Tuesday, May 17, 2011

What Is The Difference Between Chili Powder & Chili Seasoning

Chili powder and seasoning are both mixtures of spices.








When making a chili dish, knowing which type of seasoning or powders to use is an important step to get the preferred flavors. In the store, there are several options, which include chili powder and chili seasoning. Both powder and seasoning are a blend of spices, so determining which is best is sometimes a challenge. While they have many of the same spices, there are some differences between powder and seasoning.


Thickener


The main difference between the chili powder and the chili seasoning is the addition of a thickener. In chili seasoning, a thickening agent, such as wheat flour, is added to the spices. The chili powder does not have a thickener, which means it will not make the liquid in the chili dish any thicker.


Spices


The spices vary between brands and types of chili powder and seasoning. Both the seasoning and powder have the typical chili, oregano, garlic and salt. Depending on the brand, the chili seasoning might have cumin added to it. Chili powder typically does have cumin as one of the main spices. Chili powder does not typically have onion included while the chili seasoning often has powdered onion as one of the spices.


Homemade Differences


The differences in chili powder or seasoning made at home are usually very minor. Many homemade recipes include the same spices in similar quantities and mixtures. When making a homemade chili powder or seasoning, preservatives are not added and thickeners might not be added to the mixture. Typically, a homemade mixture is made to personal tastes rather than to specifics in spice measurements.


Special Considerations


The differences in mixtures between chili seasoning and chili powder are usually minimal. As a special consideration, it is important to note that some stores might have chili powder which does not have a blend of spices and is a powdered chili. Some brands will label the powdered chili as chile powder to prevent confusion.

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