What's in Your Chili

[matt711]

I am sure this has been done before but for those of you that make your own chili what do you use? I am getting ready to head home form Iraq and have been thinking of all the foods I can't wait to make. For some reason my chili keeps coming up to the top of my "I can't wait to make that" list.

Here is what I do:

2 lb beef roast (the cheapest I can find) cut into 1" cubes
2 lb course ground beef
2 small cans of Rotell green chilis
1 16oz. can of red kidney beans
1 16oz. can of Dark red kidney beans
1 16oz. can of stewed tomato
4 small cans of tomato paste
2 envelopes of chili seasoning (1 mild/1 hot)

Brown the meat, then throw it all in the crock-pot for 6-7 hours...

When I was a company commander (and single) I would make this once a week and bring it to work. After a while some of my guys wives even started coming up to the company for lunch. Some of them would even bring tupperware....

Anyway, I know it's a very basic recipe so I'd like to hear form the rest of you guys. And no I didn't forget the onions.... I just don't like them.

-Matt

 

[_JP_]

There could b ealmost anything in my chili depending on my mood. For meat I'll use either ground or cubed beef, pork, or even ground lamb. Seasoning could included various ground peppers, hot sauces, ketchup, salsa, or other condiments. Vegetables usually include onion, bell pepper, and celery. Chili is king of like a stew or homemade soup, it's a good way to use up those extras.

 

[Topgumby]

JP's got it covered for me. One thing I do like to avoid is any ground beef that's less than 85% lean...greasy isn't good here.

BTW, thanks for serving and hope your short timer time is...short!

 

[dpm802]

I'm halfway through my last batch, made about a week ago. Basically, I just wanted to use up some stuff from the pantry, to clear room for fresh stuff.

I used McCormack's Slow-Cooker Chili Seasoning, and tossed in:

1 lb. Chuck Steak, cubed
1 lb. Extra Firm Tofu, cubed
2 medium potatoes
1 lb. of store-bought Miropeaux, coarse cut.
28oz can of diced tomatoes
15oz can of kidney beans

I did not brown the meat beforehand, so I let it go extra long in the Crockpot, for a total of 10 hours on Low heat, instead of McCormacks' recommendation of 8 hours.

When I serve it, I top it off with a Tablespoon of shredded Peccorino/Romano cheese, and add a few dashes of Tabasco sauce.

This is not the best batch of chili I've ever made, but its quite edible. In the future, I'll be making smaller batches, roughly half the size of this one ... I don't like eating the same thing for 2 weeks in a row.

 

[simon1]

I'm going to try adding another serrano chili or two and not seed them, to kick up the heat a bit, but basically it's this:

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=162140

 

[rdh1223]

Its a secret so please Gentlemen dont tell anyone.......

(all measurements and weights are approx)
7 Quart Crock Pot
2lbs ground beef
1 28oz can of Tomato sauce of your choosing, I use RedPack or Tutoroso whole peeled/crushed or diced depending on whats available.
2 16oz cans red kidney beans
2 16oz cans black beens
1 large onion
10-12 large garlic cloves minced
1 chilli pepper choped
2-3oz Siracha sauce
2-3oz honey
2-3oz brown sugar
Chili Powder
Cumin


Put Tomato Sauce in Crock Pot on low heat. If using Whole Peeled break them up abit
Chop everything, garlic, onion, chili pepper,.
Brown the beef with a little olive oil and some of the garlic, into the crockpot it goes.
Then I fry garlic, onion and chilli pepper in olive oil (start with just the garlic for a minute or so then add the rest), about halfway through Ill toss in some crushed red pepper and 2oz of Siracha(sp) sauce. Its done when the Onions have just started to shrink and become soft. Toss into the Crockpot
Add Cumin and Chili Powder to taste
Add Beans and turn crockpot on high heat for about an hr or so. Then back to low or even warm
Add some (not alot, you can always add more, but getting it out is impossible) Brown sugar and Honey, stir it in well so it changes the flavor of all the chili not just the top inch. Taste, sometimes I have to put in more red pepper or siracha to get it the way I like it, but its a preference thing. When done it should have a semi-sweet taste initially with a firey kick to follow. Great with sourcream and cheddar.

 

[DeusVult]

My favorite chili recipe is posted in that Gentlemen's Essentials sticky near the top of this forum. Big things for me are the following:

Whole cuts of beef, then cube.
Real beef stock and beer.
Heavy on whole peppers.
Heavy on the garlic.
Easy on the tomatoes (none )
If adding beans, make seperately from scratch.
Cook slow.

 

[Cuttingboard]

Not beans!!

 

[media]

Whats the genral rule to make chili a little thicker? just add a touch of flour?

I like my chili to be a little thicker, like new england clam chowder.

 

[Kouros]

Whats the genral rule to make chili a little thicker? just add a touch of flour?

I like my chili to be a little thicker, like new england clam chowder.

Masa harina or tomato paste.

 

[Alacrity59]

Lately I've been adding a couple of chipotle peppers. They add a smooth but strong heat and a bit of smoke.

 

[_JP_]

Not beans!!

Yes, beans! And anything else that I feel like tossing into that simmering cast iron pot of peppery goodness.

 

[blary54]

I love chili because its so easy to make. Just brown some beef. chop up an onion, hot peppers and a green pepper, open some cans...dump in pot let it cook and your done.

My recipe: (Which I created myself)

1.5 lbs of beef.
1 8oz can of tomato sauce.
1 8oz can of black beans
1 8oz can of bushes hot chili beans.
16oz can of diced canned tomatoes.
One large Yellow onion(chopped)
One Large Green Pepper(chopped)
One small can of sweet corn.
One dark beer(like an oatmeal stout or a Guiness)
2 hot peppers.
Penseys Chili 9000 seasoning.


Serve with sour cream and cheese.

 

[jlanger]

Made a nice easy chili the other day
2 chicken breasts (diced)
1 can of petite diced tomatoes
2 cans of mild chili beans
2 1/2 cups frozen corn
flavor with minced garlic, onion, smoked paprika, and ground chipotle to taste

served with white rice

Kids and the wife loved it, the chipotle was spicey enough for the wife but not too much for the kids. Not bad for having the make my own chili powder (lol)

I will most likely try this with straight black/kidney beans next time, but as I had no chili powder I wanted to get my mixing fell right

 

[_JP_]

Reminds of something that I've done in the past. Made up a mild chili and then let everybody adjust it to their own tastes with a variety of chili powders. Add in some fresh diced onions and perhaps a bowl full of chopped Jalapenos as well.

I remember a trout fishing trip where one guy brought along some venison chili that he had made. Wonderful stuff! It was that time of year when young ramps were growing everywhere. We had some of those that were chopped and I added them to my bowl. Turned out to be a combination that me very, well, shall we say "fragrant." The guys insisted that I put on my waders.

 

[winston61]

My favorite blend is called Chiltomaline. They have many other chili blends to choose from. You don't have to use the stale crap from the grocery store. My own favorite meat combination is venison and pork, if you can get the venison. Failing that I use coarse ground beef and pork. My not so secret ingredient is to use 1 teaspoon of dutched cocoa per two pound batch. Chili Con Carne is not comida Mexicana, but arose in central Texas from the influences of German and Mexican cooking. And one other thing- NO Beans!

 

[Jwolf24601]

Naga Jolokia

 

[winston61]

Go to the grocery and get some masa flour, the stuff used to make tamales with. Combine one or two teaspoons with water and stir into the chili. Let it cook long enough to cook the masa and it will thicken up.

Whats the genral rule to make chili a little thicker? just add a touch of flour?

I like my chili to be a little thicker, like new england clam chowder.

 

[maxman]

I just made some the other day!
My chili is never the same twice, but it basically consists of:
Ground beef, a can of corn, a can of baked beans in molasses, a can of chick peas, a can of tomato soup, Celery, Bell pepper, Onion, Cumin, Chili Powder, cinnamon (just a bit) and brown sugar (just a bit)
instead of brown sugar you can toss in a few chocolate chips.

I don't add the heat in the cooking because of SWMBO's tastes.
I put the hot sauce in at the table.

then the next day, we make chili cheese fries.
now that's living.

 

[TacoBell]

I just made some the other day!
My chili is never the same twice, but it basically consists of:
Ground beef, a can of corn, a can of baked beans in molasses, a can of chick peas, a can of tomato soup, Celery, Bell pepper, Onion, Cumin, Chili Powder, cinnamon (just a bit) and brown sugar (just a bit)
instead of brown sugar you can toss in a few chocolate chips.

Now that's chili

I think we should consider a Badger & Blade Chili Pass