Brighten Up Your Pot Of Chili With A Bit Of Apple Cider Vinegar

Picture this: The air outside is crisp, and you can feel it in your fingers and toes. So you decide to gather all your ingredients and get a pot of hearty homemade chili cooking. It's perfectly seasoned, simmering merrily, and nearly done — but then it happens. You go in for a final taste, and it's just ... bland. The heat is there, the meatiness, the savory flavor, but something about it is falling flat.

Don't fret, though — all is not lost. You don't need to return to the spice rack or even just resign yourself to subpar chili, because there's a quick and easy way to save your meal. Go to the pantry, grab a bottle of apple cider vinegar, and stir a little into the chili. You won't need much. With only about 1 tablespoon per pot added toward the end of the cooking process, the vinegar will make the flavors more vibrant without overwhelming the dish with its biting tang. Through just a splash, everything becomes a little brighter, and the chili's flavors are more balanced. That's the power of acids in cooking.

Scientifically, an "acid" refers to a solution lower than a seven on the pH scale, which measures acidity and alkalinity. Vinegar has a very low pH, around two or three depending on the variety, and tastes very acidic. But when it comes to cooking and your tastebuds, the experience is more complex than only this number on a scale. Of the five taste sensations — sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami — scientific acids often fall under "sour," but not all low-pH foods will make your mouth pucker. Tomatoes, for instance, are acidic on the pH scale, but the taste is more sweet than sour. In cooking, "acids" mean ingredients whose sharp sourness is prominent, and when you're looking to add complexity to a dish, acids are a good place to start.

Cooking is often about finding a balance between these basic taste sensations, which is why apple cider vinegar can be exactly what you need to make your pot of chili a little brighter. Acids enhance the salty, umami-rich flavors already present in chili, and round out the sweetness, adding intricacy to the dish. Apple cider vinegar is versatile with a light, fruity flavor, but red wine and balsamic vinegar are both good choices for heavier chilis that need something bolder.

The vinegar isn't there to be the star of the show, which is why you stick to about 1 tablespoon, but it will shine a sharp spotlight on and complement the existing components. The secret to perfect chili is a balance of flavors.

Speaking of secrets, chili chefs in particular love a good secret ingredient. If you ask for someone's chili recipe, there's a good chance that the conversation will eventually include the assertion, "But the real secret to this recipe is ..." That's because there are a lot of ingredients out there that can contribute to a perfectly taste-balanced chili, so once you master the finishing splash of vinegar, there's a lot more to explore.

There are some sweet ingredients you should be adding to chili to round out the salt and acid. That could be as simple as a dash of brown sugar, or you could try molasses or maple syrup. If your pot is missing a savory, umami flavor, fish sauce might be the unexpected chili ingredient you need to take it to the next level. For a rich, fatty counter to the heat, peanut butter could be the secret ingredient your chili is missing. Focus on finding a flavor balance and get creative.