# What makes red grease?



## NewAtThis (Mar 10, 2014)

Hello!

You all were very helpful to me a few months ago when I posted a question regarding frozen chili tasting spoiled.  Thanks again for that.  Here's another question!

I'm trying to reverse engineer the recipe of a certain restaurant's chili in the town I grew up in.  I now live out of state and miss that place immensely!  I've got a pretty good chili recipe of my own creation, but now and again, I'd like to have something that tastes remotely close to that chili back home.  My attempts are getting better, with the flavor approaching that of the restaurant's chili, but here's something that bothers me:

Their chili has little dots of red (or maybe orange) grease that float to the top.  I figured it was because they use ground beef (they've advertised that they use fresh ground beef).  So I use 80% ground beef, browning it first after coating the bottom of the pan with vegetable oil, and my grease is more of a clear/yellow color.  Is it the vegetable oil that's preventing my grease from being red, or am I using the wrong technique, or might there be an additional ingredient producing the red grease in the restaurant's chili?

I'd appreciate any comments or suggestions.

Thank you!
Steven.


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## menumaker (Mar 10, 2014)

Hi,
I'm not sure but it could be Paprika that gives the red colour in the grease.Turmeric tends to give a yellowish Hue to Curry sauces. I don't think it is to do with the meat content. Maybe some of the other members will have suggestions that I haven't thought of .


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## Andy M. (Mar 10, 2014)

Tomato will give you orange fat.  Chili usually has at least a small amount of tomato.  Some recipes have a lot.  Red chilies could also add to the coloring.


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## NewAtThis (Mar 10, 2014)

Thank you, Celtic Cook and Andy!  Your answers are so helpful because they're steering me away from thoughts about adding meats and instead pointing me toward other ingredients.  My recipe currently has paprika and tumeric, but no tomatoes.  It also doesn't have much in the way of red chiles- just a little cayenne pepper.  I was actually not going to put the paprika in my next batch, since it doesn't seem to do much for the flavor.  The tumeric seems necessary as their chili is very orange (except for the red grease), and tumeric is the only thing I've found that gives me that orange color.  So maybe I'll leave the paprika in it and add some tomatoes next time.

And I hope others will share their thoughts as well.

Thanks again and again!
Steven.


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## Whiskadoodle (Mar 10, 2014)

I think chilies are releasing color and soaking into the fat content. Paprika comes from a mild pepper.   It doesn't have to be meat fat. If you cooked some onion or veggies in any type of oil, this may occur. 

If you don't want this, allow to cool and blot up with a paper towel when the fat comes to the surface while still warm or refrigerate completely and remove the fat layer. Reheat and serve.


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## Andy M. (Mar 10, 2014)

I recommend you do a little research on chili recipes.  This will give you some ideas for ways to duplicate the flavor.

Chili's basics are meat and chilie peppers.  Mexican oregano, tomato, onion, garlic and cumin are often added.  Turmeric isn't a normal ingredient in chili.  Worry less about the color and more about the taste.


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## jennyema (Mar 10, 2014)

NewAtThis said:


> Thank you, Celtic Cook and Andy! Your answers are so helpful because they're steering me away from thoughts about adding meats and instead pointing me toward other ingredients. My recipe currently has paprika and tumeric, but no tomatoes. It also doesn't have much in the way of red chiles- just a little cayenne pepper. I was actually not going to put the paprika in my next batch, since it doesn't seem to do much for the flavor. The tumeric seems necessary as their chili is very orange (except for the red grease), and tumeric is the only thing I've found that gives me that orange color. So maybe I'll leave the paprika in it and add some tomatoes next time.
> 
> And I hope others will share their thoughts as well.
> 
> ...


 

Paprika and turmeric aren't usually used in chili.  Particularly turmeric.

Id suggest trying to "reverse engineer" based on flavor and texture rather than color.


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## NewAtThis (Mar 10, 2014)

Thank you, Whiskadoodle!  I will look for some mild red chilis that might give color while not imparting lots of heat.  This chili shouldn't be spicy.

Thanks again, Andy!  Oh the research I've done... I've done a lot, specifically on chili's derived from Mexico and Texas a century ago which is where and when this recipe originated.  Tumeric is sometimes a chili ingredient and was available in that region.  I've experimented with oregano and garlic, and they take the flavor in a different direction.  Onion is a certainty in this recipe because I can see it, and I know cumin is in it because I can taste it.  I've experimented with tomato sauce but found that it makes the broth opaque instead of the translucent nature that I'm going for.  As for the color, the color is a result of the ingredients, and when I began looking at the color as a clue, things started improving.  Specifically, tumeric not only bought me the orangeness I needed, but it also brought the flavor more inline as well.  Unfortunately, it brought the staining capabilities as well, which is also a characteristic of the chili I'm trying to duplicate.  Put a white plastic ladle in it, and you pull out an orange ladle!  Ok, so that's enough explanation of what I know of chili and why I'm using what I'm using.  I do really appreciate your advice, so thanks for indulging me in my wordy explanations and questions.

Steven.


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## NewAtThis (Mar 10, 2014)

Thank you, Jennyema!

You all are so great and quick with your answers.  I really appreciate that.  You were so quick that my answer to Andy was half-typed when you made similar comments.  Either way, I really appreciate your help.  Every tip I can get from expert cooks like you is useful, and I know it will make this recipe, and my cooking skills in general, better.

Steven.


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## GotGarlic (Mar 10, 2014)

NewAtThis said:


> Thank you, Whiskadoodle!  I will look for some mild red chilis that might give color while not imparting lots of heat.  This chili shouldn't be spicy.



I would suggest chili powder rather than chili peppers. The powder is easier to work with and the flavor is more consistent. It's not hot and it is the primary flavor I associate with chili.


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## Whiskadoodle (Mar 10, 2014)

Take a look at this list.  If you want mild, I wouldn't go much beyond jalapenos for heat level.  You can get the fruitiness of the pepper taste without all the heat.    Fresh peppers are not in season here,  so yes to dried or powdered, plus you can more easily control how  much you add to your recipe.  

 You may even have to order some online if looking for a particular pepper.  

 Using fresh peppers can be dicey. I have had mild jalapeno's and then there is one in the group that is decidedly hot !   

 Have fun experimenting too.  

Chili Peppers - a list of chili peppers and their heat levels


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## NewAtThis (Mar 10, 2014)

Thank you, GotGarlic!  It probably is time for me to experiment with chili powder again.  I did originally, but then the chili tasted too much like my own recipe that I've been making for years.  What I'm trying to come up with tastes nothing like my original recipe, but a small dose of chili powder wouldn't hurt, and it might be enough to stain the grease.

Thanks, Whiskadoodle!  I'm positive they use powdered peppers (or maybe liquid).  When you look at their chili, you see pinto beans, a few bits of ground beef, and very rarely, a piece of diced onion.  It's all swimming in a transparent orange broth that has brown flecks (cumin?) and red flecks (some kind of pepper).  That's what you see.  No other diced veggies.  And this is a greasy spoon kind of place.  I'm pretty sure they use cheap ingredients and don't use any gourmet techniques.  Powders are easy, and I bet that's what they use.

Thanks again.
Steven.


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## pacanis (Mar 10, 2014)

GotGarlic said:


> I would suggest chili powder rather than chili peppers. The powder is easier to work with and the flavor is more consistent. It's not hot and it is the primary flavor I associate with chili.


 
True.
And unless I'm mistaken, it's main ingredient is paprika. I can't speak for the tumeric though. 
Chili powder and a little grease from your burger will give you your little pools of red rising to the top.


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## Andy M. (Mar 10, 2014)

pacanis is right about meat and chili powder being the basics.

Chili powder is a blend of ground chilies, oregano, cumin, garlic.  You can use chili powder or use powdered chilies, oregano, cumin and garlic separately to achieve to flavor you want.


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## Dawgluver (Mar 10, 2014)

The fat in my chili is in red specks after refrigerating, if I didn't completely drain the burger first after browning.  I use chili powder.  

Can you call the restaurant and ask how they make theirs?


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## CarolPa (Mar 10, 2014)

My chili has both diced tomatoes and tomato sauce and the fat is red.  I also get reddish fat on my vegetable soup which I think is from the diced tomatoes and tomato juice.


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## jennyema (Mar 10, 2014)

Wendy's chili very orange and watery and not very hot.  

https://www.topsecretrecipes.com/Wendys-Chili-Recipe.html


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## NewAtThis (Mar 10, 2014)

Wow, thanks, pacanis, Andy, Dawgluver, and CarolPa!

Now I'm very excited about my next batch.  I think I'll add a little chili powder to the meat.  If that doesn't turn my grease red, I might add some tomato juice in the following batch.  I like the idea of tomato juice versus tomato sauce since it should be less opaque and therefore more like what I'm trying to achieve.  At the same time, I might leave out the paprika and decrease the tumeric, and if I lose that orange color, I'll put the tumeric back in.

Dawgluver, I would love to ask the restaurant how they make their chili, but it's a big secret.  It would be akin to asking Coca-Cola for the Coke recipe, only instead of just being told no, I'd probably be laughed out of the establishment, or maybe yelled at.  Either way, it wouldn't be pretty.  Besides, after 22 attempts, I'm still really enjoying this!  Sometimes I think I'll never match their taste, but it's a great challenge.

Steven.


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## CarolPa (Mar 10, 2014)

NewAtThis, I think you need to make a friend on the "inside."  LOL  When my DIL worked at a local restaurant she told me that the pies they advertise as homemade come in frozen and they bake them.  To me, that's not home made.


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## NewAtThis (Mar 10, 2014)

Jennyema, Wendy's is another distinct-tasting chili that I love!  It has a totally different taste from what I'm trying to get, but still, that "Wendy's" recipe might give me some good ingredient ideas.  Like I said earlier, I believe a chili's appearance can give a clue as to its ingredients, and if Wendy's looks anything at all like my target chili, then they might share some ingredients.

Thanks!
Steven.


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## NewAtThis (Mar 10, 2014)

CarolPa, mmmm pie.  Frozen is good, but you're right, it's not homemade!  

Apparently the employees don't even know this chili recipe.  The owner mixes the spices himself and gives it to them to combine with the other ingredients.  I bet his wife doesn't even know the secret!

Steven.


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## Dawgluver (Mar 10, 2014)

NewAtThis said:


> CarolPa, mmmm pie.  Frozen is good, but you're right, it's not homemade!
> 
> Apparently the employees don't even know this chili recipe.  The owner mixes the spices himself and gives it to them to combine with the other ingredients.  I bet his wife doesn't even know the secret!
> 
> Steven.



Hmm.  Maybe you need to go through their trash!


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## NewAtThis (Mar 10, 2014)

Their trash...  Oddly, I'd love to!  But they'd catch me.  They're open 24 hours a day, so I think I'd be busted pretty quickly.  But if I could, imagine the empty spice bottles I might find.  Then again, they probably have their dumpsters under lock and key, or else they dispose of the chili scraps off site to protect the recipe.  Oh well...  I guess I'll just have to keep experimenting, which is almost as fun as dumpster diving and much more sanitary.

And with that, I've reached a new low in this thread.  Thanks everybody for all your advise.  Sounds like I have my answer: red grease does not come from red meat.  It comes from any fat that's been stained by red peppers (chili powder likely) or tomatoes.  That's one more piece of the puzzle to work with.

Thank you!
Steven.


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## GB (Mar 10, 2014)

I have a recipe for Wendys chili. It is my go to chili recipe. I am not sure how real it really is, but I will try to remember to post it here when I get home from work. 

Interestingly, the meat Wendys uses for their chili comes from old burgers that have been left and not sold. There is a bin next to the grill that they scrape the scraps into and that is what goes into their chili.


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## NewAtThis (Mar 10, 2014)

Thanks, GB.  At first, the burger scraps method seemed disgusting to me, but then again, why not?  If they can use leftovers and scraps to make a delicious and non-spoiled chili, more power to them!  If you do post the recipe, I'll be interested to read it.

Thanks again.
Steven.


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## jennyema (Mar 10, 2014)

I'm still not sure why you are thinking of putting tumeric in chili.  

Tumeric turns things a golden yellow color and can stain. Its used as a food coloring.







It also tastes bitter and earthy, which can be a good thing in some kinds of chili.

Its the base of many Indian curry powders.

I am pretty sure that the orange color you are looking for comes from tomato product, as a meaty tomato sauce, sloppy joes and other things that that don't contain chili powder or turmeric or a spice that could turn it orange often have that greasy orange appearance.

I'd add some tomato paste as well as tomato juice.


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## salt and pepper (Mar 10, 2014)

Its the fat in the meat, chili powder and tomato's that the redish/orange color comes and rises to the surface. I would not use veg oil in chili. Use bacon for flavor and fat. Also you must simmer it long enough to render all the fat to get those "spots" your looking for.


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## NewAtThis (Mar 10, 2014)

Thanks, jennyema.  If you do a Google search for "tumeric in chili" you will find many, many recipes.  It is indeed common in chili.  For my old chili, I don't use tumeric, but now that I'm trying to duplicate an existing chili, I have to use the ingredients that make my new chili look, taste, and smell  like what I'm imitating.  The two biggest "ah-ha" moments came when I discovered cumin and when I discovered tumeric.  Cumin for the flavor, and tumeric for the flavor and color.  I had been trying tomatoes, paprika, and chili powder to achieve the orange color and staining capabilities of what I've gotten from the restaurant.  None of that worked.  Then I found turmeric.  It improved the flavor, matched the color, and contributed the staining.  I'm not saying the staining is a good thing, but it's a characteristic of the chili I want to duplicate, so it's part of the deal.  So yeah, in my ideal personal chili recipe, tumeric wouldn't play a role, but it is common in chili, and to meet my goals with this recipe, it appears to be essential.

Thanks again.
Steven.


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## NewAtThis (Mar 10, 2014)

Thanks, Salt and Pepper!  mmmmm, bacon!  I love that.  That's a great tip, along with simmering.  I will definitely incorporate increased simmering in the next batch, and maybe bacon fat, but not as likely since we don't keep it in the house.  Perhaps my ground beef is fatty enough to fry with out the vegetable oil.

Thanks again.
Steven.


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## GB (Mar 10, 2014)

NewAtThis said:


> If you do post the recipe, I'll be interested to read it.


Here it is...

Wendy's Chili

2 pounds ground beef
1 29-ounce can of tomato sauce
1 29-ounce can of kidney beans
1 29-ounce can of pinto beans
1 diced green pepper
1 diced medium onion
1/2 cup diced mild green chiles
1 to 6 diced jalapeno peppers (if heat desired)
1 29-ounce can diced tomatoes or 3 chopped medium tomatoes
2 teaspoons cumin powder
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons sugar

1. Brown the beef in skillet and drain off the fat.
2. Combine all of the ingredients in a crockpot or cook on stovetop.
3. Cook on low for 3-10 hours or on stovetop till done.


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## CarolPa (Mar 10, 2014)

Thanks GB.  This is very close to how I make my Chili, except I use just 1 can of beans.  I haven't had Wendy's chili for years, I will have to try some to see if it tastes like mine.  

Now I'm hungry for chili.


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## NewAtThis (Mar 10, 2014)

Thanks, GB.

I really like that the recipe you posted is so basic.  The only ingredient I'd view as exotic is cumin, and as I've learned, cumin is pretty standard in chili recipes.  I might make it sometime just to see how much it tastes like Wendy's.

Steven.


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## NewAtThis (Mar 10, 2014)

Ok, everybody.  Thanks to all of you!  I think I've seen enough to have my answer.

It seems that red grease does not come from red meat.  It comes from either red peppers or tomatoes.  And if I want the grease to rise to the top, it needs to simmer a while.  That's exactly what I needed to know, and it's why I came here with my question.  Thank you all!

Steven.


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## Andy M. (Mar 10, 2014)

That Wendy's recipe uses 3 times the beans and 3.5 times the tomato that I use for two pounds of beef.  Not to mention the chilies component.


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## Oldvine (Mar 10, 2014)

Chili powder will stain grease red.  Some restaurants will used canned chili but allow it to slow cook for awhile in their own kitchen, adding a couple ingredients, which will change the flavor from a just-opened can taste to their own version of home made.


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## NewAtThis (Mar 10, 2014)

Hi, OldVine.

Thank you.  That's an interesting take on the the subject of restaurant chili.  And good confirmation that chili powder will turn grease red.

Thanks again.
Steven.


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## Addie (Mar 10, 2014)

Dawgluver said:


> The fat in my chili is in red specks after refrigerating, if I didn't completely drain the burger first after browning.  I use chili powder.
> 
> Can you call the restaurant and ask how they make theirs?



I was going to suggest the same thing. Some restaurants are very reluctant to give out their recipes, so you might considering just asking for a list of their seasonings. Let them know how much you miss their taste of home.


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## dragnlaw (Mar 10, 2014)

NewAtThis said:


> The only ingredient I'd view as exotic is cumin, and as I've learned, cumin is pretty standard in chili recipes.
> Steven.



I think as you start to further experiment with recipes you will find that cumin is one of the most common ingredients in soooo many.

You might even get to the point of grinding your own with a pestle.  So much fresher!  and the aroma floating around....  hmmmmm.....


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