Thread: Make your own Chili Powder

sf wrote:
>
> I love Grandma's chili powder but haven't been able to find it for a
> while. Well, I finally figured out what the problem is - Grandma's
> was discontinued as of 12-09. Too bad, it was my favorite chili
> powder. Gebhardt's is such a distant second it wasn't in the running.
> I found a blog that talked about Grandma's demise and it had a pointer
> to a replacement recipe. So here it is for those who are Grandma's
> brand chili powder fans too.

That's bad news, though it must have been 30 years
since I bought my last jar. I used to buy it
regularly, mostly for home-made tortilla chips.

http://lawmama.blogspot.com/2009/07/...mas-chili.html

As I recall, it had excellent balance of the ingredients.
I'm surprised that it would not have enough sales
to remain a viable product.

On Tue, 13 Jul 2010 10:40:20 -0700, Mark Thorson <[email protected]>
wrote:

> sf wrote:
> >
> > I love Grandma's chili powder but haven't been able to find it for a
> > while. Well, I finally figured out what the problem is - Grandma's
> > was discontinued as of 12-09. Too bad, it was my favorite chili
> > powder. Gebhardt's is such a distant second it wasn't in the running.
> > I found a blog that talked about Grandma's demise and it had a pointer
> > to a replacement recipe. So here it is for those who are Grandma's
> > brand chili powder fans too.
>
> That's bad news, though it must have been 30 years
> since I bought my last jar. I used to buy it
> regularly, mostly for home-made tortilla chips.
>
> http://lawmama.blogspot.com/2009/07/...mas-chili.html
>
> As I recall, it had excellent balance of the ingredients.
> I'm surprised that it would not have enough sales
> to remain a viable product.

I'm disappointed, but not surprised. Corporations often do things I
don't agree with that apparently are better for their bottom line. My
game plan is to keep an eye out for Wayzata Chili Powder and see how
that tastes. So far, I'm coming up with nothing in the SFBA. If
you're familiar with the brand and know where to buy it in a brick and
mortar store around here - please let me know.

--
Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get.

Sounds reasonable but I have a few observations:

There is no particular advantage to mixing together ingredients
into a "chili powder" as opposed to adding them separately
into whatever you're cooking.

The suggestion that chilis in ristras are too dried out to
be used is completely wrong. Some ristras may be too old, sure,
but bagged chilis in the grocery store are also sometimes
too old. Ristras are not a purely decorative item, they are
a traditional way, and a correct way of storing chilis for
culinary use.

Steve

Steve Pope <[email protected]> wrote:
> Sounds reasonable but I have a few observations:
>
> There is no particular advantage to mixing together ingredients
> into a "chili powder" as opposed to adding them separately
> into whatever you're cooking.
>
> The suggestion that chilis in ristras are too dried out to
> be used is completely wrong. Some ristras may be too old, sure,
> but bagged chilis in the grocery store are also sometimes
> too old. Ristras are not a purely decorative item, they are
> a traditional way, and a correct way of storing chilis for
> culinary use.
>
> Steve

Agreed, it's the age and exposure to sunlight, not the storage method.
Decomposition of color and flavor compounds is also hastened by grinding. If
the color has faded on the chiles or you see tan anywhere on the chiles
where you expected to see brick red, they are past their prime and should be
tossed.

I find that keeping a complete chile powder is very useful, and a
convenience rather than preparing and adding all the individual ingredients
every time you want some. But when incorporating individual ingredients as
you suggest, I do it a little differently. Instead of toasting and grinding
the dried chiles, I toast them, then submerge them in enough hot water to
cover for 30 min to an hour. Then they go in the blender where they
reconsititute into a good paste. I like to do this with chile anchos, adding
in fresh garlic, ground toasted comino, and ground oregano, plus some lime
juice. This makes a great sauce base for many red chile recipes. It can also
be done with numex or anaheim type chiles, or guajillo, or they can be mixed
with very nice results, usually, for me, 50/50 anchos to other chiles. I
tend to keep a jarful of the stuff on hand in the fridge where it will keep
for a couple of weeks.

MartyB in KC

"sf" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]..
> On Tue, 13 Jul 2010 10:40:20 -0700, Mark Thorson <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>> sf wrote:
>> >
>> > I love Grandma's chili powder but haven't been able to find it for a
>> > while. Well, I finally figured out what the problem is - Grandma's
>> > was discontinued as of 12-09. Too bad, it was my favorite chili
>> > powder. Gebhardt's is such a distant second it wasn't in the running.
>> > I found a blog that talked about Grandma's demise and it had a pointer
>> > to a replacement recipe. So here it is for those who are Grandma's
>> > brand chili powder fans too.
>>
>> That's bad news, though it must have been 30 years
>> since I bought my last jar. I used to buy it
>> regularly, mostly for home-made tortilla chips.
>>
>> http://lawmama.blogspot.com/2009/07/...mas-chili.html
>>
>> As I recall, it had excellent balance of the ingredients.
>> I'm surprised that it would not have enough sales
>> to remain a viable product.
>
> I'm disappointed, but not surprised. Corporations often do things I
> don't agree with that apparently are better for their bottom line. My
> game plan is to keep an eye out for Wayzata Chili Powder and see how
> that tastes. So far, I'm coming up with nothing in the SFBA. If
> you're familiar with the brand and know where to buy it in a brick and
> mortar store around here - please let me know.
>
> --
> Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get.

It's actual name is Wayzata Bay. That might help you find it easier. I
can't tell you where to find it B&M in the SFBA, but there's plenty of
places online to get it from including direct from the manufacturer (which
you probably already know). Or you could call or email them and ask who
distributes it locally: http://www.wbspice.com/

Jinx

On Jul 13, 9:43*pm, "Jinx Minx" <jinxmi...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> "sf" <s...@geemail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:[email protected]..
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Tue, 13 Jul 2010 10:40:20 -0700, Mark Thorson <nos...@sonic.net>
> > wrote:
>
> >> sf wrote:
>
> >> > I love Grandma's chili powder but haven't been able to find it for a
> >> > while. *Well, I finally figured out what the problem is - Grandma's
> >> > was discontinued as of 12-09. *Too bad, it was my favorite chili
> >> > powder. *Gebhardt's is such a distant second it wasn't in the running.
> >> > I found a blog that talked about Grandma's demise and it had a pointer
> >> > to a replacement recipe. *So here it is for those who are Grandma's
> >> > brand chili powder fans too.
>
> >> That's bad news, though it must have been 30 years
> >> since I bought my last jar. *I used to buy it
> >> regularly, mostly for home-made tortilla chips.
>
> >>http://lawmama.blogspot.com/2009/07/...grandmas-chili....
>
> >> As I recall, it had excellent balance of the ingredients.
> >> I'm surprised that it would not have enough sales
> >> to remain a viable product.
>
> > I'm disappointed, but not surprised. *Corporations often do things I
> > don't agree with that apparently are better for their bottom line. *My
> > game plan is to keep an eye out for Wayzata Chili Powder and see how
> > that tastes. *So far, I'm coming up with nothing in the SFBA. *If
> > you're familiar with the brand and know where to buy it in a brick and
> > mortar store around here - please let me know.
>
> > --
> > Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get.
>
> It's actual name is Wayzata Bay. *That might help you find it easier. *I
> can't tell you where to find it B&M in the SFBA, but there's plenty of
> places online to get it from including direct from the manufacturer (which
> you probably already know). *Or you could call or email them and ask who
> distributes it locally: *http://www.wbspice.com/
>
> Jinx- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

i dry my own peppers. i call them peppers; not chilis. i string them
together and hang them at a close distance to my furnace.

On Tue, 13 Jul 2010 20:43:02 -0500, "Jinx Minx" <[email protected]>
wrote:

> It's actual name is Wayzata Bay. That might help you find it easier. I
> can't tell you where to find it B&M in the SFBA, but there's plenty of
> places online to get it from including direct from the manufacturer (which
> you probably already know). Or you could call or email them and ask who
> distributes it locally: http://www.wbspice.com/
>
Thanks, Jinx. I found lots of places selling it online including that
one before I posted. I don't order online because postage kills any
illusion of a decent price and I'm not that desperate. I'll just make
my own mix.


--
Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get.

sf <[email protected]> wrote:
> I love Grandma's chili powder but haven't been able to find it for a
> while. Well, I finally figured out what the problem is - Grandma's
> was discontinued as of 12-09. Too bad, it was my favorite chili
> powder. Gebhardt's is such a distant second it wasn't in the running.
> I found a blog that talked about Grandma's demise and it had a pointer
> to a replacement recipe. So here it is for those who are Grandma's
> brand chili powder fans too.
>
> Note: I can buy the chilie's listed below at the supermarket in
> blister packs (ground), so I'll do that and skip the hunting for whole
> chilies and pulverizing them part.

I've studied and grown many varieties of chiles, won awards for what I've
grown, and incorporated them into many varied recipes. (Ancho-chocolate chip
cookies, for example!)

I understand the convenience part of the fast version of the recipe, but if
you'll grind your own chiles and spices as recommended, you'll probaby agree
that the first recipe is far superior. Nothing makes chiles lose their
potency and flavor faster than grinding them up and packaging them in a
light-admitting container. Toasting the chiles to fragrance before combining
or reconstituting in a liquid (salsa) or recipe is an important part of
getting maximum flavor out of a dried chile pepper.

Mexican oregano is an interesting animal. You will sometimes find dittany of
crete crosslabeled as mexican oregano. It's not. It's nasty tasting and has
no culinary value. When I tried to buy "mexican oregano" at my favorite
supplier, Planters Seed Company in KC, they tell me that their standard
everyday oregano is mexican oregano, per the label on the shipping bags,
"product of Mexico". Hmmm.

There is a separate botanical name for the product often called Mexican
Oregano. Wiki ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregano ) says it's not of the
genus oreganum at all.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregano..._.22oregano.22 and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_Oregano
This information combined with the confusion at the herb dealer tells me
that unless the product is labeled with it's scientific name in addition to
the common name, you can't really be sure what it is.

The recipe <clipped for brevity> calls for a good blend of peppers, but I
would add that for heat, along with a smoky flavor, you can use dried ground
chipotle instead of cayenne or (more authentically) de arbol.

The way they describe toasting the chiles in the recipe sounds like too much
(toasting) heat to me. My experience with dried chiles is that it's best to
simply toast them in a hot skillet until they become fragrant and soften up.
The method described in the recipe is likely to result in a burnt flavor and
even slightly softened by the skillet method, they will grind up just fine.
Then toast the cumin as the recipe recommends. However, again, a grinder
will work, a mortar and pestle is unnecessary. I just use a coffee grinder
(not the same one I use for coffee of course).

MartyB in KC

Nunya Bidnits <[email protected]> wrote:

> I understand the convenience part of the fast version of
> the recipe, but if you'll grind your own chiles and spices
> as recommended, you'll probaby agree that the first recipe
> is far superior. Nothing makes chiles lose their potency and
> flavor faster than grinding them up and packaging them in a
> light-admitting container.

So far so good.

> Toasting the chiles to fragrance before combining or
> reconstituting in a liquid (salsa) or recipe is an important
> part of getting maximum flavor out of a dried chile pepper.

Are you saying there must be a liquid element in order
to get maximal flavor?

If so, I disagree, because many approach involve simply
sauteeing the chili powder along with vegetables and/or meat.
I suppose though there is small amount of liquidity in these
other ingredients.

Simmering _chile molido_ in a liquid is one approach, but
only one of several approaches.

Steve

Steve Pope <[email protected]> wrote:
> Nunya Bidnits <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> I understand the convenience part of the fast version of
>> the recipe, but if you'll grind your own chiles and spices
>> as recommended, you'll probaby agree that the first recipe
>> is far superior. Nothing makes chiles lose their potency and
>> flavor faster than grinding them up and packaging them in a
>> light-admitting container.
>
> So far so good.
>
>> Toasting the chiles to fragrance before combining or
>> reconstituting in a liquid (salsa) or recipe is an important
>> part of getting maximum flavor out of a dried chile pepper.
>
> Are you saying there must be a liquid element in order
> to get maximal flavor?

No. It said liquid, or a recipe, where recipe refers to previous posting
suggesting that one just add the ingredient of chile powder to a recpie
instead of a chile powder preparation. What I am saying is that if you want
maximum flavor you should toast the chiles before grinding or
reconstituting.

>
> If so, I disagree, because many approach involve simply
> sauteeing the chili powder along with vegetables and/or meat.
> I suppose though there is small amount of liquidity in these
> other ingredients.

Sautee chile powder? Only if you like the flavor of bitter burnt stuff. IMO
the only time chiles should be subjected to direct higher heat is when they
are being roasted and peeled, or when whole peppers with thicker flesh like
jalapenos or serranos are being roasted for fire roasted salsa. If a recipe
calls for browned or sauteed meat or vegetable and chile powder or liquid
chile base, I put it in after the browning stage, or after any liquids go
in, or if none of the above applies, towards the very end of cooking. .

MartyB in KC

Nunya Bidnits <[email protected]> wrote:

>Steve Pope <[email protected]> wrote:

>> Are you saying there must be a liquid element in order
>> to get maximal flavor?

>No. It said liquid, or a recipe, where recipe refers to previous posting
>suggesting that one just add the ingredient of chile powder to a recpie
>instead of a chile powder preparation.

Good, thanks.

>What I am saying is that if you want
>maximum flavor you should toast the chiles before grinding or
>reconstituting.

For sure. There is no such thing (that I know of) as
chili powder that was not made from roasted, if not toasted,
chilis.

>> If so, I disagree, because many approach involve simply
>> sauteeing the chili powder along with vegetables and/or meat.
>> I suppose though there is small amount of liquidity in these
>> other ingredients.

>Sautee chile powder? Only if you like the flavor of bitter burnt stuff. IMO

Not true. Sauteeing spices, including most chili powders, is one of
the most valuable techniques a cook can learn (IMO).

Under some conditoins this might produce something bitter, but
you can avoid those conditions.

>the only time chiles should be subjected to direct higher heat is when they
>are being roasted and peeled, or when whole peppers with thicker flesh like
>jalapenos or serranos are being roasted for fire roasted salsa. If a recipe
>calls for browned or sauteed meat or vegetable and chile powder or liquid
>chile base, I put it in after the browning stage, or after any liquids go
>in, or if none of the above applies, towards the very end of cooking. .

I would recommend experimenting with what I suggest.

Steve

"sf" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]..
> On Tue, 13 Jul 2010 20:43:02 -0500, "Jinx Minx" <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>> It's actual name is Wayzata Bay. That might help you find it easier. I
>> can't tell you where to find it B&M in the SFBA, but there's plenty of
>> places online to get it from including direct from the manufacturer
>> (which
>> you probably already know). Or you could call or email them and ask who
>> distributes it locally: http://www.wbspice.com/
>>
> Thanks, Jinx. I found lots of places selling it online including that
> one before I posted. I don't order online because postage kills any
> illusion of a decent price and I'm not that desperate. I'll just make
> my own mix.
>
>
> --
> Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get.

It'd definitely be worth a phone call though to ask! Failing that, I'd then
search for free shipping/discount codes online for any web stores that carry
it. I hardly ever buy anything online and have to pay for shipping too.
Wayzata Bay is actually a local manufacturer to me, but I've never tried
their products. Most of my spices either come from Penzey's or from
friends/family/travelers oversees directly.

Jinx

Steve Pope <[email protected]> wrote:

>Nunya Bidnits <[email protected]> wrote:

>>Sautee chile powder? Only if you like the flavor of bitter burnt stuff. IMO
>
>Not true. Sauteeing spices, including most chili powders, is one of
>the most valuable techniques a cook can learn (IMO).

>Under some conditoins this might produce something bitter, but
>you can avoid those conditions.


I'd just like to add, that if one is using a chili powder
blend that includes garlic, then OF COURSE it will turn bitter
when you sautee it. This is another reason not to use these
blasted blends.

New Mexico _chile molido_ does not turn bitter when sauteed
under most conditions. You normally want to sautee it with
the vegetables and meat when forming a chili dish, then
add some vinegar or maybe tomato after this step.

IMO red wine vinegar is correct, for nearly any chili
type dish.

Steve

On Thu, 15 Jul 2010 07:12:25 +0000 (UTC), Steve Pope wrote:

>
> I'd just like to add, that if one is using a chili powder
> blend that includes garlic, then OF COURSE it will turn bitter
> when you sautee it. This is another reason not to use these
> blasted blends.
>
> New Mexico _chile molido_ does not turn bitter when sauteed
> under most conditions. You normally want to sautee it with
> the vegetables and meat when forming a chili dish, then
> add some vinegar or maybe tomato after this step.
>
> IMO red wine vinegar is correct, for nearly any chili
> type dish.
>
> Steve

i usually use cider vinegar.

your pal,
blake

blake demurred with Steve:

>> IMO red wine vinegar is correct, for nearly any chili
>> type dish.
>
> i usually use cider vinegar.

I've used many kinds of vinegar, depending on the type of chile and what it
will accompany. If I'm using chimayo chiles, I use apple cider vinegar,
pretty much regardless of what it's with. If it's going to accompany a heavy
dish I usually use red wine vinegar. If it's accompanying seafood, I will
use coconut vinegar, white wine vinegar, rice vinegar, or champagne vinegar.
For poultry or pork I sometimes use a mixture of red wine vinegar and sherry
vinegar, or I might use apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar. I don't
think there are really any hard-and-fast rules.

Bob

Bob Terwilliger <virtualgoth@die_spammer.biz> wrote:

>blake demurred with Steve:

>>> IMO red wine vinegar is correct, for nearly any chili
>>> type dish.

>> i usually use cider vinegar.

>I've used many kinds of vinegar, depending on the type of chile and what it
>will accompany. If I'm using chimayo chiles, I use apple cider vinegar,
>pretty much regardless of what it's with. If it's going to accompany a heavy
>dish I usually use red wine vinegar. If it's accompanying seafood, I will
>use coconut vinegar, white wine vinegar, rice vinegar, or champagne vinegar.
>For poultry or pork I sometimes use a mixture of red wine vinegar and sherry
>vinegar, or I might use apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar. I don't
>think there are really any hard-and-fast rules.

Yep, lots of vinegars work. I also like cider vinegar in chilis,
but I often have trouble finding a really good cider vinegar.
Whereas reasonably good red wine vinegar is not too hard
to come across.

Tamales also deserve vinegar. I like taking a piping hot tamale,
sprinkling it with NM chile powder, and droppering a little
vinegar on it, causing the chili powder to sort of permeate
into the tamale. Really good.

Steve

On Thu, 15 Jul 2010 11:12:08 -0400, blake murphy
<[email protected]> wrote:

> On Thu, 15 Jul 2010 07:12:25 +0000 (UTC), Steve Pope wrote:
>
> >
> > IMO red wine vinegar is correct, for nearly any chili
> > type dish.
> >
> > Steve
>
> i usually use cider vinegar.

I tried that the last time I made chili. Must have used too much even
though I thought it was just a little splash, because I did *not* like
the resulting flavor.

--

Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get.

On Thu, 15 Jul 2010 09:56:04 -0700, Bob Terwilliger wrote:

> blake demurred with Steve:
>
>>> IMO red wine vinegar is correct, for nearly any chili
>>> type dish.
>>
>> i usually use cider vinegar.
>
> I've used many kinds of vinegar, depending on the type of chile and what it
> will accompany. If I'm using chimayo chiles, I use apple cider vinegar,
> pretty much regardless of what it's with. If it's going to accompany a heavy
> dish I usually use red wine vinegar. If it's accompanying seafood, I will
> use coconut vinegar, white wine vinegar, rice vinegar, or champagne vinegar.
> For poultry or pork I sometimes use a mixture of red wine vinegar and sherry
> vinegar, or I might use apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar. I don't
> think there are really any hard-and-fast rules.
>
> Bob

i have half-a-dozen vinegars too. but cider is what i use in chili.

your pal,
blake

On Thu, 15 Jul 2010 17:49:38 +0000 (UTC), Steve Pope wrote:

> Bob Terwilliger <virtualgoth@die_spammer.biz> wrote:
>
>>blake demurred with Steve:
>
>>>> IMO red wine vinegar is correct, for nearly any chili
>>>> type dish.
>
>>> i usually use cider vinegar.
>
>>I've used many kinds of vinegar, depending on the type of chile and what it
>>will accompany. If I'm using chimayo chiles, I use apple cider vinegar,
>>pretty much regardless of what it's with. If it's going to accompany a heavy
>>dish I usually use red wine vinegar. If it's accompanying seafood, I will
>>use coconut vinegar, white wine vinegar, rice vinegar, or champagne vinegar.
>>For poultry or pork I sometimes use a mixture of red wine vinegar and sherry
>>vinegar, or I might use apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar. I don't
>>think there are really any hard-and-fast rules.
>
> Yep, lots of vinegars work. I also like cider vinegar in chilis,
> but I often have trouble finding a really good cider vinegar.

the stuff i use is not artisanal (if that's what you mean and such a thing
exists). there's a local (i think) brand on the east coast called 'white
house.' i don't think there's anything wrong with heinz (except for being
more expensive), and what i have right now is a store brand.

your pal,
blake