Chili Recipe

Planning on making my own Chili this weekend. I've done it before, but never with my own recipe completely. I've always used variations of other recipes. Anyway, aside from the usual chili spices (chili powder, cumin, etc.), ground beef, beans (kidney and pinto), and tomatoes (regular crushed and diced with green chiles), I'm using the following:

Beer

Beef Broth

Bacon

Masa Harina flour

liquid smoke

worcestshire sauce

jalapeno peppers

red bell pepper

yellow onion

corn

So my question is - Is there anything I've left out that I absolutely should add? Or is there anything that I've included that I should eliminate? I'm sure we've got some chili experts on here.

The only thing I can see that is not there is red beans. Sounds pretty good.

Well, one stamp of approval is all I need. Think I'm just going to go with it.

Anybody got a beginners recipe they want to share. I can't mess with that stuff Sir is doing.

Bacon? not a fan, in chili LOL

Dont forget onions! And dont forget to make or buy some corn bread! Real chili doesnt have beans btw,..

For me, there's a little bit too much going on in that chili. With the jalapenos, beans, onions, corn, bacon and ground beef, are you really going to taste the red pepper for example? I'd be looking to take a few ingredients out rather than add more in, but that's personal taste.

Bacon can be great in chili. When I add bacon I fry it separately then mince it, it helps add a little more umami flavor. I obviously wouldn't want chunks of bacon floating around in there, instead nobody realizes there's bacon in there unless I tell them. Another way to get that kind of flavor is to add a little bit of chocolate.

Might eliminate the corn then.

I'm planning on cooking the bacon, and then sauteing the onion, red pepper, and jalapeno in the grease. Would you recommend mincing the bacon beforehand and just sauteing it at the same time as the onion, etc.? Or should I do it as I'd planned and chop it up after it's cooked?

Also, in regards to tomato paste and tomato sauce, is it necessary to use one of them? I don't have either in it currently but I seem to remember every recipe I've ever followed had one of them in it.

We put some italian sausage in ours

Tomato paste and/or sauce are not required, although many chili recipes include it.

As an example of a recipe without tomato paste/sauce, below is Craig Claiborne's (former food writer for the New York Times) chili con carne recipe. I have made this chili and it is very good, especially if you put it over spaghetti, and have available cheese, chopped onion and sour cream to put on it if you wish.

Chile con Carne with Cubed Meat

5 pounds lean chuck roast

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup chili powder, more or less to taste

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

2 teaspoons dried oregano

6-10 cloves garlic, finely minced

4 cups fresh or canned beef broth

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Trim the meat and cut it into 1-inch cubes. Heat the oil in a deep kettle and add the cubed meat. Cook, stirring, just until the meat loses its red color.

2. Sift together the flour and chili powder and sprinkle the meat with it, stirring constantly so that the pieces are evenly coated.

3. Place the cumin and oregano in the palm of one hand. Rub the spices between the palms, sprinkling over the meat. Add the garlic and stir. Add the broth, stirring the meat constantly. Add salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Partly cover and simmer for 3 to 4 hours, or until the meat almost falls apart. If necessary, add more broth as the meat cooks. This chili should not be soupy, however. Serve with pinto beans, if desired, and chopped lettuce, sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, chopped fresh coriander leaves, and hot pepper flakes.

YIELD: 8 to 12 servings.

Might eliminate the corn then.

I'm planning on cooking the bacon, and then sauteing the onion, red pepper, and jalapeno in the grease. Would you recommend mincing the bacon beforehand and just sauteing it at the same time as the onion, etc.? Or should I do it as I'd planned and chop it up after it's cooked?

Also, in regards to tomato paste and tomato sauce, is it necessary to use one of them? I don't have either in it currently but I seem to remember every recipe I've ever followed had one of them in it.

I would cut the bacon into lardons (small strips or cubes) and saute the lardons first to render the fat out and crisp them up, and then cook the veggies in the grease that's left behind. Add the bacon in again later.

Thanks. That one sounds good. Starting to think I might be overdoing it on the ingredients. Guess I'll find out saturday. I can't imagine it tasting bad, but might take a few tries to get something that really works.

Anyone ever try adding crab meat to chili?

What I do is just whatever I feel like into the slow cooker. Always comes out great.

Chop up a few habanero peppers for the HEAT!!

I saw the request for a beginner's recipe, so here is a stripped-down version of my general recipe. Know that I substitute things freely and often, but here's the basic idea:

• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  
  
• ~ 3 lbs. Beef, cheapest cut you can get per pound; ground or not - you decide
  
  
• 2 large onions, diced
  
  
• Dry spices:
  
  
• 5 or 6 tbsp Chili Powder
  
  
• 5 or 6 tbsp Cumin
  
  
• 2 tbsp Granulated garlic
  
  
• 1 tbsp Mexican oregano (if you can't find that, leave oregano out)
  
  
• Salt and Pepper
  
  
• fresh or canned chili peppers (6 or so fresh or one small can) - use more if you like heat
  
  
• Beef stock or beef stock paste
  
  
• Beer
  
  

• Get a big pot to make your chili
  
• Add the oil and heat over medium high
  
• Season the beef with salt and pepper; if using non-ground, have it cut into 1/2" cubes ahead of time
  
  
• In small batches, cook the meat until browned well on all sides
  
  
• Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and put in a bowl, then add the next batch of meat
  
  
• Continue until all meat is done

• Add the last 1 tbsp of oil, and cook the onions until soft, about 5-8 minutes - don't let them burn
  
• Return the beef to the pot
  
• Add the dry spices and stir to coat the meat
  
• Cook for about 1 minute, stirring continually
  
• Add the stock or stock paste and beer to cover the beef
  
• Bring to a boil, then reduce until just barely bubbling, and cover
  
• Stir every half hour or so
  
• Let it cook for at least 3 hours, sampling the beef every so often
  
• When the beef is really tender, remove the lid and increase the heat until the bubbling is more intense but not at a boil
  
• Stir fairly often and reduce the liquid until you have a wet but not soupy consistency
  
• Eat, served with rice and beans both on the side
  

This is even better if you make it a day ahead and let it sit overnight. The flavors mix and oh boy...

I can give more advanced pointers too.

PS - dry spice quantities are approximate. If that seems like too much, go lighter. You'll figure out what works for you.

Got to have lots of onions. I also suggest a dash of curry powder, not just cumin (or in addition to the cumin).

Got to have lots of onions. I also suggest a dash of curry powder, not just cumin (or in addition to the cumin).

I'm intrigued. What is the overall effect of that? Just curious, since I tend to use the constituent parts when I make curry, instead of using pre-made powder. Course I do that for chili too - my version of chili powder is ground ancho (tons), granulated garlic, cumin, mex oregano, salt, pepper.

______________________________________

RESOURCE:

www.penzeys.com

Great place for spices and herbs you might not find in a supermarket. If you can go in person, it's awesome!

---------- Post added October-3rd-2012 at 04:51 PM ----------

Bacon can be great in chili. When I add bacon I fry it separately then mince it, it helps add a little more umami flavor. I obviously wouldn't want chunks of bacon floating around in there, instead nobody realizes there's bacon in there unless I tell them. Another way to get that kind of flavor is to add a little bit of chocolate.

Chocolate? Peanut butter?

Never heard that before.

Chocolate? Peanut butter?

Never heard that before.

If you make chili, ladle out a cup, then add a little of either. Not too much. Mix well. Try.

It changes the flavor, but you don't know why unless someone tells you. I guess that's what this whole umami thing is about. I dunno. Consider this an insider tip - when people talk about the secret ingredient in chili, there's a damned good chance it's one of these two things (or both).

I'll give it a go. I've been meaning to add a good chili recipe to my repertoire for awhile now.

I'm intrigued. What is the overall effect of that? Just curious, since I tend to use the constituent parts when I make curry, instead of using pre-made powder. Course I do that for chili too - my version of chili powder is ground ancho (tons), granulated garlic, cumin, mex oregano, salt, pepper.

.

Well, it's hard to say what the effect is unless you try it. The reason that I do it is because my wife doesn't eat meat, so when I make chili I am using that Yves fake soy ground round, and it basically doesn't taste like much of anything unless I get some extra spices into it. Curry powder is a nice complex flavor, and unless you use a ton of it, the final result doesn't taste like "curry."

---------- Post added October-3rd-2012 at 03:58 PM ----------

If you make chili, ladle out a cup, then add a little of either. Not too much. Mix well. Try.

It changes the flavor, but you don't know why unless someone tells you. I guess that's what this whole umami thing is about. I dunno. Consider this an insider tip - when people talk about the secret ingredient in chili, there's a damned good chance it's one of these two things (or both).

True - probably chocolate.

Another tip to getting really flavorful chili is to cook some of the ingredients separately and then add them to the pot. I always cook my onions in a separate pan to get some good browning and caramelization. Same thing with the beef (or other meats), if you get some nice browning on them before putting them in the chili you'll end up with a much nicer flavor profile. That's just my opinion, so take it for what it's worth (not much).

Another tip to getting really flavorful chili is to cook some of the ingredients separately and then add them to the pot. I always cook my onions in a separate pan to get some good browning and caramelization. Same thing with the beef (or other meats), if you get some nice browning on them before putting them in the chili you'll end up with a much nicer flavor profile. That's just my opinion, so take it for what it's worth (not much).

One thing though - you want to end up using the pot where you cooked the meat because when the meat browns, some of the browned part sticks to the bottom. Later on when you add everything together you will introduce some sort of liquid (beer for me) to the pot so that you can cook it down and concentrate the flavors. Well, when you add that to a pot that has a bunch of the stuff from cooking meat stuck to the bottom, that stuff dissolves in the liquid and makes the flavor that much better. Also, as the liquid evaporates, some of the solids might collect just above the top of the liquid on the sides of the pot. Be sure to get that back down into the chili.

Why am I drooling right now?

And thanks Predicto! Next batch I'll add some curry powder and see what happens.

I saw the request for a beginner's recipe, so here is a stripped-down version of my general recipe. Know that I substitute things freely and often, but here's the basic idea:

That was me. Thanks man. I am really going to try this over the weekend.

Should I drain the fat after browning the ground beef? And discard the remaining grease after cooking the bacon and sauteing the onions, etc.?

I'm guessing I should, but don't want to lose any flavor.