Muir Glen Tomatoes & All-American Chili

[cinnamon_queen]

I made the All-American Chili last night and it's a little too sweet for my tastes. I followed the recipe exactly (that's a first!), so I know that it wasn't any changes that I made. I know that I will eliminate the brown sugar next time! I have added a lot more cumin, chili powder, and even some hot sauce to make it less sweet but I still feel like something is too sweet and now I'm thinking it is the tomatoes. In the recipe, I used Muir Glen diced tomatoes. I just started using the Muir Glen brand.

Has anyone ever thought that either of these were too sweet?

[blazedog]

I don't think it's the tomatoes.

I don't think the chili is particularly spicy and the merlot is a sweet wine. I think the merlot more than the Glen Muir is what is putting you off about the taste.

[KLynn]

I found this recipe to be way to sweet for our tastes, too. I agree that is the fruity wine. I like a serious "kick" to my chili, and this one is at the other end of the spectrum. Good flavor, just not what I like in chili.

[karen w]

Phew! I thought I was the only one not doing jumping jacks over this chili. While we thought it was not bad, it just was not what we like in a chili either. A tad too sweet, and not enough chili spunk!;)

Karen

[lsdesign]

Yes, not the Muir Glen, eliminate the sugar. Maybe next time go to a Cabernet for wine. I don't like sweet either in my chili however, this recipe was stellar in my book.

[springsgourmet9]

I made several variations to this chili and absolutely loved it!

Eliminated the sugar, exchanged cabernet for the merlot, added a lot of spices, extra chili powder, cayenne pepper, hot sauce. Definitely a repeater with the changes I made.

[cinnamon_queen]

Originally posted by springsgourmet9
I made several variations to this chili and absolutely loved it!

Eliminated the sugar, exchanged cabernet for the merlot, added a lot of spices, extra chili powder, cayenne pepper, hot sauce. Definitely a repeater with the changes I made.

Those sound like the changes that I was going to make too! I really like the look and texture of this chili, it was only the sweetness that I didn't like!

Thanks for sharing the changes that you made, and to everyone for the advice about the wine and it not being the tomatoes.

[SusanMac]

I like this chili, but really like more spice also. I rarely use merlot, I just use whatever red wine I have on hand (usually port, cab or pinot)

I also up the spices & add a chopped chipotle chili w/adobo sauce. Tabasco is also a must.

Using Rotel tomatoes w/chilis is awesome for this!

[blazedog]

Just curious -- if you really don't like this chili which is based on merlot and is somewhat sweet rather than hot -- what do you like about it.

There are much more interesting chiles for those who prefer hotter more traditional chiles.

Why use this recipe rather than one that's more in line with your tastes to begin with.

To be clear, I don't think it's wrong to tweak or change a recipe to one's personal tastes at all but when the type of food - i.e. chili - has about a zillion recipes floating around -- why start with a basic recipe that isn't at all to your tastes?

:)

[cinnamon_queen]

Originally posted by blazedog
Just curious -- if you really don't like this chili which is based on merlot and is somewhat sweet rather than hot -- what do you like about it.

There are much more interesting chiles for those who prefer hotter more traditional chiles.

Why use this recipe rather than one that's more in line with your tastes to begin with.

To be clear, I don't think it's wrong to tweak or change a recipe to one's personal tastes at all but when the type of food - i.e. chili - has about a zillion recipes floating around -- why start with a basic recipe that isn't at all to your tastes?

:)

Great point! This chili had the look and feel of what I remember of my favorite chili's...if that makes any sense. That is why I liked it. I have made a lot of chili recipes and none of them (so far) seem to have that same look or texture that this one did. Either too soupy, too much like stew, too many beas/not enough/none at all, etc. I guess what I'm trying to say is that the combination amount of the ingredients in this chili was great...it was just the sweeter taste that I didn't care for.

I figure that if I could just change the wine and add some hot sauce I may have found a great chili with all the combination of things I am looking for...of course other great recipes that don't need much modification will always be welcome! ;)

[blazedog]

Originally posted by cinnamon_queen




I figure that if I could just change the wine and add some hot sauce I may have found a great chili with all the combination of things I am looking for...of course other great recipes that don't need much modification will always be welcome! ;)

Well that makes sense in terms of looking almost everything about it but the spices :D

FWIW, America's Test Kitchen (aka Cooks Illustrated) had a segment on chiles -- actualy two -- one was the traditional Texas style done with layers of real chiles and the other was the Northern style which used chile powder plus some enhancers -- these may or may not be of interest.