Please help me to make mild chili from this recipe

[Not Heidi]

Hiya. I don't cook much, but when I get a recipe I'd like to make, I must make it - and soon. I want to make this one before Thanksgiving.

Meet the Chili Lovers - my family, comprising four adults: my sister, Fish; her non-binary daughter (who has no nickname); my wife, the Tough Ol' Mountain Woman (MW); and yours truly, Bertha. Our household is The Aunthill of Fountain Valley.

Fish and I don't do well with spicy foods. I know it's possible to make very tasty Mexican dishes without the heat, and that's what I need. It has to be quite mild, as mild as you experts can help me to get it without ruining the flavor. Also, the narrative that accompanies the recipe explains that chipotle chili is added for "a smokey dimension to the chili, enhancing all of the other flavors." I don't like smoky flavoring, but please, tell me your opinions.

Chili con Carne

2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
3 to 4 tablespoons water
4 strips bacon
2 1/2 pounds chuck roast, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Kosher salt
1 medium white onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapeño chili peppers, seeded, ribs
removed, minced
1 (14-ounce) can whole tomatoes
2 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime
juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1 (14-ounce) can kidney beans, drained
1 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in a
couple of tablespoons of water
Kosher salt
Grated cheddar cheese, garnish
Red onion, garnish

* Make the chili paste:
In a small bowl mix the chili powder, chipotle chili powder, ground cumin, oregano, thyme, and ground coriander seeds. Mix in water so that chili forms a light paste. Set aside.
* Cook the bacon
* Brown the beef chunks in bacon fat
* Cook the onions
* Combine the chili ingredients in a big
pot, simmer, then cook slowly
* Thicken with cornstarch
* Add the kidney beans
* Add toppings to serve

I imagine that the only place to reduce the heat is in step one. Am I wrong?

What are your thoughts on pinto beans vs kidney beans? I like pintos a lot more than kidneys, and I plan to use them when I make this - unless I hear some good arguments for kidneys. MW likes kidney beans, but I've been eating kidney beans for 24 years, and it's her turn to compromise.

Thanks for your help, friends!

And, hey: if you've got what you think is a better recipe, lay it on me. 😃

[wryter2000]

1. Leave the jalapeos out

I didn’t see anything else that would create significant heat.

[Not Heidi]

2. Thanks! n/t

[MagickMuffin]

3. Some suggestions

Use only one jalapeño and discard seeds, you could also option to use just a half of a jalapeño.

Since 2 of you have heat issues I’d also recommend having a side pico de gallo. There are various recipes that you can create with having mild where you can enjoy it and a spicier version. Mango works well with a salsa side dish.


Best of luck 🤞

[fierywoman]

4. The above suggestions are smart (especially a pico de gallo on the side to add more heat if wanted.)

If I wanted to make the recipe mild (as in Tim Walz/ MidWestern mild ) I'd leave out the 2 TB chili powder and the chipotle powder and the jalapeño.) It's got lots of interesting ingredients to keep it flavorful. For the heat lovers among you, serve some kind of chili or chili oil on the side to temper the flavor? (That's where I like the pico do gallo idea ) Anyway, Buon appetito!

[Phoenix61]

5. Make your own chili powder.

I’d skip the chipotle chili powder. The heat in chili powder comes from cayenne pepper. I found this recipe on allrecipes.
2 tablespoons paprika
2 teaspoons oregano
1 ½ teaspoons cumin
1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
¾ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

I like to use black beans and pinto beans in chili. I’m not a fan of kidney beans.

[royable]

6. My general rule of thumb on recipes like this is to cut down all the spices I perceive as hot to 40%-60%.

For me, that would be the chili, chipotle, cumin, coriander and oregano, and leave seeds out of the chili peppers (which this recipe suggests anyway). I'll admit I don't have much experience with chipotle chili powder. Perhaps cut back on garlic if it seems excessive, though this doesn't. The two japaleno peppers don't seem too excessive, though it depends on their size. You could always start with just one. All that meat will disperse the heat. Overall, looks like a delish recipe!

One of my very favorite chili recipes is a lot simpler than this, it's the vegetarian chili recipe in the Moosewood Cookbook. I like to load it up with more onion and bell pepper and carrots and celery than the recipe has, and use chopped fresh Roma tomatoes, not canned tomatoes. The secret ingredient for the texture is bulgher wheat.

I just got the ingredients to make a very tasty pumpkin chili recipe I found online in 2020, using a small fresh pumpkin that I cut up and roast. (and roast the seeds in the toaster oven for snacking!)

I got some smokey chili or cayenne or something a couple years ago to try out and hated it. Everything I used it in would take on the same disagreeable fake smoke flavor. I tossed it.

Good luck!

[Duncanpup]

7. Do you offer takeout

[Not Heidi]

12. Heh heh

Fish does most of our cooking, and she has some killer dishes. I'll ask if she does take out.

[Otterdaemmerung]

8. Most of the heat

from peppers is from the ribs and seeds, so I would echo the commenter who suggested reducing the jalapenos from two to a half, or leave them out entirely.

Also, in my opinion, skipping the chili powder completely would ruin the flavor, but I would go with just regular chili powder instead of chipotle, since chipotles are dried smoked jalapenos.

[SARose]

9. Texas Chili

1. Use Gebhardt chili powder. Nix the chipotle.
2. Serve the jalapeños on the side.
3. Serve the beans on the side.
4. Use Masa Harina to thicken - not cornstarch.

I no longer use a chuck roast because it is too expensive for chili. I use ground beef. I make my chili like my Mom and my Grandmothers. Just chili powder, ground cumin, Mexican oregano, whole tomatoes, garlic, onion and beef.

The San Antonio chili queens made this wonderful stew with simple, cheap ingredients.

Hope this helps!

PS

https://www.texascooking.com/recipes/pedernaleschili.htm]

President Johnson’s Perdenales chili. Very similar to my family’s recipe. Hot sauce served on the side, though.

[japple]

10. That is how my granny made it. Everyone in our family in TX uses Gebhardt.

If you want the smoky flavor but not the heat, substitute sweet Hungarian paprika for the chipotle.

[Kali]

11. these 4 steps

you could even use half a green bell pepper and/or smoked paprika if you want to really sub things to mild.

to bring heat up for those who like it sprinkle a tiny bit of cayenne at the table.

if you can't find gebhardts any mild or regular chile powder will be fine. 2 tablespoons with all the other ingredients is not likely to be hot. if you find that it is, add more beans and/or use plenty of grated cheese in your bowl.