Wendy’s is a burger and fries veteran. But there is another item here that people love
more than anything else - their chili! Though tasty and flavorful, Wendy’s chili hides
some pretty interesting secrets that you would be very surprised to know. Here are the top
10 untold truths of Wendy’s Chili.
It starts off as something completely different
One of the biggest controversies or rumors flooding the Internet about Wendy’s chili
is that they don’t use real beef. It is widely reported that Wendy’s does not use
freshly-ground beef to make their chili. They supposedly use leftover beef that has been
cooked on the grill. But that is not necessarily bad since the tasty bits of beef may actually
add another layer of flavor to the chili. It is essentially unused burger patties that
make their way into the chili. When the cook at the grilling station starts cooking the
burgers, he is not sure if all the burgers will be ordered. When not ordered, the patties
are put in the fridge for the next batch of chili rather than thrown away or served to
customers later. Another thing to consider is the fact that once the burger patties are
grilled, they only have about half an hour more to be served to customers. Once that
time is up, Wendy’s staff places them in the fridge, from where the beef is ground
up and used in making their famous chili soon after. Another reason why Wendy’s reportedly
uses burger meat in their chili is because of their commitment to reducing food wastage.
Over the past few years, they have made a dedicated effort to reduce food waste at their
outlets as much as possible. And their dedication to this noble action is commendable.
Wendy’s chili is made from fresh ingredients
Fresh ingredients and fresh products are very important to Wendy’s. They emphasize this
aspect in every element of their organization. And as per their website, in all the 48 contiguous
states of the U.S., they use beef that has never been frozen. All their fruits and vegetables
are also sourced from farms that pay close attention to quality. Essentially, they believe
in using the same kind of ingredients that you would in your own kitchen. They also try
to avoid the use of preservatives, artificial ingredients or flavorings in the items served
at Wendy’s. In terms of meat, they source fresh beef from North American ranches and
farms who raise cattle for high-quality beef. It is never frozen and always fresh, even
for their famous chili. Plus, there is a certain logic behind shying away from frozen beef.
More than half of ground beef is made up of water, so when it is frozen, the water freezes
too and creates ice crystals, breaking down the protein. Consequently, there is the ugly
residual water that seeps out when the meat thaws. Freezing meat can also result in dryness
or freezer burn. Thus, frozen meat is not the best option if you want tasty burgers
or chili.
Beans, beans and more beans!
Like every chili recipe worth its salt, Wendy’s chili recipe uses different types of beans
too. Only a rookie would think that just using one type of bean would give them that awesome
homemade chili taste! But for that awesome Wendy’s chili taste, you just need two beans
- pink beans and red kidney beans. Pink beans have a meaty flavor and a slightly sweet taste
that lends itself very well to stews and chili. In many recipes, these are interchangeably
used with pinto beans. As for red kidney beans, they are present in almost every kind of
chili recipe out there. They are easily available in most supermarkets and are relatively inexpensive
too. Plus, they add a nice heartiness and wholesomeness to the chili. Packed with protein
and fibre, red kidney beans are the building blocks of any good chili recipe. If you’re
wondering why Wendy’s uses more than one kind of bean, here’s the reason: each type
of bean has a different texture and adds a distinct taste to the chili. A combination
of both red kidney and pink beans is necessary to create that essential depth of flavor that
we all love and crave.
The finger incident
In the mid-2000s, Wendy’s suffered a terrible blow when a woman discovered a finger in her
cup of Wendy’s chili at a San Jose outlet. The police investigated and confirmed that
it was indeed a finger, but its owner was not known. In order to boost its image and
declining sales following the incident, Wendy’s offered a $100,000 reward to anybody who could
provide some information about the origin of the finger. But police soon discovered
that the woman had a history of filing false lawsuits for claim money, including one against
another fast-food chain. She was eventually arrested and sentenced to prison. The finger
was later found to have belonged to an associate of the woman’s husband who had lost it in
a workplace accident. By the time the public had realized that it was a hoax, Wendy’s
had suffered significant losses, especially in the San Jose-San Francisco area. But the
fact is that claims of finding human body parts in food at fast-food chains are not
new. Most often, it is a hoax. Plus, with strict food and health safety standards in
place, such incidents are nearly impossible.
It has more beans and veggies than meat
Even though the chili at Wendy’s may not be the best-looking cup of chili in the world,
it does pack a punch with its awesome flavor. Flavored with spices and supplemented by a
medley of veggies (celery, onions, peppers, tomatoes, etc.), this beef and beans dish
is most definitely a hearty chili. But many have complained that Wendy’s chili does
not have much beef. They say that it has more beans and veggies than meat. Make no mistake,
Wendy’s chili is all beef, beans and veggies - the golden trifecta of any good chili recipe.
But many have reported that is a tad bit more soupy than beefy. It is slightly thinner than
the chili served at other places. Some have even said that the chili has a lot of tomatoes
and sparse helpings of beef. Well, everyone likes their chili in a certain way, and they
may be right too. But there is no denying the amazing taste. A mere whiff of Wendy’s
steaming hot chili and all concerns of beef-to-beans-and-veggies ratio will be forgotten!
Wendy’s chili is very affordable
Let’s all agree that Wendy’s chili is both filling as well as tasty. But another
thing to consider while ordering chili at Wendy’s is that it is quite affordable.
The price has, over the years, remained in and around the $2 dollar area for the small
portion. And even if you order the small cup of chili, most customers agree that the portion
size is quite generous. The chili tastes pretty good, fills you up and leaves you feeling
warm and cosy. Another thing working in the favor of the chili is that Wendy’s also
offers some great toppings and supplements with the chili. For example, for just a few
cents more, you can get a couple of saltines to dunk into the chili or add shredded cheddar
cheese or sour cream. Hot sauce and sweet onion are complementary in most outlets.
Follow your nose!
Food is memories, and memories are sights, sounds, taste, feelings and smells. Smell
is one of the most important aspects of most food-related memories. Fun fact: did you know
that it is not just your tongue that determines the taste of a particular food? It is a combination
of the smell that we inhale through our nose combined with the texture and temperature
of the food perceived by our tongue that creates flavor. Thus, when you have a stuffy nose,
you aren’t able to smell properly and that’s why food tastes different when you’re sick.
Just like other foods, chili is also a very smell-heavy food. It has a lovely aroma that
takes some people back to their childhood. To appreciate the layers of flavor in the
chili that are developed due to the slow cooking process, and the aromas given off by the spices,
we need that essential sense of smell. All of us perceive smells in a different manner;
what is a good or pleasant smell for one person may be an unpleasant or bad smell for another.
Some smells evoke pleasant memories and some revolt us. For most of us, the smell of chili
is a heartwarming and comforting one. Irrespective of whether you had chili as a child or developed
a liking for it as an adult, there is hardly a person in America that doesn’t like chili.
It is the one item that we reach for when we’ve had a bad day. And luckily for most
of us, we don’t have to slave for hours on the stove to create the perfect pot of
chili. Just head over to your local Wendy’s and they’ll serve a steaming cup of their
signature chili to you in no time.
Here's how you can make Wendy’s chili at home
If you find yourself craving a Wendy’s chili but are too lazy to go out, just raid your
pantry and try one of the many copycat recipes flooding the Internet. Here’s one that is
super easy to make at home, and tastes just like Wendy’s: For the ingredients, you’ll
need 2 pounds of ground beef, a can of kidney beans and a can of pink beans (if available),
a can of tomato sauce, 2 cans of diced tomatoes, 1/2 cup chopped celery, 2 chopped onions,
one chopped green pepper, a cup of water, a teaspoon each of salt, garlic powder, chili
powder and dried oregano, half a teaspoon of pepper, 2 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce
and a tbsp of oil. Start by browning the beef in a soup kettle or a Dutch oven. Add
the veggies and sauté them until tender. Then, add the tomato sauce, tomatoes, water
and all the flavorings (Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and spices). Simmer this mixture
for an hour or so. For that authentic Wendy’s chill taste, adjust the flavorings to taste,
especially the onion and garlic powder. Next, add the rinsed and drained kidney beans and
let the chili simmer for 15 minutes. Voila! Your chili is ready. Have some now and save
the rest for later.
It is a perfect low-calorie meal
Fast-food chains like Wendy’s are known for their affordable, tasty and quick meals.
From burgers through shakes to yummy sides, they serve just about everything you crave.
But Wendy’s stands out from the crowd by offering classics such as baked potato, chili
cheese fries and chili. In fact, chili is said to be one of the most popular items on
the menu of this fast-food chain. And why not? Everyone loves chili; it’s hearty,
it’s comforting, it’s packed with flavor and just what you want on a cold rainy or
snowy day.It was a very popular dish in the olden days simply because it was hearty and
could easily feed the whole family. In the modern day, when we are all on some sort of
diet or another, chili would make for a perfect wholesome meal. And for those watching their
weight, Wendy’s chili is even more perfect because it is a low-calorie meal. According
to most doctors, the average human needs about 2000-2500 calories per day. And as per Wendy’s
website, there are only 160 calories per small serving and 250 per large serving of Wendy’s
chili. So, a cup of this chili will not have any drastic effect on your diet plan. In fact,
it could help you meet your daily dietary requirements. It has protein from the beans
and meat, carbs and minerals from the veggies, and making it all so flavorful are the array
of spices added to it. Very satisfying without all the extra calories! It might be even
better than ordering a salad that is often drenched in a rich dressing.
The horse meat rumors
Another controversy that Wendy’s was once embroiled in was that it was using horse meat
in its products, including their chili. It was, of course, all false. But here’s how
it all started. In the early part of this decade, a horse meat scandal rocked the meat
industry in Europe, which essentially stated that manufacturers were trying to pass off
horse meat as beef in order to bring down their costs. Investigations confirmed that
items made from so-called ‘100% beef’ indeed contained horse meat. And this scandal
reached American shores too, when horse meat was reportedly found in some products of Burger
King, the American fast-food chain’s UK restaurants, forcing them to change their
meat suppliers. Wendy’s came into the picture too, when sometime later, an entertainment
website, published an article that accused Wendy’s of using not just horse but rat
meat too, in their chili. Though it was obviously an entertainment and satirical piece, many
customers took it seriously and Wendy’s reportedly had to issue a statement which
effectively stated that they only used 100% North American beef in all their restaurants;
no horse meat whatsoever. Plus, a simple search of the chili ingredients on their website
and it would be clear to all that there is no other meat involved other than beef.
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