Ask The Crispers

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Dear Crispers,

I've been trying to get into chili crisp, but I'm wary of getting one that's too hot, and I won't be able to enjoy it. The jars rarely have any indication of how much chili pepper heat is in them. What to do?

Sincerely,
Tender-tongued in Tennessee

Hi, Tongue. We've been there, too. Our tolerance for chili pepper heat, and especially Sichuan pepper, has grown over time, but wow! were some of those first jars outright flabbergasting. In all our reviews here, we tell how hot or salty every jar we try can be expected to taste, so you can be more confident in your purchase.

All the best,
The Crispers

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Hey Crispers,

Seems like I can never enjoy some chili crisp or chili oil without dripping some on my clothes. Any secrets you can share to get the stains out?

Signed,
Sloppy in St. Louis

Well, Sloppy, we've had our share of mishaps, and we've tried a bunch of things. Pre-treatment-- and sooner than later-- is paramount. We found spray pre-wash products didn't always do the trick, but we've had good results with the Spray & Wash stick. Just rub some on the stain liberally and wash. The good thing is it also allows you to wait and wash at your convenience. As with any pre-treatment, make sure the stain is gone before placing the garment in the dryer.

Yours,
The Crispers

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Hello Team,

Just wondering. Why is it called "chili" crisp? It has always been my understanding that a "chile" is a pepper, and "chili" is a meat stew made with "chile peppers". What's the story?

Curiously yours,
Stumped in Stamford

Stumped, we thought the same thing at one time. But you're absolutely right, in the context of Latin American cuisines, it's spelled "chile". In Asian cuisine, the term is usually given as "chili" for the peppers, and sometimes it's even seen as "chilli". You can safely write it off to simply a cultural variation, sort of like US and British English "color" and "colour".

Hope that clears things up,
The Crispers

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Hey, Y'all,

I'd really like to try try more chili crisps and the like, but many of them are so darned expensive for the amount you get. Why is that?

Just curious,
Frugal in Framingham

Hey, we hear you! Chili crisp (or chili crunch) varies widely in price. While trendy, premium brands can cost $12 to $15 per jar, traditional authentic brands are often significantly cheaper.

The high price of trendy brands comes down to a few key factors:

• Marketing & Branding: Brands like Momofuku or Fly By Jing invest heavily in social media, lifestyle marketing, and beautiful packaging, passing those costs onto the consumer.
• Ingredient Quality: Premium brands often boast high-quality ingredients like real Sichuan peppercorns, chef-curated spice blends, and artisanal oils, rather than the mass-produced bases found in cheaper options. 
• Production Scale: Boutique brands are made in smaller, more expensive batches, whereas traditional legacy brands mass-produce in large-scale quantities.
• Retail Markup: Trendy brands are frequently sold in high-end, upscale grocery or specialty stores, which inherently mark up prices more than supermarkets.

If you want the best value, consider these alternatives:

• Asian Grocery Stores: You can find traditional, authentic brands (like the popular Lao Gan Ma), Chuannan, or Lee Kum Kee Chiu Chow Chili Crisp for about $4 to $5 at Asian specialty markets 
• Make Your Own: Preparing your own large batch of chili crisp at home is highly cost-effective and lets you control exactly what goes in. 

Good luck in your search,
The Crispers

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Hi, Gang,

I've had a chance to try several chili crisps you've recommended, and there's something odd I've noticed. When I get towards the very bottom of the jars, several of them seem way saltier than when I first opened them. I do as you say, and stir them with a clean spoon before scooping some out, but I can't figure out what's going on here.

Signed,
Salty in Salinas

Hi, Salty. This is a problem we've dealt with ourselves as well. It appears salt doesn't dissolve in oil very well, if at all. And that's what we're seeing here. Really, really stirring things up is sometimes difficult, especially with the higher solids-to-oil examples like the Lao Gan Ma or Chuannan. You just can't dig deep enough or mix well enough to overcome the issue. We'd suggest trying the following.

First, make sure the jar rim and interior of the lid are clean. Use a clean paper towel for this. Then, fit the cap on securely and tightly. Next, flip the jar upside down for a few hours, or until the next time you want some chili crisp. Finally, open the jar and give things stir as best you can. This should give a better shot at redistributing the salt content more evenly from one use to the next.

Hope that helps,
The Crispers

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