The Secret Ingredient to Make the Best Chili Ever According to Reddit

Chili—the soupy, saucy hot meal—is made a thousand ways. And countless eaters have enjoyed the many versions of this classic stew.

From chili contests at block parties to your family recipe passed down through generations, we’ve all probably crossed paths with someone claiming their chili is the best. They may even brandish a trophy or two to prove their chili-cooking skills.

If you are trying to climb the ladder to reach chili royalty, or are just trying to keep yourself fed over a lazy weekend, Reddit users shared their secret ingredients to the best chili, and they are worth considering. While plenty of the suggestions will interest a curious cook, one ingredient stands out among the rest: black garlic.

“Black garlic is pure umami and tastes nothing like garlic,” says user ebrius, referring to the basic savory taste that some foods are known for. “I’d describe it as having a sweet, almost molasses-like flavor.”

Umami is considered one of the basic tastes in food, along with sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. Often considered a flavor booster, adding an umami component like black garlic to chili would help each part of the dish sing a little more.

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