So I've got a vegan chili I make on a regular basis that I think is pretty darn good, but I'm always looking for ways to make it better. (I'm not actually vegan. Obviously.) Last time I included bacon and bourbon but the effect was… not what I had hoped. The bacon became very soggy and the bacon flavor was non-existent. (So was the bourbon flavor, but that's neither here nor there.)
Here's my current method for the chili in broad strokes (makes about 10 cups):
- Saute onions, peppers (as well as the chili peppers), and cumin
seeds in some oil until onion is translucent - Dump in beans, tomatoes, liquids (usually beer + veggie broth), and spices
- Pressure cook in the instant pot for ~6 mins
- Add some tomato paste and then simmer to reduce for 30-60 mins until desired thickness
My first attempt at this was just throwing in 3-4 slices of already-cooked, chopped up bacon in during step 2, but clearly that didn't work so well.
How can I get this to go better so I have a present-but-not-overpowering bacon flavor without gross floppy bits of bacon everywhere?
Best Answer
Moving to answer for OP. If you want to save the crispiness, or a least some of it, the suggestions of sprinkling small pieces at serving time would seem the way to go. It will give you the noticeable contrast and even draw attention to the bacon while not over-powering the base chili flavors. The added bonus that eckes points out is that it gives the option to anyone who prefers to stay away from pork or meat in general to just omit it.
If however you prefer to get the flavor of bacon through the chili, the opposite direction is the way I would go. With things like chowder, many people start with a block of salt pork or slab bacon. I like the smokiness, so bacon for me. Toss that into your pot first and start to saute it,that is make it your step 0. If too much fat pour off some. Then saute your onions and aromatics in that and go from there. When done or well along, pull out the meat. If you want it back in, chop into small pieces and return it, but it will not have a crisp bacon texture. Small pieces will keep if for being off-putting though. This should get you a deeper flavor that permeates the chili.
You could in fact combine the two, use the slab to create the flavor base, then add the crumbles just before serving to accent and provide the texture.