A great chili makes for a crowded table: A queue forms, bowls and spoons become currency, and crackers are hoarded.
Chili just has this effect on people, especially when the air grows colder and nights begin earlier. Hearty ingredients, tender meat, and seasonings make a meal worth eating over and over again.
There is, however, one secret ingredient you should be using if you’re not already. It instantly brightens and deepens the flavor of a pot of chili at the last moment—and it’s probably already in your kitchen.
The Secret Ingredient for the Best Chili
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If you’re looking to give chili extra depth, there is one ingredient that will help more than others: balsamic vinegar. This chef’s secret helps all the flavors of the chili shine with its sweet acidity—and it goes in right before it’s served.
Balsamic vinegar is made from fermented and barrel-aged wine grapes. It lends acidity of regular vinegar but also an added rich red wine flavor.
“It provides this acidic balance at the end that makes you want to eat more and more,” says News Editor Courtney Kassel.
Truly, balsamic and chili are a match made in stew heaven.
How To Make Chili With Balsamic Vinegar
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
It couldn’t be easier to utilize this secret ingredient in your next batch of chili. Here’s how:
- Right before you serve the chili, add in 1 to 2 tablespoons of vinegar depending on the amount you’re making.
- Stir the chili, then ladle it into bowls.