Chili Powder

[lonestardiver]

I’ve been buying Penzy’s chili powder as I find it is pretty decent. But over the years their increasing wokeness has me looking elsewhere. I’ve looked at Pendery’s, and their list of 20ish chili powder blends and lacking ingredient list doesn’t help.

Most of the supermarket varieties include an undetermined amount of salt and equally lacking in the ingredient list. I prefer to add a known amount of salt so salt free chili powder is preferred.

I’m looking for a chili powder with a good base of ancho chili, but to include ground chipotle, guajillo, chile de arbo, and possibly others. The heat point should be a good medium to medium hot as I can add heat as needed with habanero.

What chili powders do the folks on here like to use to make a good batch of Texas chili?

 

[HKSig]

Mexene. Obi-Cue Texas Soul too.

 

[Wudidiz]

I'll stay with Penzeys Medium Hot (Ancho chili pepper, cayenne red pepper, paprika, cumin, garlic and Mexican oregano). I add sliced jalapenos and a tbsp of cinnamon powder.

 

[deemus]

Fiesta brand is pretty good. Texas company.

 

[Lead Belly]

Mexene. Obi-Cue Texas Soul too.

Thank you- just ordered for myself and gift.

Beans or no beans??

 

[HKSig]

Thank you- just ordered for myself and gift.

Beans or no beans??

You must not be from around here. No beans.

There will be chili here on Christmas Day. I hope SWTSMBO checked the stock on hand...

 

[CharlieWH2O]

Mexene or Gebhart's. Both Texas Chili Powders.

 

[jrbfishn]

Gebhart's. Used it for 50 yrs. Tried others. They wound up in the trash.

Sent from my SM-S906U using Tapatalk

 

[Fishkiller]

Fiesta brand is no salt. However I like to make my own sometimes. Ground chilis with garlic onion cumin cayenne pepper and sometimes smoked paprika. If you want heat add ground jalapeño or diced habanero

 

[oohrah]

HEB's Mi Tienda brand has all those dried chiles in the produce section. You could make your own.

 

[lonestardiver]

HEB's Mi Tienda brand has all those dried chiles in the produce section. You could make your own.

Sadly there is not an HEB nearby. Although I could goto Central Market, it’s still 45 minutes away and prices are likely higher.

Wait, there’s an HEB in Weatherford if I recall. Still 40 minutes of driving.

 

[Polekitty]

Try this.

Buy Mexene Chili Powder | Mexican-Style Texas Chili Powder

Authentic Mexene Chili Powder in 38-ounce bulk size for food service. Mexene's award-winning chili seasoning blend brings the bold and spicy flavors of Mexican-style cuisine to tamales, enchiladas, Texas-style chili, and chili corn carne.

texasfoodsdirect.com

 

[PUCKER]

I appreciate this thread, very nice / hot!!

I know these are *very* commercial...but I still find them pretty tasty:
-Carrol Shelby's (in a brown paper bag)
-Wick Fowler's (my wife's favorite)

I've made my own from scratch when I'm really in the mood for TREMENDOUS chili...but it does take some time (as in start on it the day before, mix a good chunk of the spices with the meat and let it dry marinate overnight...so good!).

 

[Brojon]

I make my own from various dried chilis from the local Mexican supermarket (Fiesta Mart).
Mostly guajillo and ancho, pasilla (true pasilla which is dried chilaca), then I add chipotle, Chile de Arbol, cayenne - hot peppers.
If I have some mild Hatch peppers I use those dried instead of ancho.

 

[lonestardiver]

I make my own from various dried chilis from the local Mexican supermarket (Fiesta Mart).
Mostly guajillo and ancho, pasilla (true pasilla which is dried chilaca), then I add chipotle, Chile de Arbol, cayenne - hot peppers.
If I have some mild Hatch peppers I use those dried instead of ancho.

That is the sort of thing I’d ultimately like to do.
I know the Penzey’s chili powder is based around ancho chili.

Would you care to share what portions of the different chilis you use?

 

[leVieux]

I’ve been buying Penzy’s chili powder as I find it is pretty decent. But over the years their increasing wokeness has me looking elsewhere. I’ve looked at Pendery’s, and their list of 20ish chili powder blends and lacking ingredient list doesn’t help.

Most of the supermarket varieties include an undetermined amount of salt and equally lacking in the ingredient list. I prefer to add a known amount of salt so salt free chili powder is preferred.

I’m looking for a chili powder with a good base of ancho chili, but to include ground chipotle, guajillo, chile de arbo, and possibly others. The heat point should be a good medium to medium hot as I can add heat as needed with habanero.

What chili powders do the folks on here like to use to make a good batch of Texas chili?

<>

Try Maceo Spice Co in Galveston.

maceo spice co

Maceo Spice & Import

Come to Maceo Spice & Import for the ambiance, the experience and the quality. Known for our wonderful products and food, Maceo Spice is a historical landmark of Galveston history. We have been in business since 1944, providing only the finest quality products available.

maceospice.com

<>

 

[Forge]

Thank you- just ordered for myself and gift.

Beans or no beans??

I like both with and without beans, but if it has beans, I call it chili beans.

 

[leVieux]

<>’

Many years ago, I was taught about Texas chili by a late friend who grew-up on a very famous Reagan County cattle ranch which he still partly owned. He used spice blends from Hatch N.M. or from a Friend’s home garden in Piedras Negras.

Guy was quite a home cook, had even studied under Paul Bocuse @ Lyon and had written his own cookbooks.

He didn’t seem too concerned about the chile (powder) mix chosen, as long as it was fresh, from the same season, not a prior year. He said it was OK for folks to have their own pepper blend preferences.

But he was adamant to use beef suet, which one usually must make for oneself by heating beef fat.

He used only good lean beef, well-trimmed of fat and diced or cubed. His favorite was 8# beef & 2# young goat. No “ground meat’. He’d pre-fry about half the beef for browning first.

Chopped white or yellow onion, fresh red & green bell peppers, crushed garlic “ajo”. Always cooked in a seasoned Iron pot, and left on stovetop overnight to cool & flavors blend. (Yes, I know, but that’s how he did it.)

If beans were desired, they were cooked and served SEPARATELY in different bowls.
’He mostly served w/ hot buttered corn tortillas, but had no objection to tortillas de harina or home-made cornbread.

Even the mention of tomatoes would bring indignant commentary.

He’d add a big spoonful of masa trigo or “jar roux”, to thicken the juices.

About the time Friend died, back around 1981, Texas Monthly Magazine ran a featured article about “Things which DON’T belong in real Texas Chili.’’

This is a note on Friend’s famous Dad; my Friend was “Jr.”:

Ricker, Rupert Paul

The Handbook of Texas is your number one authoritative source for Texas history. Read this entry and thousands more like it on our site.

www.tshaonline.org

As they say: “One helluva Guy!”

leVieux

<>

 

[Brojon]

That is the sort of thing I’d ultimately like to do.
I know the Penzey’s chili powder is based around ancho chili.

Would you care to share what portions of the different chilis you use?

It's a rough proportion - someday I need to turn it into a real recipe.
Say 75% a 50/50 mix of guajillo and ancho (or dried Hatch is not available)
10% pasilla (dried chilaca)
then 5% chile de arbol, 5% chipotle. Bump these to taste to make 100%
I like chile de arbol - likely my favorite hot pepper next to cayenne and scotch bonnet.

 

[Brojon]

BTW - I will share my favorite pepper provider ever.
Flatiron Pepper company. I chat with the owners all the time and we swap peppers and recipes.
Great folks!
Anyway I highly recommend their pepper blends and I have to say almost everything I cook I add one of their blends.
My faves are Jalapeno and smoked garlic and onion, Dark and smoky blend, Chipotle, smoked onion and garlic, Asian blend - man I bet have about 8 of their blends along with their grinder which you just screw on a bottle and get a finer grind. I've used the chipotle blend to make a chili powder that was pretty tasty.
Use this link to get $5 off an order: Flatiron Pepper Company