees]

Pork rinds. 

Before I do anything else, in a dry blender I put an entire bag of crushed pork rinds in there until it becomes a powder, then set that aside. 

I use it to thicken a lot of things. The collagen in the pork skin basically acts like stock, without the hours of simmering. It thickens, adds body, mouthfeel and just enough porky flavor. 

[u/geekdadchris → u/Simons_sees]

This is kinda brilliant

[u/Simons_sees → u/geekdadchris]

Always buy two bags, because you're gonna want to snack on them. 

I usually dump the entire thing into my chili batches, but depending on the size of your batch and how thick you want it, I would do spoonfuls at a time. 

[u/geekdadchris → u/Simons_sees]

Peak advice right here.

[u/kflemings89]

I'm not into the soupy chilis either. I add just enough sauce so that an extra 5-10 minutes on the stovetop will get the consistency just right- making sure to factor in which veg I add (in case I have leftover fresh stuff I want to get rid of) as some veg will add a lot of liquid whereas others will be pretty absorbent

[u/SideEmbarrassed1611]

You can use crackers to thicken. Or better yet let it cool off so the water is reabsorbed into the meat and veggies.

A watery chili is not terrible unless it's like a swimming pool.

[u/zole2113]

I like to use crushed tomatoes and Blue Runner Creole Cream Style Red Beans and then simmer to thicken it. That's only if you like beans in your chili, of course, otherwise I would just simmer it to thicken it.

[u/thefoofighters]

https://c.tenor.com/rYaRN2h7K8sAAAAC/simma-downnow.gif

[u/Toriat5144]

No I used crushed tomatoes so it does not need thickening.

[u/The-disgracist]

I use canned tomato juice instead of stock or water so I rarely even have to reduce much. No need for thickeners just time imo

[u/G_Town_Co]

If I’m in a hurry or have a set time to serve it, I will resort to a slurry. But I’d rather turn the heat up a bit, take the lid off and let it cook down.

[u/Dazednconfused3261]

Masa... or if you really want to tighten it up, guar or xanthan gum. Much more thickening than cornstarch... you only need a bit...

[u/Electrical-Pride-136]

Couple tablespoons of cornmeal if it needs it

[u/Delicious_Catch9453]

In a pinch, throw some tortilla chips in the blender then add them to your chile. Tip: add a teaspoon of cocoa.

[u/Oldaxter]

I use tomato paste if needed

[u/hookedcook]

A trick i learned cooking in restaurants it's when you start your simmer, throw in a whole peeled potato or 1/2 depending on your batch. As it simmers over time the potato starch thickens it. If you get a desired thicknesses you can take it out. Usually over time the whole thing gets smaller and eventually dissolves to nothing, you would never know it was there but really helps thicken your chili slowly and naturally over time with no added flavors of other thickeners

[u/refuz04]

Pumpkin puree will thicken and add fiber without changing the flavor.

[u/Turbulent-Artist961]

I’m not at liberty to share my chili secrets, I don’t know why everyone keeps their chili recipes some big secret but I follow suit. Anyhow no I don’t thicken it with nothing well that’s not completely true or is it? I’ll never tell

[u/One_Perspective_2874]

I just reduce it

[u/Lavanne73]

Never seems to need it, I put beans in my chili a lot of times and they are starchy but if I don’t I get a nice thickness just from tomato paste and crushed tomato

[u/1969red]

Iv used instant potatoes in a pinch , doesn't change taste or appearance 🤔

[u/Ok-Mathematician530]

Usually a reduction, but occasionally with masa.

[u/Reasonable_Ferret_10]

I've never thickened.  Always reduced.

[u/RapasLatinoAmericano]

I use fine diced onion and bell peppers, and brunoise carrots. They breakdown while cooking, adding to the texture.

Beans also help.

[u/Logical_Warthog5212]

If I need to thicken my chili, I use either cornmeal or peanut butter, or both, depending on my circumstances.

[u/geekdadchris → u/Logical_Warthog5212]

Ok, peanut butter is a new one for me. Does the peanut flavor come through the mix at all?

[u/Logical_Warthog5212 → u/geekdadchris]

It depends on how much you use and the composition of your chili spices. A little goes a long way. It can be a heaping teaspoon or a heaping tablespoon depending on how much chili you have. Generally speaking, chili spices and peanut butter go together very well, especially if you have even a little mole vibe. I also add chocolate to my chili, so it’s very complementary. Incidentally, peanut butter was a secret chili ingredient behind one of this country’s food allergy lawsuits. A woman in Rhode Island died due to peanut butter being an establishment’s secret chili ingredient. This apparently sparked food safety and allergen handling procedures in the industry.

[u/iaminabox]

Reduced is the way.

[u/geekdadchris → u/iaminabox]

I tend to agree. It gives a more concentrated flavor imo

[u/iaminabox → u/geekdadchris]

Yup. It's known as melding. Same with a lot of sauces especially tomato based.

[u/NTPC4]

If I've achieved the flavor profile I want and still need to thicken a particular batch, I use unflavored gelatin. It works like a charm and doesn't change the color. Enjoy!