Does anyone out there have any favorite chili recipes?

[Uncle Joe]

I promised a friend that I would make some chili this weekend.

Thanks in advance,

Uncle Joe

[SheilaT]

1. I like to use a package of William's Chili seasoning.

I pan fry some ground beef and drain. Chop up a good sized onion and add that. If I have some green pepper in the frig that also gets chopped up and tossed in. A can of chopped tomatoes. About three cans of beans. I use at least two different kinds, including kidney beans and pinto beans. Then I sprinkle in the package of seasoning and taste. At this point I'll add more seasoning, including a good dose of crushed red pepper. Also celery seed, and probably oregano, basil, and thyme.

[MynameisBlarney]

5. Sounds good...but

the oregano, basil and thyme seems like it would make it less Tex-Mex and more like Spaghetti sauce.
That said, it's probably friggin tasty as hell.
I use different types of meats and beans as well. In addition to the dark red kidney beans, I add black beans.
Oh, and a couple or 5 heaping tablespoons of Sofrito as well.

[Zen Democrat]

2. Use Wick Fowler's Two-Alarm or No-Alarm, and add a chopped onion and diced tomatoes.

I use butcher ground chili meat and ground pork if I can get it. The recipe also calls for a small can of tomato sauce, I believe. Then I add grated cheese and minced onions to the top of the bowls before serving.

[Melissa G]

26. Same deal, but would not use pork.

That would be sacrilegious.

I'd sub some shiner bock for some fluid and use Montreal steak seasoning in with the meat.
I also do a non meat version of this with chopped eggplant, zucchini and ground soymeat.,

[MynameisBlarney]

3. I've got about 10 years experience working in professional kitchens

and I can tell you, the best chili I've ever made was with the Carrol Shelby's chili mix.

I'm not one to normally recommend using any sort of prepackaged mixes, but this one is really really good.
And as far as I know, all natural.

The directions are easy to follow and leaves lots of room for experimenting.

[Zen Democrat]

4. And being a Texan, the law here is .... there are no beans in chili.

Chili with beans are called .... a pot of beans.

[sharp_stick]

6. I like beans in chili

when I first started making chili I was told that beans were added to chili by the Texas prison system to make it go farther.

My father hated beans in the chili so we never used to do it but as I got older I started to like the texture that some red and white kidney beans gives to a nice spicy chili.

I still don't put them in if my father is over or if I expect the kids to try it.

[MynameisBlarney]

7. I've seen cooking shows

that had Texas Style v the "pot of beans" style...and the Texas style looks like it would be a trip to heartburn city for me. Probably taste awesome, but I'd be needin some Zantac right after.

[Major Nikon]

20. I've never really understood that

The dish was derived from Native Americans who would have almost certainly used beans, at least from time to time.

[Retrograde]

23. I try not to get involved with religious wars

like PC vs Mac or beans in chili. I think there's plenty of room for everyone's opinions - as long as it's not spelled chilli.

In my fantasy restaurant I'd serve a different chili every day of the week!

[Maw Kettle]

8. I'll give you mine...

I got part of it off of Tyler Florence's show and the rest of the recipe is mine.
Start with cutting up some stew meat in small pieces. I use a couple of pounds and cut it in tiny chunks.
Next, put a cut-up onion, 4 or 5 cloves of garlic, half of a cut-up bell pepper, and a stalk of celery cut up in the food processor and process until it is just mush. Drain it over a bowl so it is pretty dry.
Brown your stew meat in a little oil in small batches, seasoning each batch with salt, pepper, Cajun seasoning, chili powder, cumin and oregano. Take each batch out and let it drain.
After you've browned all the stew meat, brown up a couple of pounds of ground chuck, as above, browning in small batches and seasoning as above and draining the grease.
I hit the pot with a little of red wine to get up all the browned bits off the bottom and then I let this cook a little to evaporate the wine out until it's a little syrupy. Then, I add back the meat, the vegetable pulp, a few cans of crushed tomatoes, some beef broth, and a chunk of unsweetened chocolate and a whole jalapeno. I usually add in a little adobo sauce, too. Let this simmer a while and then add in more chili powder, more cumin and more salt and pepper to taste. This should be a thick chili, just about letting the spoon stand up in the pot. Stir it often and simmer slowly so it doesn't burn. My boys and my daughter-in-law loves my chili and ask for it often, so it must be pretty good. My vegetable-hating teenager never realizes there are vegetables in it cause they're hidden. Hope you enjoy!

[MynameisBlarney]

9. Oh dang

I'm going to have to try that.

[Maw Kettle]

12. Please do...

and give me some unbiased feedback on it. They boys know not to complain too much, if they want to get to keep eating around here. I forgot to say also that I leave the jalapeno whole and cut a couple of slits in the side. That way, it gives some heat without making it "ice block" chili.

[Maw Kettle]

10. I forgot to say...

If I have it, I like to chunk up some deer meat in small chunks and brown and add to the pot, too. I think it adds a good flavor to the pot. I don't put in beans in my chili, because I don't care for it that way, but a person could add them if they wanted to.

[MynameisBlarney]

11. I will be trading some fresh Keys seafood

for some buffalo later this month.
I bet some ground buffalo would be right tasty too.

[Maw Kettle]

13. It is...

I've made it with ground buffalo a few times and it's great. Buffalo is just so expensive I don't usually buy it. It's also good to brown some lean bulk breakfast sausage and throw in the pot as well. Just about any kind of meat makes good chili, in my opinion.

[MynameisBlarney]

14. Oh yeah sausage makes it really good

I wish I hadn't used the last of my wild hog sausage last week.
I've used that along with ground venison and it was pretty darn tasty.

[Maw Kettle]

17. That would be excellent!

I haven't had any wild hog in a couple of years. Unfortunately, they're beginning to invade this part of Missouri, so that will probably change in the near future.

[MynameisBlarney]

18. Yeah, unfortunately

wild hogs are very destructive to the habitats they invade.
Fortunately, they are also very tasty.

[chaska]

15. I don't use recipes much. Try these ideas....

Green tomatoes if you have any in your garden. I do. Green toms make great chili. And with bacon and parsley make the best spaghetti ever.

Garlic, onions and cumin are an absolute necessity, of course. As is one or another variety of peppers.

Must use bay leaf. Makes a huge difference.

Cilantro is good, but it's better added at the very end.

I don't actually like very much, if any, chili powder at all.

[spin]

16. Few of my recipies for chili would be considered editable by most Americans. ...

Last edited Fri Nov 9, 2012, 01:35 AM - Edit history (1)

I usually add a large quantity of jalapeno peppers, some habanero peppers and for good measure mix in some concentrated hot sauce like Dave's Insanity Sauce for good measure.

[MynameisBlarney]

19. LOL

I like being able to digest what I eat.
That sounds like torture!

[spin]

27. Fortunately I have a cast iron stomach. (n/t)

[MynameisBlarney]

28. Cast Iron?

More like adamantium.

[spin]

29. When I was abut six years old my father gave me a drop of Tabasco sauce on a teaspoon ...

as a cruel joke. It was an amazing and tear watering experience.

That bottle lasted for a long time and I would occasionally venture back and try a drop for the shear kick of it. I advanced to two drops and then three. When I was in the service in the 60s, I could take an entire teaspoon of Tabasco sauce without problem. Overtime a person can develop a tolerance for hot peppers or sauce.

I've ate "nuclear wings" at restaurants when they make you sign a release and found them mild at best.

I'm far from unique. I have a few friends who also love hot sauce. In fact there is a fairly large cult of "chili-heads" in our nation. It's not that people like me are masochistic but we may like hot sauces and peppers because many scientists feel that eating such items releases endorphins. There are also supposedly many heath benefits from eating hot peppers.

One side benefit is that I never have to worry about my dog or cat nibbling on my food if I leave the room. Both avoid anything that I eat.

[MynameisBlarney]

30. I too was exposed to hot sauce and hot peppers at a young age

and I put hot sauce on damn near everything, but I'm more of a flavor oriented spicy food lover, not heat for the sake of heat spicy food kinda guy.

[spin]

32. My favorite hot sauce is Matouk's Flambeau Sauce ...

I use it like ketchup. This sauce is made from an extract like the much hotter sauces like Dave's Insanity Sauce or Blairs After Death Hot Sauce. It is however plenty hot for a newbie chili head. It has a great taste which I can enjoy as I can pour a generous amount on my food.

?1352391707

This stuff is impossible to find locally so I order it from Amazon.com

[MynameisBlarney]

33. I've got some of that at home actually

but I only use it on certain dishes.

My all-purpose go-to hot sauce of choice, is Texas Pete.
Not very hot, but I love the flavor it adds to food.

[auto1969]

21. This is guaranteed YUM

Brown 2 lbs ground beef seasoned with salt and pepper in a dutch oven. Right before its done, season with cumin. Remove meat to drain. Leave fat in pot and add a beer and 1 Tbs of unsweetened cocoa, let this simmer and reduce. Meanwhile, chop and sautee 1 jalepeno, 1 pasillo pepper, 3 to 4 habenero peppers, 3 to 4 serano peppers, 1 large red onion and 2 cloves garlic till soft. Rehydrate 3 to 4 dried red chile peppers and 2 dried ancho peppers for 15 minutes, cut up and add to saute pan. Add 2 to 4 previously roasted and peeled New Mexico Hatch chill peppers. Then puree the chile pepper and onion mixture with one can of chopped tomatoes and 3 to 4 cups of chicken stock. Add the puree and beef mixture to the beer reduction and add 1 to 2 cans of beans (your preference on type, I use pinto beans). Let this simmer and thicken for a half hour. Part me and part Bobby Flay. This is a great traditional chile recipe. Enjoy

[Callalily]

22. This is my most favorite chili recipe

All American Chili

6 ounces hot turkey Italian sausage
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground sirloin
1 jalapeño pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cumin
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 bay leaves
1 1/4 cups Merlot or other fruity red wine
2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes, undrained and coarsely chopped
2 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans, drained
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese

Note: I always add smoked spanish paprika and aleppo pepper
Also I use only one can of beans and I use black

Preparation
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Remove casings from sausage. Add sausage, onion, and the next 4 ingredients (onion through jalapeño) to pan; cook 8 minutes or until sausage and beef are browned, stirring to crumble.

Add chili powder and the next 7 ingredients (chili powder through bay leaves), and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in wine, tomatoes, and kidney beans; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Uncover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Discard the bay leaves. Sprinkle each serving with cheddar cheese.

Note: Like most chilis, this version tastes even better the next day.


On the weekend I made "Best Vegetarian Chili" from Cooks Illustrated. Sorry I can't post the recipe. I printed the recipe out at the library and am too lazy to type it in.

[Mojorabbit]

24. I love Field and stream's

venison chili recipe. You could use hamburger instead. I only use a little of the can of chipotle pepper and really you could leave that out.
I find using the whole can overwhelms the taste. I copied this to my computer long ago. This chili has layers of flavor and everyone I have
made it for loves it. mojo

Field and Stream Editor's Venison Chili Recipe

Makes 12 servings

A spicy chili made with venison. A sure winner in a chili cookoff!

Ingredients
2 lbs venison
1/4 lb bacon, diced
2 medium yellow onions, diced
1 medium red onion, diced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
1 yellow pepper, seeded and diced
1 green pepper, seeded and diced
2 oz canned chipotle chilis in adobo sauce , seeded and chopped fine
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
4 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/4 cup honey
1 tbsp molasses
1 pint Guinness or other stout beer
1/2 cup red wine
1 1/2 c whole plum tomatoes , or 1 whole can
350 g crushed tomatoes or 1 whole can
650 g black beans or 2 whole cans
Directions
In large pan, saute venison until just cooked. Drain and set aside. Cook in batches if necessary to keep from crowding in the pan.
In a large pot with a heavy bottom, saute bacon over medium heat until it's brown and has given up its fat. Remove and set aside.
Saute onions and peppers in the bacon fat, stirring frequently until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and vinegar and cook for two minutes. Add chili powder, paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, cinnamon and cook, stirring often, for about three minutes. Add venison and bacon. Stir well and cook for one minute.
Add honey, molasses, beer, wine and tomatoes. Mix well, bring to a boil, adjust heat to low.
Cook at a slow simmer, uncovered, for about an hour and stir frequently. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more chili powder or chipotle chillies if you want more heat.
Add beans and cook for another hour, continuing to stir. The chili is done when it's thick enough to your liking.
Garnish with chopped cilantro.

This has such an interesting combination of heat and flavors from the chipotle chilis, honey, molasses and cinnamon to the Guinness and red wine. Delicious.

A big crusty loaf of bread is the perfect compliment to this fantastic chili.

[wildeyed]

25. Spicy Pumpkin Chili

Easy and fast. Just made it yesterday. The pumpkin was yummy and added nice texture.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/spicy-pumpkin-chili/detail.aspx

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

31. Arguments about chili are ubiquitous

Last edited Mon Nov 12, 2012, 11:02 AM - Edit history (1)

There are many different takes on how to make chili. Chopped meat or ground meat? Which meat -- beef is the favorite, but I have had a very good one made from venison, my eldest son has eaten an armadillo chili, and I have heard of bear. There is a strong contingent who insist on chicken.

What is in the liquid? Some use tomato juice, some use wine, some use beer, some use beef stock, some use a combination of two or more of these.

Which peppers to use? Ancho, jalapeño, pasilla, cayenne and poblanos are probably the favorites, but you will certainly find others. I once was served some chili made with too many serranos that was frankly inedibly hot.

Cumin, garlic, onions and oregano are standard ingredients.

Of course, there is the biggie -- beans or no beans? With, of course, disputes about which bean -- red kidney beans are the most common, but white beans (navy, great northern or cannellini) are popular with some.

I am of the chopped beef, tomato juice/red wine, ancho or poblano, no beans school. My wife is of the ground beef, tomato juice, beans school. I have accused her of leaning over the pot and whispering "chili peppers", taking care not to say it too loudly. She denies this, but it is fair to say that her chili is remarkably mild.

[Major Nikon]

35. To me, chili is more of a method than a recipe

I don't know that I've ever made two batches the same.

When you get right down to it, there is no exact historical recipe for chili con carne. Anyone who claims to be a chili purist is a bit of a head scratcher for me. The dish was derived from the Spanish, who derived it from the Native Americans who didn't tend to write things down. Chili peppers, cumin, onions, and meat seem to be universal, but variations from there are limitless. As far as using deer meat goes, I think that's more in line with the traditional method than using beef. Chili is nothing more than a meat based stew, and stewing does a lot of favors for wild game. The people who first made chili would have used whatever sources of meat they had. Native Americans also cultivated several different kinds of legumes, so it's hard to imagine they weren't including them in chili con carne centuries before any white person came along.

Personally I don't use commercial chili powder. I take two or three different varieties of dried chilies and grind them in my whirlybird coffee grinder (which I never use for coffee). Making your own chili powder is easy and it gives the dish an extra dimension you don't get from commercial chili powder. I also use one or two fresh chilies. Serrano is my favorite for this.

[Retrograde]

36. I also use dried chiles

when I do the special occasion, takes a couple of days to make, full-up chili. However, I seed them, toast them (ancho, pasilla, chipotle, New Mexico, or whatever's on hand), then soak in water to re-hydrated, and run them through a food mill to remove the skins. I also use beans - pintos - that I start soaking two nights before, cook the next day with onion, garlic, and cumin. I like pork in my chili, but I'll use what I have: deer's hard to come by in these parts, and the city authorities frown on killing the local squirrels (who carry some interesting diseases as well). Tomatoes, onions, and green chiles are essential, along with more cumin.

OTOH, if I find out in the morning that I'm providing dinner for a group of people who don't particularly like spicy food, it's brown up some ground turkey, open a can of kidney beans, a can of tomatoes, chop up some onions and bell peppers (though I like to sneak an Anaheim or two in as well), and let it simmer for a few hours. I call both of them chili,

[bif]

34. I'm making some right now

I'll post the recipe on my blog in the next few days.

[GoCubsGo]

37. I assume you are looking for a red chili recipe.

I don't really have a favorite recipe for a bowl of red. I'm partial to chili verde. If you would like a recipe for that, I can help you there.

[Uncle Joe]

38. I used Maw Kettle's recipe on Sat and it was delicious but I will be making more

chili this winter using other recipes on this thread, so yes by all means please post your favorite chili verde recipe.

I would also like to again thank everyone that posted their favorite recipe or contributed to this thread.

Peace to y'all.

[Maw Kettle]

39. I'm so glad you used it!

Thank you for choosing to use my recipe. I'm glad you liked it!

[bif]

40. Best chili recipe ever

http://cookingwiththemark.blogspot.com