serenissima (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
serenissima) wrote2007-01-30 02:58 pm
serenissima) wrote2007-01-30 02:58 pm
Cooking practice: Meatmix
I'd taken a pound of meat (93% lean ground beef) from the freezer to thaw in the refrigerator, with the intention of making my first attempt at cooking chili. But one evening after another passed: I got home late, I was too tired, I ordered pizza, or I ate at my relatives' house. A week went by. The meat began to turn brown on the outside.
I decided last night was the night. With this and this as my inspiration, I determined to produce, if not a true chili, at least a decent approximation thereof.
I warmed a little oil in my largest pot, chopped up a small onion and tossed it in, followed by the ground beef, and browned that, using a small spatula to break up the chunks. Oh, and I added a palmful of salt. Considering the age of the meat, I made sure it was cooked through before adding a can of red beans (I let the water drain down the sink first) and a can of diced tomatos & chili peppers (not drained). I did have a small can of tomato soup available, but I didn't have tomato paste, so I decided not to add the soup for fear of making the mixture too watery. I stirred it all around, put the lid on, and let it simmer, first on medium-low heat for around half an hour, then on the lowest setting for a little longer.
Result: tasty.
The seasoning was good. Apparently a palmful of salt (maybe two teaspoons?) was the right amount. It was not as tomatoey as I would have liked; the tomato paste would have been beneficial in that regard, and would have helped with the consistency too. I think of chili as being a thick liquid, like a stew or porridge-y texture. What I have is a lot of solid stuff together with a small amount of watery liquid. Except for the beans -- maybe even with the beans -- it would be a nice base for a pasta sauce. It's not quite chili, but it's good to eat. It would be better on top of some starch like rice or noodles.
I decided last night was the night. With this and this as my inspiration, I determined to produce, if not a true chili, at least a decent approximation thereof.
I warmed a little oil in my largest pot, chopped up a small onion and tossed it in, followed by the ground beef, and browned that, using a small spatula to break up the chunks. Oh, and I added a palmful of salt. Considering the age of the meat, I made sure it was cooked through before adding a can of red beans (I let the water drain down the sink first) and a can of diced tomatos & chili peppers (not drained). I did have a small can of tomato soup available, but I didn't have tomato paste, so I decided not to add the soup for fear of making the mixture too watery. I stirred it all around, put the lid on, and let it simmer, first on medium-low heat for around half an hour, then on the lowest setting for a little longer.
Result: tasty.
The seasoning was good. Apparently a palmful of salt (maybe two teaspoons?) was the right amount. It was not as tomatoey as I would have liked; the tomato paste would have been beneficial in that regard, and would have helped with the consistency too. I think of chili as being a thick liquid, like a stew or porridge-y texture. What I have is a lot of solid stuff together with a small amount of watery liquid. Except for the beans -- maybe even with the beans -- it would be a nice base for a pasta sauce. It's not quite chili, but it's good to eat. It would be better on top of some starch like rice or noodles.
no subject
Yes, adding the tomato paste, or even a can of tomato sauce would have helped give it a bit more of a tomato-ey flavor and a more chili-like consistency. Just for future reference - you could have used a bit of corn starch with the hamburger oils, along with the juice from the tomatoes, to make a thicker sauce/paste to go in place of a can of actual tomato paste.