You're Compromising The Flavor Of Your Chili With One Mistake

The best comfort meals are those that fill you up, don't take much work to make, and can be customized to one's exact liking. Chili checks all those boxes and finds a way to hit the spot on the coldest days, even when dining out. While chili enthusiasts may love it for the heat, the distinct flavors, or the chance to pile it high with toppings, a simple mistake can hinder this comfort classic. But an easy fix can help it unlock its full potential.

Whether you're following by-the-numbers instructions or family tradition, many chili recipes call for water as a means to tenderize meat while keeping it moist as it cooks. Jesse Moore, a corporate chef at Cargill Protein North America recommends skipping water ostensibly because it doesn't add flavor. "You could use only water but given the fact that you can add so much flavor by adding other liquids such as stocks, I'd recommend that route!" Moore says. "Sometimes, I like to add a bottle of beer. A splash of red wine does great to waken up flavors or even some bourbon or tequila towards the end will unlock notes and flavors that don't stand out on their own."

The addition of water to chili may be as old as the dish itself. But as a dish with easy adaptability and endless flavor potential, water seems a little out of place when considering the savory, acidic, smoky, earthy flavors intertwined in a pot of chili. Renowned chefs such as Bobby Flay, Gordon Ramsay, and Giada de Laurentiis all forgo water in favor of broth in their favorite chili recipes because it helps deepen the flavor of the meat and other ingredients.

As Moore notes, the addition of anything other than water can be the key to an entirely new way of enjoying chili by unlocking new and exciting flavors. Some of our favorite chili recipes incorporate dark beer, pineapple juice, and beef broth, allowing for different flavor profiles that range from savory to earthy with a hint of sweetness.

There are no right or wrong answers for what to use because the debate over what constitutes "authentic" chili rages on. So an alcohol-infused beef chili can act as a twist on classic dishes like beef bourguignon; the addition of soda to chili may conjure comparisons to your favorite pot roast; and beer can add richness while helping to balance the heat in particularly spicy pots of chili.