QUICK HELP! My Pot o Chili's TOO HOT!!

[woodburner]

It only took two whole chipotles in adobo -- seeds and all -- to send my beef chili into heat overdrive!! Can I add something as it simmers to offset some of that heat? Thanks.

[theannerska]

Sorry if this is too late, but I had the same problem recently -- I put in the whole 8-oz. can! I ended up adding about 3 cups of grated cheese, tossed with a bit of flour, which took away most of the kick and helped correct the texture as well (I like my chili very thick). This was for a 7-quart recipe. I imagine sour cream (or plain yogurt?) would also help.

A friend recently added too many Jamaican hot peppers to her batch of chili and 'fixed' it by adding brown sugar.

However, note that all of these methods definitely do not keep the 'integrity' of the recipe -- but, in my case at least, I preferred the revised version!

[phofiend]

I like to add a can of sweet corn to very hot chili, and serve it with a handful of cheese on top.

[kushbaby]

I know potatoes arent exactly a popular veggie in a chili dish but I heard in any kind of soup or stew...if its too salty or hot you can ads these spuds and they soak up some of the heat!

[Samalicious]

Most posters here seem to agree the potato trick doesn't work. I'm sure they'll be letting you know any minute now.

[Uncle Bob]

This is an “Old Wives Tale” or Common “Kitchen Myth” that has been around forever it seems, and it resurfaces from time to time, so don’t let it bother you that you heard it somewhere ~~~ Potatoes have no special ability to selectively remove, salt, sugar, “heat” or bitterness from liquid. All they can do is to remove/absorb a small amount of the liquid...What liquid that’s left in the pot is just a salty, sweet, hot etc. ~~ Several “chunks” of a Kitchen sponge would serve the same purpose to absorb some of the liquid leaving the dish just as salty, just as hot, etc. etc,. etc. HTH

Enjoy!

[dmd_kc]

This REALLY needs to be a sticky topic.

It's chemistry: You have too much capsaicin, and there is absolutely no solution other than to dilute it with non-spicy ingredients. If it's really, really hot, you have no choice other than to make a separate batch with no chipotles, then combine them. As others mention, some sides like dairy or bread will help mitigating the heat -- but it won't make it go away. I've never found that sweetness does anything other than make it taste sweet and really hot. That trick does, however, make oversalted food more bearable sometimes.

Those canned chipotles are far more lethal that I ever realize, so I sympathize. The sauce has such excellent flavor that it's easy to overdo it on the heat.

[Uncle Bob]

I agree with the "Sticky Topic" idea....It could be the "Too Hot ~ Too Sweet ~ Too Salty ~ To Bitter..whatever where the answer is always the same...Make another batch or 1/2 batch and combine the two IF YOU WANT TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF THE DISH without morphing it into some other dubious concoction with questionable outcomes........

[alanbarnes]

Dilution is definitely the key. Other than making a non-spicy batch and blending the two, you can serve the chili with a starchy food so that each bite contains less fiery stuff. Also, top it with sour cream or crema. And a big glass o' milk on the side does a lot to tame the flames.

[c oliver]

This has come up in different ways before. Add more of all the ingredients except for the chili. It will "dilute" the heat.

[bayoucook]

Agree. Then serve with lime wedges.

[Full tummy]

Yes, this is exactly right. Had the same problem once before, though there were diners (myself among them) who enjoyed it that hot. Others needed some serious recipe adjusting, which meant adding more tomatoes, kidney beans, beef... Worked out quite well.

[ipsedixit]

This is absolutely correct, but what do you do when don't have more of the rest of the ingredients?

I say the next best option is just to try and mask the chili flavor.

[Full tummy]

Hahaha, I say run out to the nearest store and get yourself a can of tomatoes and kidney beans. We could all do with less meat!!!

[woodburner]

Thanks for all the quick replies... I can add more tomatoes, and that should help. My wife says she likes it this hot. Wait till she eats a bowl full and she's crying like a newborn baby.....

[coll]

My husband likes it so hot that he cries and more, the only way I can eat it is on top of rice or with cornbread crumbled in on top. So we both have it our own way.

[ipsedixit]

Sugar, honey, molasses ...