Ben's Chili Bowl in D.C. chili recipe

Re:Ben's Chili Bowl in D.C. chili recipe (CCinNJ)

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 13:04:37 GMT

That very deep color (without any addition of heat) could be from using achiote oil or paste. Annatto is found in Trinidad.

Re:Ben's Chili Bowl in D.C. chili recipe (CCinNJ)

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 13:00:26 GMT

The color of Ben's looks as though it might have achiote oil or paste. Annato is an ingredient found in Trinidad. It would provide that color without increasing the heat level.

Re:Ben's Chili Bowl in D.C. chili recipe (CCinNJ)

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 10:58:52 GMT

The difficult part of cracking a recipe code that includes curry is that it's a blend of various spices...from one brand or recipe for homemade blend to another with proportions within the curry mix being a factor as well.

Re:Ben's Chili Bowl in D.C. chili recipe (gamefish42)

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 10:47:24 GMT

I just returned from spending the weekend in the DC area on July 30, 2012. The first place I went last Thursday with family was to Ben's to see if their chili was better than mine. You see I am from upstate South Carolina and we have been making great hot dog chili since I can remember as far back as the early 1960s. What I noted last week was that Ben's chili was quite hot and very thick when compared to what I call Carolina Hot Dog Chili. I have also watched the Man vs. Food show. Ben does add tomato paste and a thicker. Like Carolina Chili, the raw hamburger meat was put into a deep pot and covered with water before cooking. I put just enough water to cover the meat by 1/4 - 12 inch. Be sure to break up all the meat in the pot am make a pink slurry before adding the dry ingredients. When I cook my chili, I put at least 3-5 Tbsp. of chili powder. It never gets my chili to the level of heat that Ben's has. They must be adding an unknown chili spice to get the added heat. I use powdered garlic and onion to taste where they use fresh garlic and onions. I add a little salt but no thickener or sugar or other spices. Carolina chili is just meat, water, chili powder, onion and garlic salt and a dash of table salt. You boil the entire mixture until almost all the water is gone. Also, the fattier the meat the better. Lean meat does not make the best hot dog chili. A typical Carolina hot dog is just the bun, the hot dog, yellow mustard, chopped onions, and Carolina chili. If want to go exotic, then add cole slaw. But that it in a nut shell.

Re:Ben's Chili Bowl in D.C. chili recipe (MetroplexJim)

Sat, 18 Jun 2011 10:25:57 GMT

tdj_tx

MetroplexJim

Let's keep it simple:

1 can Wolf's Brand Chili for Hot Dogs
Add cinnamon and sugar to taste.

I doubt that tastes like Ben's Chili Bowl chili.

Actually, I was not kidding.

Re:Ben's Chili Bowl in D.C. chili recipe (ann peeples)

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 12:51:48 GMT

Bob and I had a Hillshire Farms "polish" the other night. Found it fatty -yuck. Didnt finish it.

Re:Ben's Chili Bowl in D.C. chili recipe (tdj_tx)

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 11:34:30 GMT

MetroplexJim

Let's keep it simple:

1 can Wolf's Brand Chili for Hot Dogs
Add cinnamon and sugar to taste.

I doubt that tastes like Ben's Chili Bowl chili.

Re:Ben's Chili Bowl in D.C. chili recipe (MetroplexJim)

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 22:01:24 GMT

Let's keep it simple:

1 can Wolf's Brand Chili for Hot Dogs
Add cinnamon and sugar to taste.

Re:Ben's Chili Bowl in D.C. chili recipe (tdj_tx)

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 19:00:34 GMT

This experiment will come to an end tonight. I have the sauce, which I froze the leftovers, and the Hillshire Farms smoked brats. I will now be as close as I can get to a half smoke from Ben's Chili Bowl.

Re:Ben's Chili Bowl in D.C. chili recipe (tdj_tx)

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 18:21:35 GMT

Here is the closest thing I could find in Texas to a half smoke. It's Hillshire Farms smoked bratwurst, it's a smoked beef and pork sausage. It was pretty good, nice snap to the casing, very mild smoke flavor. It has a coarser texture than a hot dog but not as coarse as a sausage. The next step is to try it with the sauce, which I froze the leftovers.

Re:Ben's Chili Bowl in D.C. chili recipe (tdj_tx)

Sun, 29 May 2011 17:43:50 GMT

chewingthefat

Looks good, your sauce is far less red than Ben's, if you used curry that would explain it and also why I don't believe they use it as I first mentioned, as curry tends to brown a red...In any case it does look real good! Ya got a half smoke under there?

Yea, you are right it doesn't look as red. Curry is a pretty generic term, I just used a curry powder that I had in the pantry. I added some sweet paprika thinking that would redden it up more. It's a work in progress. No half smoke, they seem to be a local D.C. thing. I used my fav Nathan's all beef.

Re:Ben's Chili Bowl in D.C. chili recipe (chewingthefat)

Sun, 29 May 2011 17:29:17 GMT

tdj_tx

Ok, the proof is in the tasting and they tasted fantastic. Not sure how close it comes the original but it's a really good sauce none the less.

Looks good, your sauce is far less red than Ben's, if you used curry that would explain it and also why I don't believe they use it as I first mentioned, as curry tends to brown a red...In any case it does look real good! Ya got a half smoke under there?

Re:Ben's Chili Bowl in D.C. chili recipe (tdj_tx)

Sun, 29 May 2011 17:19:45 GMT

Twinwillow

Does anyone think there's any cinnamon in the recipe?

Could be, if I tasted it I could tell. You can order it from them online but it's over $50. Don't think I'm that committed, anyway this is a really good chili dog sauce even if it's not the original.

Re:Ben's Chili Bowl in D.C. chili recipe (Twinwillow)

Sun, 29 May 2011 17:11:27 GMT

tdj_tx

Ok, the proof is in the tasting and they tasted fantastic. Not sure how close it comes the original but it's a really good sauce none the less.

Triple yummo!

Re:Ben's Chili Bowl in D.C. chili recipe (Twinwillow)

Sun, 29 May 2011 17:10:14 GMT

Does anyone think there's any cinnamon in the recipe?

Re:Ben's Chili Bowl in D.C. chili recipe (tdj_tx)

Sun, 29 May 2011 15:00:49 GMT

chewingthefat

tdj_tx

chewingthefat

I'll bet no curry, cayenne instead, Oregano, no Masa Harina, granulated black pepper, no bay leaf, no water, I don't care what the clip shows, beef broth.

Why would you say no curry, Adam said he could smell it. Cayenne doesn't smell like curry but there could be cayenne in the mix. The originator of this chili was from Trinidad and curry is widely used there, it just makes sense that he would add it to his recipe. The clip shows only water was used but it would be my guess that beef bouillon powder is in there. I can't comment on the original chili, haven't had it, but the chili sauce I made tastes really good. Having chili dogs tonight, we'll see how the whole thing comes together.

Because I very recently ate the 1/2 smokes at Bens, I didn't taste any curry, I could be wrong, but who knows?

The curry taste is pretty mild, but it gives it an very good flavor. It would be easier to smell it in the dry mix. We had this sauce the other night, can't say how close it is to Ben's but it was really tasty. Try making it an let us know.

Re:Ben's Chili Bowl in D.C. chili recipe (chewingthefat)

Sat, 28 May 2011 16:53:05 GMT

tdj_tx

chewingthefat

I'll bet no curry, cayenne instead, Oregano, no Masa Harina, granulated black pepper, no bay leaf, no water, I don't care what the clip shows, beef broth.

Why would you say no curry, Adam said he could smell it. Cayenne doesn't smell like curry but there could be cayenne in the mix. The originator of this chili was from Trinidad and curry is widely used there, it just makes sense that he would add it to his recipe. The clip shows only water was used but it would be my guess that beef bouillon powder is in there. I can't comment on the original chili, haven't had it, but the chili sauce I made tastes really good. Having chili dogs tonight, we'll see how the whole thing comes together.

Because I very recently ate the 1/2 smokes at Bens, I didn't taste any curry, I could be wrong, but who knows?

Re:Ben's Chili Bowl in D.C. chili recipe (tdj_tx)

Fri, 27 May 2011 20:07:23 GMT

... and yes there is a hot dog in there. A grilled Nathan's all beef, classic yellow mustard, minced onion and a huge amount of chili. You could taste the curry but it wasn't over powering. Might add some cayenne next time just to give it more kick.

Re:Ben's Chili Bowl in D.C. chili recipe (tdj_tx)

Fri, 27 May 2011 20:05:04 GMT

Ok, the proof is in the tasting and they tasted fantastic. Not sure how close it comes the original but it's a really good sauce none the less.

Re:Ben's Chili Bowl in D.C. chili recipe (tdj_tx)

Fri, 27 May 2011 17:44:16 GMT

chewingthefat

I'll bet no curry, cayenne instead, Oregano, no Masa Harina, granulated black pepper, no bay leaf, no water, I don't care what the clip shows, beef broth.

Why would you say no curry, Adam said he could smell it. Cayenne doesn't smell like curry but there could be cayenne in the mix. The originator of this chili was from Trinidad and curry is widely used there, it just makes sense that he would add it to his recipe. The clip shows only water was used but it would be my guess that beef bouillon powder is in there. I can't comment on the original chili, haven't had it, but the chili sauce I made tastes really good. Having chili dogs tonight, we'll see how the whole thing comes together.

Re:Ben's Chili Bowl in D.C. chili recipe (chewingthefat)

Fri, 27 May 2011 17:26:53 GMT

tdj_tx

Root-Beer Man

The episode of Man v. Food has a couple of clues, but not much. It looks like they have a touch of curry powder, as well as dehydrated onions.

http://www.youtube.com/wa...Ts&feature=related

Yea, I picked up on those clues. I was going to wait to post this until I've had it on a hot dog, but here's what I have so far. It tastes really good. Can't wait to try it out on some dogs.

Ben's Chili Bowl chili clone
by Tom Jones 2011

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp dehydrated onion
2 tsp beef bouilion powder
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp paprika
1/2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp Masa Harina

1 bay leaf
2 tbsp tomato paste
3 cups water

1 lb ground beef (80/20)

PREPARATION:
Mix the first 9 ingredients together in a bowl. Put the ground beef in a pot with the
water. Stir the beef and water to break up the beef into very fine bits, add the dry
ingredients the bay leaf and tomato paste, stir to combine well. Bring to a boil and
simmer on low for 50 minutes.

I'll bet no curry, cayenne instead, Oregano, no Masa Harina, granulated black pepper, no bay leaf, no water, I don't care what the clip shows, beef broth.

Re:Ben's Chili Bowl in D.C. chili recipe (tdj_tx)

Fri, 27 May 2011 14:31:28 GMT

I did some more research, although allspice is one of the main ingredients of Jamaican Jerk recipes it doesn't seem to be widely used in Trinidad. They seem to be big fans of curry though.

Re:Ben's Chili Bowl in D.C. chili recipe (MiamiDon)

Fri, 27 May 2011 06:40:18 GMT

Probably a good place to ask is in Recipes and Cooking Techniques.

Re:Ben's Chili Bowl in D.C. chili recipe (tdj_tx)

Thu, 26 May 2011 20:41:05 GMT

Twinwillow

Trinidad, eh. I'll bet there's some allspice in it as well. Ya think?

Could be. This is just a start, it took me several years of experimenting to uncover the secrets to Texas Hot Weiner sauce that's found in the Mid-Hudson Valley. Like I said, I've never tasted the chili. I'm hoping someone who has had it could provide some input on the flavors.

Re:Ben's Chili Bowl in D.C. chili recipe (Twinwillow)

Thu, 26 May 2011 20:35:02 GMT

Trinidad, eh. I'll bet there's some allspice in it as well. Ya think?

Re:Ben's Chili Bowl in D.C. chili recipe (tdj_tx)

Thu, 26 May 2011 20:24:00 GMT

Root-Beer Man

The episode of Man v. Food has a couple of clues, but not much. It looks like they have a touch of curry powder, as well as dehydrated onions.

http://www.youtube.com/wa...Ts&feature=related

Yea, I picked up on those clues. I was going to wait to post this until I've had it on a hot dog, but here's what I have so far. It tastes really good. Can't wait to try it out on some dogs.

Ben's Chili Bowl chili clone
by Tom Jones 2011

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp dehydrated onion
2 tsp beef bouilion powder
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp paprika
1/2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp Masa Harina

1 bay leaf
2 tbsp tomato paste
3 cups water

1 lb ground beef (80/20)

PREPARATION:
Mix the first 9 ingredients together in a bowl. Put the ground beef in a pot with the
water. Stir the beef and water to break up the beef into very fine bits, add the dry
ingredients the bay leaf and tomato paste, stir to combine well. Bring to a boil and
simmer on low for 50 minutes.

Re:Ben's Chili Bowl in D.C. chili recipe (Root-Beer Man)

Thu, 26 May 2011 20:04:10 GMT

The episode of Man v. Food has a couple of clues, but not much. It looks like they have a touch of curry powder, as well as dehydrated onions.

http://www.youtube.com/wa...Ts&feature=related

Re:Ben's Chili Bowl in D.C. chili recipe (Twinwillow)

Thu, 26 May 2011 17:45:56 GMT

I'll look for your recipe when posted. Thanks.

Re:Ben's Chili Bowl in D.C. chili recipe (tdj_tx)

Thu, 26 May 2011 17:18:16 GMT

Twinwillow

The above recipe looks real good but, I've never been to Ben's Chili Bowl and I'd love to have their chili recipe if anyone has it.

I'm working on a clone right now. So far it tastes really good, not having had the original I can't say how close it is. If anything I've come up with a really tasty new chili dog sauce. I'll post the complete recipe this weekend after I make some dogs tomorrow night, I like for chili to refrigerate over night to let the flavors really develop. It's a very interesting recipe, I did notice that one of the ingredients is curry powder.
Enough said.

Re:Ben's Chili Bowl in D.C. chili recipe (Twinwillow)

Wed, 25 May 2011 19:26:35 GMT

The above recipe looks real good but, I've never been to Ben's Chili Bowl and I'd love to have their chili recipe if anyone has it.