Figured out I was stirring my chili the wrong way for 15 years

I always stirred my chili clockwise in the pot, thinking that was just how you do it. Last month in Denver, my buddy Tom watched me and said I was breaking up all the beans and meat doing that. He showed me to just fold it gently with a spatula and now my chili actually has chunks instead of mush. Anyone else have a cooking habit they did backwards forever?

2 comments

2 Comments

palmer.jana7d ago

Six years I stirred my spaghetti sauce the same damn way till a chef buddy told me to stop. You're basically turning everything into baby food with that constant stirring. Fold it twice, three times max, and let the heat do the work. I use a wooden spoon and just push from the bottom, slow and gentle. Your chili will thank you, trust me.

rosep876d ago

nah you're absolutely right, this is a thing that took me way too long to figure out too. i used to stir my soups and chilis like i was trying to aerate concrete and ended up with this weird mushy texture all the time. now i literally just give it a couple good pushes with a wooden spoon from the bottom and walk away for like ten minutes. the heat distributes everything way better than we give it credit for. plus you don't get that burnt spoon sludge buildup on the bottom either which is a nice bonus.