Chili beef fat substitutes

I'm working on a vegetarian version of a brisket chili recipe. It takes 20 hours to make, so effort involved is not an issue.

I need a substitute for brisket fat. I render the fat, strain out the proteins, and toast the seed-based spices, along with salt, in the rendered fat. I then char the aromatics, and use this mixture to make a stock that is the base for my chili. It lends a noticeable "cured" body to the finished chili.

What can I substitute for the beef fat to make this vegetarian?

Best Answer

Not going to accept this, because a couple of professional cooks get primary credit, but here is the first draft for anybody interested. I am also still interested in any answers:

Coconut oil offers the saturated fat and body that I will be missing with a non-meat fat. Also palm oil, but I have several cups of cooking-grade coconut oil on hand already.

For nitrates, there are various seasoned salts that were suggested. I will be going with a mixture of sesame salt and a friend's line of umami salt.

For umami, powdered mushroom. I will be putting dehydrated shiitakes through a microplane, and sifting the results to remove any dirt.

Pictures about "Chili beef fat substitutes"

Chili beef fat substitutes - Meat cold cuts station in buffet

Chili beef fat substitutes - High angle appetizing sliced cured pork fat and smoked sausages served on sideboard with cheese and olives during buffet catering

Chili beef fat substitutes - Scrabble Letter Tiles on White Background

What fat content is best for chili?

If using ground beef, health-conscious folks will want to lean (pun intended) toward a 90:10 meat-to-fat ratio, and chili aficionados who aren't terribly concerned about calories will want to lean more toward 80:20 for more flavor.

What can I substitute for beef in chili?

Or if you're making an already soupy dish, such as pasta sauce or stew, you can simply stir in the dry TVP and it will soften up during cooking. Use TVP as a beef substitute in chili, stuffed cabbage rolls, or stroganoff.

What can I substitute for ground chuck?

If your ground beef is 80% lean, then it is a good substitute for ground chuck. It's nice and juicy, and it's good for burgers, casseroles, tacos, and more. However, the flavor of the beef might be slightly different than ground chuck.

Chilli Beef Lettuce Wraps | Gordon Ramsay

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Julia Filirovska, Milan, Milan, Anna Tarazevich