Mikhail
Babbling Farker
From 16Adams' chili thread, I was wondering what the good cooks here like in a chili powder or mix. Gebhardt's is pretty hard to find here.
Your thoughts?
Your thoughts?
I like Badia quite a bit. Cheap, too.
^^^^^^This!If you've never tried before, make your own Chili Powder. In Texas we have access to dried Chili peppers everywhere, but for those of you in other areas, these days it's easy to order dry peppers off of Amazon.
Start out with common dried peppers like Ancho, Guajillo, Anaheim, and Arbol. (Make your own ratio based on the heat level you enjoy) Get a big bowl, sit in front of the TV, and start breaking them in half to remove the seeds and stems. Toast the flesh on a sheet pan in a 400 degree oven for about twenty seconds, or when the edges start to curl. You can also toast them in a heavy skillet but be careful as they burn easily, and if that happens they will taste bitter. Cool for a few minutes and grind in an electric coffee grinder (I have one reserved just for spices).
The depth of flavor you get from grinding your own powder is incomparable to store bought spices. People will all want to know the secret to your awesome chili. It takes longer to make your own chili powder, but no comparison as far as flavor is concerned.