The Only Timing Rule You Need To Know For Cooking Chili

Chili is the king of one-pot meals. Beloved by many as an easy weeknight dinner, this stew or soup can be customized to your heart's content; use up whatever you have in your fridge, make it vegetarian or meat-packed — it's going to be good either way. All this said, easy does not always equal quick. When it comes to making chili, throwing everything in a pot is the main step, but the clock needs to be considered. Chef Jesse Moore, Corporate Chef at Cargill Protein North America, weighed in about the time it takes to make this family favorite. "The longer the better. It takes time for spices in a chili to rehydrate, release and come together."

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So while a 30-minute simmer will do in a pinch, don't be afraid to let your pot go for hours. Even better, make it in a slow cooker so it can cook low and slow all day while you're at work. "That is often why chili is often said to be better the next day –the melding time it gets from chilling and being [reheated]," Moore said. That's good news for you because a pot of chili makes enough to feed a village, and you're sure to have leftovers.

Stewing up the perfect recipe

The ingredients you go with are largely up to your discretion. For a veggie chili, beans are the obvious star, but adding a sweet potato beefs up the chili (not literally!) even more. If you prefer meat with your beans, chuck roast is the best cut of steak for chili; it just can't be beat. You can even try mixing your meats for the most hearty bowl. Ground turkey or chicken brings new flavor, while ground beef obviously complements the chuck roast. Regardless of whether you're including meat, you should definitely add butternut squash to chili; it brings the perfect hint of sweetness and has a tender, creamy texture that works wonderfully with the other ingredients.

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Of course, the style you choose will also affect the ingredients you use. For example, Texas and Cincinnati chili have key differences; Texas-style is the hearty and chunky stew you are probably familiar with, while Cincinnati-style is usually looser and acts as a topping for a carb of some sort. Whatever you throw in your pot, be sure to let it simmer for as long as you can for the most flavorful result.

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