In my quest to make chili that does not taste like garbage, I am going to create a version of Texas chili. It will have beef. It will have beer. It will have chilis. It will NOT have much else.

I journeyed to my local market to buy some chili peppers. And this is what I found.



Go figure, a store in North Dakota doesn't have the most detailed or authentic labels on their Mexican ingredients. I figure these are Guajillo peppers, based on google searches, but I am not sure. Can anyone confirm?

Additionally, I bought some dried red bell peppers. Can they be incorporated into chili, or would that not turn out well?



Thankee for your wisdom, O Arfcom.

Looks to be puya or guajillo. Both are qyuite similar, but the puya will be spicier.

You have Guajillo peppers.  The red bells should be fine in chili too, but for both, remember to rehydrate them and then blend them with a small amount of the rehydrating water before use.  If you don't, the dried skin doesn't incorporate well into the chili.

Although I don't like bell peppers, they should work just fine. I imagine they will add a good bit of sweetness. You can also add some canned chipotle peppers, if you can get them, or use fresh peppers as well. I don't know what method people normally use to incorporate the fresh peppers, but I'd probably saute them then puree them with everything else.

I puree with my boat motor and then strain with commercial strainer.

Use a dark beer like Porter to rehydrate them and then retain the beer to boil with beef bouillon cubes to make the stock for the chili instead of water.  That way no flavor is wasted from the peppers and you add WAY more flavor to the chili than just water.

Agree with this. I would also add that red peppers add a nice undertone of sweetness to chili without making the dish itself sweet.