It’s likely you already have it in your cupboard.
Thirty minutes prior to handing in her pot of
chili
for judging at the 2018 International Chili Society World Championship Chili Cook-Off in St. Louis, Tana Harter concluded that her dish was, at best,
mid
and needed fixing.
With only a hint of
apple cider vinegar
, Harter revamped her chili recipe and secured the victory. “I walked away with $25,000 thanks to apple cider vinegar. When you analyze the details, that’s simply the truth,” Harter explained afterward.
New York Times
,
Even though it might seem surprising, there’s a straightforward explanation for why apple cider vinegar is so effective in dishes such as Harter’s prize-winning chili—it introduces an acidic element.
Why Adding Apple Cider Vinegar Can Enhance Your Chili Experience
It does not imply, though, that Harter would have succeeded if she had opted for plain white vinegar instead. Apple cider vinegar was necessary due to its balanced acidity, which offers a delicate interplay of subtle fruit and caramel undertones derived from fermented apples. Plain white vinegar provides merely an unadorned sourness without adding the depth and intricacy provided by apple cider vinegar. In preparing a dish such as chili, one requires a gentle yet vibrant acidic component capable of cutting through the heaviness of various meats and legumes, harmonizing the overall flavor profile while also invigorating taste buds with its zestiness.
Harter’s technique can be applied to nearly any type of chili recipe. Prepare the pot of chili following your usual method, then add half a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar near the end of cooking. Taste it and gauge whether you like the flavor profile. If adjustments are needed, keep adding the apple cider vinegar gradually—about half a teaspoon each time—and tasting after each addition, continuing until the seasoning perfectly suits your palate.
Make sure you don’t go too far with it. Keep in mind that as the apple cider vinegar boils in the pot, additional flavors will keep developing. Moreover, Harter added just two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to her big batch of chili, which contained three pounds of tri-tip.
It goes without saying that acidity plays a crucial role in enhancing numerous savory recipes. Apple cider vinegar can add brightness and depth to an array of dishes beyond chili, such as noodle soups, beef stews, and veggie casseroles. Lately, I’ve enhanced ready-made soup using acidity. Tomato soup becomes significantly more delicious when paired with a hint of balsamic vinegar—a technique I picked up from
Gordon Ramsay
I haven’t included balsamic vinegar in my chili recipe just yet, but I believe it could serve as a simple replacement for apple cider vinegar. This substitution makes sense since both are derived from fermented fruits; balsamic vinegar specifically comes from fermented grapes.
Although none of us may become chili cook-off winners like Harter, we can still savor a homemade chili that rivals championship quality. By simply adding a dash of apple cider vinegar, your upcoming batch of chili could turn out to be the finest you’ve ever tasted.
Read the initial article on
