Cooking questions thread

ShawnOL · May 15

Like the title says, post your cooking questions here.

My questions:
I'm making chili on Friday but I've never made it before. Some tips would be appreciated.

What kind of beans do you use in your chili? I bought some pinto beans because the can said it was for chili. Don't know if they're the right beans or not. Also bought a can of kidney beans.

What kind of onions and peppers do you use?

d_blades · May 15

If you insist on beans, most any will work.

Wylaff · May 15

Get a mix of pinto, black and kidney. I personally like my chili beanless, but if I'm doing beans the mix gives you a good texture without devolving into a refried bean like paste.

genareddog · May 15

No beans ever in ours

Stubble · May 15

We use sweet onions (1015 or Vidalia), jalapeno and aleppo peppers. I start by sautéing the onions in a tablespoon of butter and add some ground aleppo peppers, then add chopped jalapenos. Sometimes I'll add chopped celery too. Once these are cooked to your liking, start browning the meat. I remove the onions and stuff, get the pan hot, and sear/brown the meat. Once the meat is done, put it all together, adding whatever beans you want. (We use pinto beans) Start adding your spices (salt, pepper, cumin and chili powder, etc...) add a squirt or two of your favorite catsup for sweetness if you like. Get it all mixed up good, add either broth or water to your desired wetness, put a lid on it and let it simmer.

If you use a high fat meat, drain the excess grease after browning.

peter4jc · May 15

Elbow macaroni - GoToChef
Must have...

Yakster · May 15

Dontcha know

peter4jc · May 15

ShawnOL · May 15

Planning on chili peppers and jalapeños. Would habaneros be too much?

Stubble · May 15

@ShawnOL said:
Planning on chili peppers and jalapeños. Would habaneros be too much?

That depends on you!

First_Warrior · May 15

Take the seeds out of the peppers if you want less heat. Habaneros are very spicy so if you cut them wash your hands before you pee or you will be jumping all over the kitchen.

Wylaff · May 16

habaneros have a very sweet flavor, almost fruity. That's why you often see it paired with mango. If you're looking to add heat to chili use a couple serranos.

ShawnOL · May 16

I bought
2 habaneros
4 hot green peppers (longer and skinnier than red chilis)
8 hot red chili peppers
4 good sized jalapeños
1 white onion (nothing was listed as sweet)
1.5lbs of ground beef
.75lbs of hot Italian sausage (sliced thin)
Large can of pimento beans
Small can of kidney beans
Large can of unseasoned tomato sauce.
2 chili seasoning packets. One went in the crock, the other went in the skillet with the browning meats.

Didn't use the habaneros as I already had a ton of veggies chopped. It is very veggie heavy, my son may not want to eat it. I had bought chourico and linguica sausages to add but it looks about the right amount of meat to bean to veggie and sauce mix already. We'll see how it comes out of the crock pot in four hours. If it's too thin I can add some tomato paste I keep on hand.

Edited to add ingredients.

Yakster · May 16

I like to top my chili with grated cheese and chopped raw white onions.

ShawnOL · May 16

Bought shredded cheddar and pepper jack also. Have another white onion on the counter in case it needs it.

Wylaff · May 17

How do people live without having 10 pounds of onions on hand at all times?

Jrflickster · May 17

1 at a time here sorry

Amos_Umwhat · May 17

@Jrflickster said:
1 at a time here sorry

Same, but then, I live alone.

Rdp77 · May 17

One at a time? I’ll eat an onion while I’m chopping one lol

MrShrek · May 17

I hear “ogres are like onions”.

VegasFrank · May 18

Chili
No beans, we are KETO
no macaroni, we are ADULTS

1.5 lbs 20 percent fat beef (27 is better)
Lots of peppers and chilis to your taste
Yellow onion NO WHITE
Lots of varieties of tomatoes NO ROMA
One Heirloom tomato is a MUST (any kind)
(30 oz total in tomatoes)
half head of garlic HAND MINCED
16 oz Homemade beef stock (canned if you must, no bullion)

Seasonings
Kosher salt
Finely ground black pepper
Chili powder
Smoked paprika
Ground cumin
Crushed coriander seed
Chili flakes
Crushed mustard seed is interesting and optional

Sautee onions for a few minutes in AVACADO OIL
Add garlic afor 30 seconds
Add 2 tbsp tomato paste...cook till deep red and combined w onions
Add beef, spices and brown
Add diced tomatoes and stock, bring to a boil, lower to a simmer
Reseason as necessary
Lid on, 45 mins
Reseason as necessary,
Lid on, 45 minutes

Serve with
Fresh sour cream
3 or 4 rough chopped cilantro sprigs
Scallions or chives
Raw diced onions (optional)
No cheese (but allowable in a pinch)

You're welcome in advance 😁

CalvinAndHobo · May 18

2 onions. When one gets used, I have one emergency onion until the next grocery run, and will buy one new onion next time I go. Then the emergency onion gets used next time and the new onion becomes the emergency onion. On a related note, I am not succeeding at trying to live in the moment without overthinking everything.

silvermouse · May 18

5 or 6, use must and toss one or two spoiled ones. Calvin's system makes some sense

TNBigfoot68 · May 18

@VegasFrank for some reason when I read the recipe I read "reason as necessary" both times, and was like does Frank argue with his food, then I slowed down and read it again. Lol

VegasFrank · May 18

@TNBigfoot68 said:
@VegasFrank for some reason when I read the recipe I read "reason as necessary" both times, and was like does Frank argue with his food, then I slowed down and read it again. Lol

Reasoning with your food gives it that Wãng that you're really looking for.... 😂

Wylaff · May 20

I have had some unreasonable meals in my time...

ShawnOL · June 1

If I buy whole heads of garlic or bags of onions, how long should they last and still be edible? Should I refrigerate them? This was all stuff my wife knew but I have no clue.

Stubble · June 1

I don't refrigerate mine. Heads of garlic last two weeks and three weeks for the onions.

*I should add that we cook a lot, and they usually don't have a chance to last longer. Usually buy 3 to 4 heads of garlic and 3 pound bag of 1015 onions at a time.

CharlieHeis · June 1

A good rule of thumb for produce is if it's not refrigerated in the store then it doesn't need to be. I'm sure there are exceptions and I'm no expert on cooking but that's how I do it.

silvermouse · June 2

I harvest garlic in July and it lasts about 6 months, stored in the cool dark cellar stairway (about 50 degrees 50% relative humidity). All bets are off if store bought.

silvermouse · June 2

"Many people think of California as the garlic capital of the world when, in fact, most of our garlic comes from China. Because production costs in China are much lower, Chinese garlic costs less. As Chinese garlic continues to flood our markets, California growers are less likely to choose garlic as a crop since it is much less profitable now.

How do you tell the difference between domestic and Chinese garlic when shopping for produce? Garlic bulbs with roots scooped off the bottom (leaving a clean concave) are Chinese. The scooping lowers the weight and thus the shipping costs, but it also removes contaminated soil, required by U.S. law. On the other hand, domestic bulbs come with roots attached—sometimes. While American growers are free to leave the roots on the bulbs, if a grower believes that rootless bulbs are prettier and more desirable to shoppers, then he can remove them, making his domestic garlic look just like Chinese garlic."

https://www.southernliving.com/garden/grumpy-gardener/american-vs-chinese-garlic

Cooking questions thread

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