Wendy's Chili

Hey y'all (sounds appropriate when discussing chili)! In another forum someone was talking about Wendy's chili, and I really like their chili but occasionally it's a bit too watery.

Wondering what you think of Wendy's chili, what you add to it to make it better, and whether you have any advice what you can do when your chili comes and it seems a bit watery or not quite as good as the last time you got it.

Seems to me that their chili is best when it has the opportunity to sit in the crock for a good long time and blend together. When they just empty a bag in and heat it up, that chili seems pretty weak.

The Geoffster

I don't think ours comes out of a bag as I always see the industrial size cans of beans along the back wall. And sure the fresher the more water. One scary rumor I have heard though is that the meat that is in the chili is what they scrape off the grill. What the hay, I've eaten it every day this week for lunch, I have them add cheddar, then I add two different kinds of hot sauce, tell them to keep their little gold packets of whatever that liquid is they give you. When I make chili at home, it's ALWAYS on the weekend. Start it around 10a and simmer all day. NO CROCK POTS! Taboo.....

My additive to Wendy's chili is a little salt and pepper and a goodly amount of catsup. Am sure this is heresy to all true chili lovers, but I've always added catsup to all my chili - homemade, chili supper chili, restaurant, store bought, whatever. Just like it that way and with it just added to my bowl, it ain't hurting anyone else's.

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Originally posted by Liketoeat

My additive to Wendy's chili is a little salt and pepper and a goodly amount of catsup. Am sure this is heresy to all true chili lovers, but I've always added catsup to all my chili - homemade, chili supper chili, restaurant, store bought, whatever. Just like it that way and with it just added to my bowl, it ain't hurting anyone else's.

LTE, you've just broken my heart.

Just kiddin', of course, but catsup in chili is just wrong.

Bushie, its like the fellow who kissed the cow, "everybody to his own notion". Seriously, I don't know how or when I got off on the catsup in the chili kick, but its just my thing.

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Originally posted by Liketoeat

Bushie, its like the fellow who kissed the cow, "everybody to his own notion". Seriously, I don't know how or when I got off on the catsup in the chili kick, but its just my thing.

Understood, buddy. My wife does the same thing.

A long time ago, while working my way through college, I worked for Wendy's

During the day, in order to both have burgers ready at all time and make them 'to order', you'd have burgers cycle through cooking. If you sold them, great. Otherwise, when they became too well-cooked to be sold as burgers, they were removed from the grill and set in an unrefrigerated pan below the grill. The pan was emptied between rushes (when possible) into a collector bin in the walkin refrigerator. The accumulated overcooked burgers became the meat for the next day's batch of chili.

I just tried Burger Kings Chili, pretty good stuff. Fast Food are not, its well worth the 99 Cents they have it on the Menu for now. It is thicker than Wendy's, a lot more flavorful too. WOW.... I can't believe I am actually reporting this.

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Originally posted by TJ Jackson

A long time ago, while working my way through college, I worked for Wendy's

During the day, in order to both have burgers ready at all time and make them 'to order', you'd have burgers cycle through cooking. If you sold them, great. Otherwise, when they became too well-cooked to be sold as burgers, they were removed from the grill and set in an unrefrigerated pan below the grill. The pan was emptied between rushes (when possible) into a collector bin in the walkin refrigerator. The accumulated overcooked burgers became the meat for the next day's batch of chili.

I had read something like this years ago; Wendy's was considered brilliant for figuring out what to do with left-over, cooked hamburger patties. Yum, Yum, etc.

As far as adding ketchup, etc., you have to do something to add flavor to that chopped, cooked hamburger patty soup .

Being from Teksis, though, I think Wendy's chili is just wrong. Guess I'll go find one of those cows to kiss, now.

I too had heard that they used the extras for the chili, that's cool I like it too.

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Originally posted by BigGlenn

I just tried Burger Kings Chili, pretty good stuff. Fast Food are not, its well worth the 99 Cents they have it on the Menu for now. It is thicker than Wendy's, a lot more flavorful too. WOW.... I can't believe I am actually reporting this.

I've been getting BK chili for the past two months, at least once a week if not more. Most of the time it's been pretty good. It's spicier than Wendy's. They must also use burgers that are not sold, because you can definitely taste the "flame-broiled" taste of BK burgers in their chili. Only one time I was disappointed with the chili, it was incredibly greasy...there was a layer of grease on top of the chili that was not very appetizing.

I do like Wendy's baked potatoes, BK is also offering them but they have a long way to go to match Wendy's. One thing I do at Wendy's is buy a sour cream and chive potato and also a small bowl of chili. I then throw away the sour cream and pour the chili onto the potato. For two bucks it's a great lunch!

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Originally posted by Geoff Steinberg

Hey y'all (sounds appropriate when discussing chili)! In another forum someone was talking about Wendy's chili, and I really like their chili but occasionally it's a bit too watery.

Wondering what you think of Wendy's chili, what you add to it to make it better, and whether you have any advice what you can do when your chili comes and it seems a bit watery or not quite as good as the last time you got it.

Seems to me that their chili is best when it has the opportunity to sit in the crock for a good long time and blend together. When they just empty a bag in and heat it up, that chili seems pretty weak.

The Geoffster

Guess what, the meat in their chili is unsold, cooked hamburger patties. Let me amend that. They used unsold, cooked hamburger patties when my daughter worked at the first Wendy's in Columbus, Ohio.

Geoff, have you tried crumbling up some of those little saltines that you can get at Wendy's salad bar, and using that as a chili thickener?

I agree that Wendy's chili is yummy yet watery but there are things you can do to jazz it up....creativity time!

Bushie, I agree, ketchup in chili is just wrong. I put all that work into it just to watch my husband do the same thing! I keep thinking one day if I stare hard and long enough he'll stop, not yet. Actually, reasons may be that I put too much red pepper, cayenne, jalapenos.....that half a habanero might have a little to do with it too. Heck, I still put hot sauce in mine! I think he should just eat out of the pot I make for the children. Wimpy.

Rusty and Bushie, I've just got to disagree with you two about the evils of putting catsup in chili. It's Mrs. Bushie and Mr. Rusty who know what they are doing! It's just a little touch which covers a multitude of sins in bad chili and makes already good chili even a bit better. Everyone to his own taste, tho, with chili as with everything else.

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Originally posted by BigGlenn

I just tried Burger Kings Chili, pretty good stuff. Fast Food are not, its well worth the 99 Cents they have it on the Menu for now. It is thicker than Wendy's, a lot more flavorful too. WOW.... I can't believe I am actually reporting this.

I tried some last week. Definitely has more chili flavor than Wendy's (as best I remember - been probably about 15 years). Two kinds of beans - kidney and pinto - neither of which has picked up any of the chili flavoring. I'm not a purist, I just like what tastes good, so I don't mind the beans but the lack of flavoring is bad. Some bits of tomato, onion.

The problem here is everything's been thrown together in this chili flavored gravy but not simmered together a long time. The kidney beans were actually a little underdone. The beef is already well done before being added, so it picks up none of the chili flavoring and still tastes of being broiled.

Still, better than Wendy's.

I used to buy Wendy's chili but I got tired of the inconsistent quality so now when I get a chili craving I'll just buy a can of Hormel Chili at the supermarket.

Dearfolk,
The best restaurant chili in these parts, podnuhs, is when The Incredible Travis at The Normaltown Cafe' makes a batch and uses the leftover turkey meat as an adjunct. I don't know just what it is that he does, but the man is a magician with leftovers. I ate seconds on his black-eyed-pea soup today, and would gladly have gone thirds, but I ran low on money. Then 15 minutes later, while I was finishing up the paper (reading, not eating), he walked in, so I managed to get in a congratulatory few words before he left with his paycheck.
I'd put his up against anything but the real Texas stuff... a beanless bowl o' red. "Can't make it beanless," he'd chuckle. "I'm not from Texas."
Balefully Bowllessly, Ort. Carlton in Warm Tonight, Chilly Tomorrow Athens, Georgia.

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Originally posted by hermitt4d

quote:

Originally posted by TJ Jackson

A long time ago, while working my way through college, I worked for Wendy's

During the day, in order to both have burgers ready at all time and make them 'to order', you'd have burgers cycle through cooking. If you sold them, great. Otherwise, when they became too well-cooked to be sold as burgers, they were removed from the grill and set in an unrefrigerated pan below the grill. The pan was emptied between rushes (when possible) into a collector bin in the walkin refrigerator. The accumulated overcooked burgers became the meat for the next day's batch of chili.

I had read something like this years ago; Wendy's was considered brilliant for figuring out what to do with left-over, cooked hamburger patties. Yum, Yum, etc.

As far as adding ketchup, etc., you have to do something to add flavor to that chopped, cooked hamburger patty soup .

Being from Teksis, though, I think Wendy's chili is just wrong. Guess I'll go find one of those cows to kiss, now.

So what do they do with the leftover chili?

quote:

Originally posted by Geoff Steinberg

Hey y'all (sounds appropriate when discussing chili)! In another forum someone was talking about Wendy's chili, and I really like their chili but occasionally it's a bit too watery.

Wondering what you think of Wendy's chili, what you add to it to make it better, and whether you have any advice what you can do when your chili comes and it seems a bit watery or not quite as good as the last time you got it.

Seems to me that their chili is best when it has the opportunity to sit in the crock for a good long time and blend together. When they just empty a bag in and heat it up, that chili seems pretty weak.

The Geoffster

Wendy's chili seems to be thicker later in the week. They aren't always consistent; I like a lot of cheese but their's isn't sharp, I like really sharp cheddar and minced onions. If it's too watery, I crumble up one package of saltines but not too much, it changes the taste, makes it more bland than it is. (I always swore I'd never eat their chili but now that I have, I love it).

Saint Dave Thomas, hallowed be thy name................................
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To me, Wendy's chili is pretty damned basic,

Ground meat, tomato sauce, chopped onion (chopped peppers?). It is something that is easy for them to make, and make a large profit from. it tastes like my mothers stuff, or the stuff that I make. My recipe is this.......

2 lbs ground meat
One large can of Hunts tomato sauce
One can of chili beans
One/Two chopped onion plus one chopped bell pepper
AQ couple of dashes of Tobasco sauce.

Cook meat, chop vegetables, once meat is brown, cook onions and peppers with meat, then throw in the tomato sauce. The end. My chili would get me shot in Texas, but I think it rules. Wendy's does the same thing and they make a killing.The only time I made bad chili was when I made it with turkey burger, and that was because turkey meat has no fat.

Chili is not rocket science. St. Dave was no chef, but he knew what we would eat!

Senor

Senor

The Wendy's near me is quite consistent in their products and service. Once or twice a month I visit and order a baked potato, chili, a small frosty and sometimes a single. On lazy days, I sometimes buy chili from the drive-thru for hot dogs.

Their chili always tastes good and is made fresh daily. There is nothing wrong with the meat. The meat does seem to come from square patties, whether cooked or not.

To date, I've had no experience with watery chili at this store. Out of town, I have sometimes received watery chili. Boo!

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Originally posted by JimInKy

The Wendy's near me is quite consistent in their products and service. Once or twice a month I visit and order a baked potato, chili, a small frosty and sometimes a single. On lazy days, I sometimes buy chili from the drive-thru for hot dogs.

Their chili always tastes good and is made fresh daily. There is nothing wrong with the meat. The meat does seem to come from square patties, whether cooked or not.

To date, I've had no experience with watery chili at this store. Out of town, I have sometimes received watery chili. Boo!

I have always found it fascinating that in the fast food world, which preaches consistency,how much real difference there is in individual stores. For instance we have two Mickey D's in town, and there couldn't be more difference between the two of them [even though its the SAME franchisee!]- the one outlet consistantly has better service,is cleaner, and even seems to have better tasting swill...it just goes to show that NO chain is better than its local,grass roots management

Wendy's for me has always been a mixed bag...the burgers are as good as any in the chain world, but I have NEVER been all that thrilled by Wendy's fries....always seems to me that they are JUST undercooked a tad...my favorite order @ Wendy's is the 99 cent bacon cheeseburger, the 99 cent 5 piece chicken and a Frosty..nice little meal for $3

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Originally posted by ConeyIslandLou


Wendy's for me has always been a mixed bag...the burgers are as good as any in the chain world, but I have NEVER been all that thrilled by Wendy's fries....always seems to me that they are JUST undercooked a tad...my favorite order @ Wendy's is the 99 cent bacon cheeseburger, the 99 cent 5 piece chicken and a Frosty..nice little meal for $3

Lou, You are absolutely correct about Wendy's French fries. If fried just a bit longer, unitl a little golden in color, they would be quite good. My experience is that they are almost always under cooked. I can't for the life of me understand that. A few times I've had fries at a franchise that were fried long enough and they were delicious (I was able to see the color from where I ordered, and could tell they were fine). I'm glad you mentioned this.

I don't like the fries served at our nearby Wendy's, because they taste like chicken nuggets. I've never encountered such a thing at any other Wendy's, where they use the same oil for everything. Anybody else have the same experience? Chicken flavored fries?

Par for the group. Wendys chile is better than mediocre for fast food giants, but nothing beats that stuff topping one of their baked potatoes.

In this area the chili varies - are the Indian workers adding the seasoning, or the Latino, or the Vietnamese. Some stores seem to have all of one, others a mixture. The chili is not the only product which gets etnicized, but it may be the most noticable. Rarely you get a much thicker and less meaty product, I think this may be some canned stuff held in reserve for emergencies.

YUP, Wendy's does make the best 'mass produced' chili.......could have just a little more kick, though.


--James

I don't know about the best industrial chili, but I had chili a few nights ago. My 86 year old father has taken a liking to Wendy's chili (imagine !?). He took us here and got a round of chili for all and it was a cold wintry night in Cincy and it was pretty good, for industrial chili.

When I was in graduate school, the Wendy's in my area sold all you can eat chile for 99 cents. It was a godsend The chile is bland but Tabasco and saltines make it palatable.