Best Ways to Thicken Chili

The word “chili” can mean many different things, depending on where you are in the country. Chili peppers aside, the dish known as “chili” can take several forms, most often a mixture of meat or beans or some combination of both, usually floating on a base of tomatoes, garlic, onions and (of course) chili peppers. (Except for white chili peppers.) But no matter the color, meat used, or bean content, chili peppers are not watery. Chili is thick .

Making chili at home can take a few minutes or hours, depending on the starting materials, but it usually requires a little simmering, which helps meld the flavors and transform any soup broth into a thick, ribs-covered chili. Sometimes, even after boiling, the liquid just doesn’t evaporate the way you want it to. In such cases, there are several tactics you can use to complicate the situation.

Add some masa harina.

Masa harina is ground cornmeal made from nixtamal , corn that has been soaked in an alkaline solution to give it a toastier, nuttier flavor and make its nutrients more accessible. When added to chili, it thickens the liquid, giving it a subtle, toasted corn flavor. Although you can add it directly to the boiling pan, make sure it doesn’t stick together after making the slurry. For best results, combine 1 tablespoon masa harina and 1 tablespoon water, then add to the pot with the chili. Repeat as needed until it thickens to your liking.

Add some beans

If you’re the “no beans in your chili” type, you might want to skip this one. (Or you might get the illicit pleasure of sneaking some secret beans in there. I don’t know you.) The beans are full of thickening fiber, and when blended, they taste creamy rather than legume-y. Simply take a cup of pinto beans or white beans, blend until smooth, then add them to the chili and let sit until they thicken.

Get a little French

Chili isn’t a French dish, but that doesn’t mean you can’t borrow one of their techniques. Beurre manié (“kneaded butter”) is a particularly useful thickener. Butter and flour are mixed together in equal parts to make a paste – a sort of raw sauce – and this paste can be tossed into a simmering pan with chili (or whatever) to add texture and richness. I start with two tablespoons of butter and flour, mix it in, then tear the dough into pieces and add them one at a time until the chilli thickens.

Make a more interesting cornstarch slurry.

Adding a spoonful of cornstarch directly to the pan can cause the powder to clump together, but cooking the slurry quickly prevents this. Cornstarch slurries are usually made with water, but there is no law against using something more interesting .

Try making a slurry with cornstarch and beer, tomato juice, fish sauce (for more umami), or even bourbon. Any drinking liquid will do; you just need equal amounts of liquid and cornstarch by volume. Start with a couple tablespoons of each, whisk them together, then drizzle them into the hot pan with the chili to add richness and a little flavor.