I'm looking for a great new chili powder.
January 3, 2012 8:26 AM   Subscribe

I have run out of my favorite chili powder. I'm looking for suggestions of your amazing local chili powders that I could order online or by phone with a credit card.

I have used the last wee remnants of my favorite chili powder from Chugwater Chili in Wyoming. Although I'm sad to see the bottom of the bottle, it does give me the opportunity to try some new chili powder.

I have seen these AskMeFi posts about chili - clearly there seems to be disagreement about what makes chili chili and what DOESN'T belong in a proper chili. I won't add to the fire by telling you all what blasphemous things I put in my chili (*carrots* *beans* *vegetarian* *cough cough*), but I will ask if anyone knows of a really great chili powder that they would recommend.

Now, I have the palate of someone who was brought up in a Norwegian Minnesotan Lutheran Church basement where ketchup was the only condiment. I'm working on expanding my palate but I don't like things that are so spicy that my face hurts. I like chili that has a sweet edge to it - I sometimes add a bit of brown sugar to the Chugwater Chili to mellow it out. I am up for something unique so long as it doesn't cause my face to melt. It needs to be orderable online or over the phone with a credit card.

I know that Penzey's exists (and I have a bunch of their spices), but I'm looking for hole-in-the-wall here. I want the chili powder that is being concocted by a genius cook in a small town diner where people drive from miles around to stand in line and suffer insults from cranky waitresses with greasy spoons just so that they can have a cup of this oh-my-god amazing chili.

My chili and I thank you.
posted by Elly Vortex to Food & Drink (4 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
Chugwater's chili mix is actually made in Denver, by a commercial company (All-American Seasonings.) It's packaged in Chugwater, where the cook-off is held. Sorry to burst the dream of some eccentric genius in a remote kitchen.

Personally, if you don't have an Indian grocery store nearby, I think buying Penzey's and blending your own mixture is best. Penzey's is very, very fresh, although not as fresh as most Indian places.
posted by Ideefixe at 8:54 AM on January 3, 2012 [1 favorite]


Dunno about genius cooks and small town diners, but Old Town Spice Shop is where I get my chili powder. The basic blend is nice, but the Devil's Backbone blend is awesome if you're feeling adventurous.

Side note: They have a lime infused salt which is incredibly good with the margaritas you undoubtedly serve alongside your chili.
posted by Perthuz at 8:54 AM on January 3, 2012


I want the chili powder that is being concocted by a genius cook in a small town diner where people drive from miles around to stand in line and suffer insults from cranky waitresses with greasy spoons just so that they can have a cup of this oh-my-god amazing chili.

The Panamint Springs resort in Nevada was long known for its chili. I couldn't find a recipe online but did find this site which displays the recipes of other contest winners.

I am guessing that with most of them the secret is not in a powder so much as in the entire combination of ingredients. You're not going to want the same spices with every batch.

The Panamint chili did (does?) have a nice mix of spices but is heavy on the cinnamon, to me. The great thing about chili is you can taste as you simmer and tweak the spices.
posted by BibiRose at 10:24 AM on January 3, 2012


Pendery's has some chili blends from past Terlingua cook-off winners.
posted by Max Camber at 1:21 PM on January 3, 2012 [1 favorite]


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