Your Favorite Chili Recipes

[bleujazz3]

Was watching the Food Channel tonight with the guy with the spiked hair who goes to diners and checks out their food...

Which begs to mind, what is your favorite Chili recipe? The one on the Food Channel was a two-time Oklahoma State winner.

Here's mine:

This is one from an old recipe I found:

BARRYS BEST CHILI

3 lbs. ground beef
3 lbs. hot sausage meat, casings removed
2 (14 oz.) cans of chicken broth
1 (12 oz.) can of beer
3 Tbsp. white vinegar
1 (14 oz.) can of beef broth
3 Tbsp. medium chili powder
3 Tbsp. hot chili powder
3 Tbsp. cumin
1 Tbsp oregano
Salt to taste
3 (1 lb.) cans peeled tomatoes
1 large white onion, diced
6 cloves of garlic, minced
6 cans of red kidney beans
5 hot (chipotle will do) chili peppers

DIRECTIONS:
Brown the meats, add 1 can of chicken broth, and set aside. Combine the beer, vinegar, beef broth and spices in a bowl, and set aside. Blend the tomatoes until smooth, then bring to a simmer in a large pot and simmer 20 minutes. Add the onion and garlic, and simmer 20 more minutes. Add the beer mixture, and simmer another 20 minutes. Mash one can of kidney beans and add them to the pot. Add the meats and remaining cans of drained beans, and bring the mixture to a low boil. Add the hot chili peppers whole last, and let them float in the chili. Cook on low boil for 3 hours. Use the remaining can of chicken broth to thin the chili if it is too thick. If the chili is too thin use a little arrowroot or cornstarch into the broth and thicken. Serve the chili with diced onion, shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream to garnish. Chili serves 12 to 15 people.

Beano served as an appetizer...:)

[Ridgeback]

Sounds like it would give you a good run for your money.....:rolleyes:

[tms13pin]

I don't think I could write mine down. I don't really use recipes when
cooking and if I do have one, I'm usually substituting anyway. I now
understand why my grandmother could never give me a recipe for
something she made... or, at least not one that tasted anywhere near
as good hers when I actually tried to make it from the recipe!

I'm from the 'mo hotter mo better' camp when it comes to chili, but now
that I have kids, I have to make it really weak and then spice up my
own bowl after the fact... it isn't as good that way... it's better to let
the spice simmer through the whole pot while it's cooking.

I've been to a few of those chili cook-offs. Chili is such a subjective thing
for individuals... the winners are never the ones that I thought were all
that good.

--Tom

[bleujazz3]

Sounds like it would give you a good run for your money.....:rolleyes:

Actually, these chili recipes won't do major intestinal damage and won't cause the "green-apple quickstep" as much as you might think. Make chili right, let it simmer for about 3 hours, the flavors blend together, and the spice (heat) mellows out a lot. That'll prevent a 3-alarm chili from being another fire that needs to be put out, if you get my drift....

I don't think I could write mine down. I don't really use recipes when
cooking and if I do have one, I'm usually substituting anyway. I now
understand why my grandmother could never give me a recipe for
something she made... or, at least not one that tasted anywhere near
as good hers when I actually tried to make it from the recipe!

I'm from the 'mo hotter mo better' camp when it comes to chili, but now
that I have kids, I have to make it really weak and then spice up my
own bowl after the fact... it isn't as good that way... it's better to let
the spice simmer through the whole pot while it's cooking.

I've been to a few of those chili cook-offs. Chili is such a subjective thing
for individuals... the winners are never the ones that I thought were all
that good.

--Tom

Tom, do you remember how you cook your chili, or is it a guesswork of measuring the ingredients? Sometimes the best chilies are made this way from memory, so don't feel badly if Gram didn't write things down.

Personally, I want my family to know how I cook and what tastes good.

I also know of people who take recipes they've found, and make them their own (like playing music!) and never measure ingredients. They say it tastes better to them this way.

Barry's Best Chili is just a foundation of what is good. Feel free to add your own ingredients, but just remember the original recipe as a guide.

[alantig]

I'm with Tom on this - there's a general 'basic' recipe I start with, then it's adding spices and such according to how I feel that day. And I'm also in the 'it's not too spicy unless someone's bleeding' camp, but with my wife and children, I have to tone it down a bit. Generally, habanero and/or jalapeno sauces do the trick.

Alan

[bleujazz3]

I'm with Tom on this - there's a general 'basic' recipe I start with, then it's adding spices and such according to how I feel that day. And I'm also in the 'it's not too spicy unless someone's bleeding' camp, but with my wife and children, I have to tone it down a bit. Generally, habanero and/or jalapeno sauces do the trick.

Alan

Can I ask what your favorite spices are for adding heat, smoke, and spice are, just to get and idea of what you are using?

Personally, I usually use medium and hot chili powder with cumin, but sometimes add chipotles with adobo sauce from a can. I don't usually use fresh jalapenos because of the salmonella scare from last year. IMO, anything that has already been pre-cooked and canned is mostly safe to cook and eat.

I haven't tried habaneros except is a stew once, and IIRC it turned out fairly well.

Is there a basic recipe you'd like to share?

[Slyib]

Chili Repeato

No recipe needed.
1. Get hold of a big bowl of chili (any brand).
2. Eat your fill.
3. Drink beer as needed.
4. Wait a half hour.
5. Repeat from step 1.

Sure cure for the gas shortage!

.

[LHanson]

OK, you guys got me going. Here's what I just threw together.

4.6 lb round roast, cubed in 3/4 inch cubes after most of the fat is removed.
1 can Lone Star beer
1 large yellow onion, diced medium
---------------------------
These go in a blade type coffee grinder I keep for just such uses, no coffee...
2 dried anahiems, seeded
2 dried poblanos, seeded
2 dried arbols, seeded
1 tablespoon comino seeds
Worth the effort. Much better than chili powder.
---------------------------------
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried mexican oregano
1 tablespoon paprika
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
10 frozen chicken stock cubes (I make my own stock, and freeze some of it in ice cube trays).
enough olive oil to wet the bottom of a dutch oven.
Handful of tortilla chips, pulverized in a freezer bag to dust

Sweat the onions, throw on the meat, and sear/brown. Then add everything except for the tortilla chip dust. This is your masa and salt, you add it about 30 minutes before serving to thicken up the chili. Simmer uncovered on medium low, stir every 10 minutes or so, and add water if it gets dry.

I bought a fresh poblano and a handful of jalapenos, I might run the poblano through a processor and add it an hour before I serve.

Texans don't put beans in their chili, unless it's meatless bean chili, but we will serve it over rice, fritos, or tortilla chips. Haven't decided yet.

[mykewright]

Kiedis
Balzary
Smith
Frusciante

[LHanson]

Kiedis
Balzary
Smith
Frusciante

Which one is Flea?

[mykewright]

Which one is Flea?Michael Balzary :dude:

[LHanson]

Michael Balzary :dude:

Gotta love a guy that forgot to take his bunk sock off.....

[dinocicerelli]

I like to put chocolate and coca cola in this kind of stuff. With lots of ancho and cayenne. Onions. Need em'.

[dinocicerelli]

And a dark beer.

[tms13pin]

OK, you guys got me going. Here's what I just threw together.

4.6 lb round roast, cubed in 3/4 inch cubes after most of the fat is removed.
1 can Lone Star beer
1 large yellow onion, diced medium
---------------------------
These go in a blade type coffee grinder I keep for just such uses, no coffee...
2 dried anahiems, seeded
2 dried poblanos, seeded
2 dried arbols, seeded
1 tablespoon comino seeds
Worth the effort. Much better than chili powder.
---------------------------------
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried mexican oregano
1 tablespoon paprika
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
10 frozen chicken stock cubes (I make my own stock, and freeze some of it in ice cube trays).
enough olive oil to wet the bottom of a dutch oven.
Handful of tortilla chips, pulverized in a freezer bag to dust

Sweat the onions, throw on the meat, and sear/brown. Then add everything except for the tortilla chip dust. This is your masa and salt, you add it about 30 minutes before serving to thicken up the chili. Simmer uncovered on medium low, stir every 10 minutes or so, and add water if it gets dry.

I bought a fresh poblano and a handful of jalapenos, I might run the poblano through a processor and add it an hour before I serve.

Texans don't put beans in their chili, unless it's meatless bean chili, but we will serve it over rice, fritos, or tortilla chips. Haven't decided yet.

Mmm... what time's dinner!?

--Tom

[bleujazz3]

Which one is Flea?

The one doing this: :rolleyes: and speaking like he was talking with a Heil Talk Box through his armpit. You'll laugh and thank me later.

[DiverDan]

Killer recipes guys!!! :dude: Gotta try 'em out after I clear the kitchen of turkey leftovers later this week.

[John Beef]

Mine goes like this:

Pound of ground beef, I use 93% so it's reasonably healthy
1 onion chopped

throw them in the pot until the beef is browned, then add:

2 cans diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cans beans, your choice, undrained
1/2 bag frozen corn kernels
1 large palmful of chili powder
1 medium palmful cumin
1 small palmful salt
black pepper
1 tablespoon of Worcestershire (the only thing I measure, too much is awful, too little, it's just missing)

and for spiciness, whatever I have on hand:

Two larger cans of diced green chiles
-or-
three diced fresh jalapenos
-or-
several roasted Hatch green chiles, to taste since they tend to vary in spiciness

bring to a boil, simmer until you're ready to eat. This can either take 20 minutes or several hours, whatever you want.

Serve in a wide shallow bowl, top with a dollop of light sour cream, maybe a little cheddar for presentation. Cornbread goes great on the side.

[alantig]

Can I ask what your favorite spices are for adding heat, smoke, and spice are, just to get and idea of what you are using?

Personally, I usually use medium and hot chili powder with cumin, but sometimes add chipotles with adobo sauce from a can. I don't usually use fresh jalapenos because of the salmonella scare from last year. IMO, anything that has already been pre-cooked and canned is mostly safe to cook and eat.

I haven't tried habaneros except is a stew once, and IIRC it turned out fairly well.

Is there a basic recipe you'd like to share?

Sorry it's taken me so long to get to this.

The basic recipe is:

One pound of ground beef
1/2-1 onion (I generally use Penzey's onion slices instead of fresh just because we don't use enough fresh onion to keep it on hand)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 quart stewed tomatoes
1 tablespoon Penzey's medium chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon cocoa
1 teaspoon oregano leaves

Fairly simple - brown the meat, then add the other ingredients. For my chili, one of the secrets is that I use tomatoes that my dad cans himself. He's spoiled me for both tomatoes and tomato juice - he does his own, and I can't take store-bought anymore.

For spicing it up, Frank's Red Hot is the only constant. Beyond that, I'll use cayenne pepper powder, some type of habanero sauce, some type of jalapeno sauce, and/or some type of cayenne pepper sauce. Anywhere from 2-3 drops of habanero up to "oh sh1t that came out fast!". Usually, I get the sauces from Le Gourmet Chef - they've got a pretty cool supply. I like it hot, but with flavor. Just pure heat is no good. For example, at Buffalo Wild Wings, I love the Mango Habanero sauce - good flavor, good heat. The Blazin' is hot, but there's not much taste there.

Alan

[LHanson]

Sorry it's taken me so long to get to this.

The basic recipe is:

One pound of ground beef
1/2-1 onion (I generally use Penzey's onion slices instead of fresh just because we don't use enough fresh onion to keep it on hand)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 quart stewed tomatoes
1 tablespoon Penzey's medium chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon cocoa
1 teaspoon oregano leaves

Fairly simple - brown the meat, then add the other ingredients. For my chili, one of the secrets is that I use tomatoes that my dad cans himself. He's spoiled me for both tomatoes and tomato juice - he does his own, and I can't take store-bought anymore.

For spicing it up, Frank's Red Hot is the only constant. Beyond that, I'll use cayenne pepper powder, some type of habanero sauce, some type of jalapeno sauce, and/or some type of cayenne pepper sauce. Anywhere from 2-3 drops of habanero up to "oh sh1t that came out fast!". Usually, I get the sauces from Le Gourmet Chef - they've got a pretty cool supply. I like it hot, but with flavor. Just pure heat is no good. For example, at Buffalo Wild Wings, I love the Mango Habanero sauce - good flavor, good heat. The Blazin' is hot, but there's not much taste there.

Alan

Great job. If you have time, try diced meat, different texture to ground. The rest of your recipe is Texas approved. If you have access to whole dried peppers, that's a lot of fun, but you adding the adobe pretty much covers that corner of flavor. I like the idea of the cocoa, never tried it. Don't forget beer if it need hydration.

[bleujazz3]

Great job. If you have time, try diced meat, different texture to ground. The rest of your recipe is Texas approved. If you have access to whole dried peppers, that's a lot of fun, but you adding the adobe pretty much covers that corner of flavor. I like the idea of the cocoa, never tried it. Don't forget beer if it need hydration.

Cooked up a batch of Barry's Best from my original post yesterday. Somewhere I remember hearing that adding a bit of sugar helps smooth things out.

Remind me to turn down the heat during cooking and simmer for a good 3 hours. (Saves a major scrubbing cleanup afterwards.)

Does anyone think of adding chocolate leftover from Halloween? (Hence the cocoa)

I still offer my services as being a personal assistant. If you're having a little trouble with the "cooking", I'm there. ;):D

[edmiller9999]

Here's my chili recipe....

Heat a big pot with a little oil
Chop one big onion and toss in
Add five cloves crushed garlic
Add one medium green pepper chopped
Add one or two stalks of celery chopped

After everything softens, move it all to one side of the pot. Get the other side really hot. Toss a couple of pounds of ground beef onto the hot side of the pot. Season meat with salt and a lot of chili powder. Taste. Meat should be pretty spicy.

Add cans of diced tomatoes until other ingredients are fully covered with tomatoes. I have used as many as four 12oz cans. Add one can of weak, American beer like Bud Light or MGD.

Peruse vegetable compartment of fridge. Add anything else that makes sense... mushrooms, tomatos, jalapenos, etc. Nothing sweet like carrots. NO POTATOES. That's stew. But consider a little frozen corn for color.

Simmer for a couple of hours. Check flavor. Adjust salt, pepper, chili powder. Add some tabasco sauce if you like that cayenne and vinegar combination. A pinch of sugar can mellow out the acidity of the tomatoes, too.

Fifteen minutes before serving, open a can of black beans or pinto beans. Drain off the nasty goo. Dump beans into chili.

Adjust seasoning again. Taste... taste... taste.

Serve with lots of beer and fresh French or Sourdough bread. Cornbread is too damn much work.

Ed