It's Chili Time!

[Sansui Louie]

Every time I make chili, it's a little different.

Here's last night's batch, which was outstanding:

Brown a couple pounds of burger in some beer. Drain the grease.

In a soup pot, add:

1 large can of tomato paste
1 quart of tomato juice (I used homemade, and it's spicy)
2 cans of beer
2 cans chili hot beans
A generous bunch of cumin, curry powder, paprika (smoked paprika if you got), chili powder, cayenne pepper, cocoa and a whopping spoonfull of peanut butter.
Add the burger when browned
Add a couple heaping tablespoons of beef bouillon powder
Take a big onion and peel and chunk it, and pulverize it into mush in the blender, then dump that in.
Dice up some celery and throw that in.
Season with garlic salt to taste.

Simmer it for a couple hours til it's good and thick.

Serve with a mound of grated cheddar, diced onions, sour cream and hot sauce on top.

-----

Now, I know that this will spark off a feud between chili purists and those in the upper midwest who contaminate their chili with foreign items, but as far as I'm concerned, it's all good if it tastes good!

 

[Pstraums]

I have a silly question....

How are REAL good chilli supposed to taste like ? I made Chilli once and it tasted somewhere in the neighbourhood of "taco" .. I feel I did something wrong (yeah, I chose quite a few prefabricated chilli ingredients) I just was quite sureprised it tasted so much the same as taco

Are they closely related, or should I try to make the stuff from scratch as you do ?

 

[ponderbear]

Sansui Louie, I can tell from your ingredient list... you are the Chili Master!

I'm very intrigued by your recipe, and will most likely copy you this weekend.

There was a recent thread where chili gets totally turned inside out by some of our gourmands, a search ought to quickly reveal.

Taco and chili (can sometimes, I should say) share some common ingredients which may explain your predicament.

Homemade is always better in my experience, though I have encountered some dynamite chili at restaurants and cookoffs.

I'm not crazy about any canned chili, but there is a chili made for dogs that in my opinion is pretty heavenly. Skyline.

 

[240sx4u]

Louis, I have some home made chili powder that has a bunch of peppers in it etc... do I use all the other spices you have listed along with this stuff? Its freakin' hot. Basically dried and ground up peppers of about 7 varieties. Guy at work gave me some in a bag that looked like it once contained ganja.. but thats here nor there.

Evan

 

[ponderbear]

Guy at work gave me some in a bag that looked like it once contained ganja.. but thats here nor there.

Depending on the guy's preferences, that may be Oregano dust clinging to the plastic, an ingredient I put in my own chili.

Or epazote, if they are from Mexico.

 

[Mildot1]

That recipe sounds awsome, i usually put some jalapeno juice in our chilli, we like it kind of hot n spicey, it tastes awsome,my stuff is so thick you can almost use a fork to eat it, Also i have never had any complaints about either, my audio and shooting buddies as well as my fiance usually munch it all down in about a day or soo lol i dont mind though lol

 

[Sansui Louie]

Louis, I have some home made chili powder that has a bunch of peppers in it etc... do I use all the other spices you have listed along with this stuff? Its freakin' hot. Basically dried and ground up peppers of about 7 varieties. Guy at work gave me some in a bag that looked like it once contained ganja.. but thats here nor there.

Evan

Evan, I look at seasoning chili as a very personal adventure. I rarely use chili powder per se', but usually the ingredients that make up chili powder seperately. I like my chili freakin' hot, so I'd probably use your chili powder along with the stuff that is listed. Season it to fit your taste. If it's too spicy for your friends and family, then tough nuts, more for you!

When I serve myself a bowl of chili, I'll shake some dried ground habaneros on as well, just to turn it up to 11. You live in Madison...get thee over to Woodmans and buy a couple pounds of fresh habaneros. Wear plastic gloves or work with ziplocks over your hands and slice each in half. Lay out in dehydrator trays, or if you don't have one, lay out on cookie sheets open side up and throw in the oven at it's lowest setting for a few hours, until they are dried out. When dry, take your blender outside, put on a dust mask and throw the habaneros in the blender. They will be pulverized into dust. Pour into an empty spice shaker and label clearly. The dust mask is imperative for this stage or you'll fry your freakin' lungs out from the airborne microscopic particles when you pulverize the dried peppers. And do this out doors.

 

[Sansui Louie]

I have a silly question....

How are REAL good chilli supposed to taste like ? I made Chilli once and it tasted somewhere in the neighbourhood of "taco" .. I feel I did something wrong (yeah, I chose quite a few prefabricated chilli ingredients) I just was quite sureprised it tasted so much the same as taco

Are they closely related, or should I try to make the stuff from scratch as you do ?

The ultimate Chili is sort of a personal adventure. Depending on where one lives, Chili can vary wildly in taste, style and ingredients. I don't think there's a wrong way to make it. "In the neighbourhood of "taco"" isn't terribly far off, that's more or less one style.

My mom's chili is very very different from mine, but very good. My wife's chili is more like mine, but also not the same and very very good. People in Texas would generally cringe at my ingredient list and tell me that there's only ONE way to make chili. I've seen chili come in different colors and contain things like chicken or seafood. My uncle makes a "Green Chili" which is more like a jalapeno soup that has garbanzo beans in it that is to die for.

So to answer your question, there is no right answer. Apart from chili powder and/or the ingredients that make up chili powder and (usually) some kind of meat, the rest is a blank canvas upon which you can paint.

 

[Sansui Louie]

Another one of my favorite styles is known as "Green Bay Chili", made famous by a german immigrant named Chili John. Basically, it's a spicy meat/suet mix that is poured over spaghetti noodles and optionally a separate bean mix, and then spiced with hot sauce and/or vinegar.

Some imposter in Burbank claims to be the original Chili John, but his franchise was started by a relative of Green Bay's Chili John. The guy who has the Burbank store becomes kind of an asshole if you mention the original Green Bay shop.

 

[240sx4u]

Louie, the "chili powder" I have is nothing but dried and ground up peppers. About 7 different varieties. Rumor has it this stuff is HOT. I can smell it clear as day through the plastic bag.

Thanks for the tip, maybe Ill do it this weekend.

Evan

 

[Pstraums]

I will give your version a chance Thanx

The ultimate Chili is sort of a personal adventure. Depending on where one lives, Chili can vary wildly in taste, style and ingredients. I don't think there's a wrong way to make it. "In the neighbourhood of "taco"" isn't terribly far off, that's more or less one style.

My mom's chili is very very different from mine, but very good. My wife's chili is more like mine, but also not the same and very very good. People in Texas would generally cringe at my ingredient list and tell me that there's only ONE way to make chili. I've seen chili come in different colors and contain things like chicken or seafood. My uncle makes a "Green Chili" which is more like a jalapeno soup that has garbanzo beans in it that is to die for.

So to answer your question, there is no right answer. Apart from chili powder and/or the ingredients that make up chili powder and (usually) some kind of meat, the rest is a blank canvas upon which you can paint.

 

[Sansui Louie]

Louie, the "chili powder" I have is nothing but dried and ground up peppers. About 7 different varieties. Rumor has it this stuff is HOT. I can smell it clear as day through the plastic bag.

Thanks for the tip, maybe Ill do it this weekend.

Evan

Well, that ought to liven things up! I think actual chili powder is a mix of paprika, cumin, curry and ground chile peppers, along with some other seasonings.

When I was younger and a little less health conscious, I would also add some bacon grease to the mix. Mmmmm.

 

[stuartk]

Well, that ought to liven things up! I think actual chili powder is a mix of paprika, cumin, curry and ground chile peppers, along with some other seasonings.

When I was younger and a little less health conscious, I would also add some bacon grease to the mix. Mmmmm.

It evidently can be just chili pepper powder, or other things can be added.

Alton Brown has what looks like a good recipe for chili powder.


Ingredients

* 3 ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded and sliced
* 3 cascabel chiles, stemmed, seeded and sliced
* 3 dried arbol chiles, stemmed, seeded and sliced
* 2 tablespoons whole cumin seeds
* 2 tablespoons garlic powder
* 1 tablespoon dried oregano
* 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Directions

Place all of the chiles and the cumin into a medium nonstick saute pan or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, moving the pan around constantly, until you begin to smell the cumin toasting, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside and cool completely.

Once cool, place the chiles and cumin into the carafe of a blender along with the garlic powder, oregano, and paprika. Process until a fine powder is formed. Allow the powder to settle for at least a minute before removing the lid of the carafe. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

 

[Bogframe]

Sansui Louie, I can tell from your ingredient list... you are the Chili Master!

I'm very intrigued by your recipe, and will most likely copy you this weekend.

There was a recent thread where chili gets totally turned inside out by some of our gourmands, a search ought to quickly reveal.

Taco and chili (can sometimes, I should say) share some common ingredients which may explain your predicament.

Homemade is always better in my experience, though I have encountered some dynamite chili at restaurants and cookoffs.

I'm not crazy about any canned chili, but there is a chili made for dogs that in my opinion is pretty heavenly. Skyline.

Wellllllll, I don't like to toot my own horn, but this recipe has wone a few chili cookoffs:


Oh Yeah chili

Tabasco sauce
Green Tabasco sauce
ground red pepper
3 Poblano chilies, ground
cumin
ground celery seed
McCCormack chili powder
1 tbs unsweetened cocoa
3 lbs ground round
2 lbs sweet italian sausage (skinned)
3 vidalia onions (diced)
2 red peppers (diced)
2 green peppers (diced)
1 16 oz can Goya Red kidney beans
1 16 oz can Goya black beans
32 oz jar Marinara sauce
24 oz Samuel Adams Boston Lager
2 bulbs garlic peeled and chopped

1. Chop the sausage into chunks and brown with the ground beef and some garlic.
2. Throw the browned meat mixture and some of the fat into a large pot.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the spices.
4. Set on a low flame and wait for it to simmer, stirring every 10 minutes or so.
5. every so often, put 3 dashes each of the red & green Tabasco, 2 tsp of the ground cayenne pepper, 1 tsp of the celery seed and 1 tbs each of the cumin, poblano chiles and chili powder.
6. keep stirring every 10-15 minutes, give it a taste and add more spices in the above proportions until the chili reaches desired hotness.
7. Keep on a low heat for at least four hours, stirring occasionally and serve it with Fritos and beer.

 

[Sansui Louie]

Oh yeah, Bogframe! Bratwurst works too! I often will include ground up brats or italian sausage. I'll give your recipe a try. Seems like a waste of Sam Adams, though.

Here's my Uncle Mike's Green Chile recipe:

1 lb diced lean pork
1 onion, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
Sliced green olives
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can chicken broth + 1 can water
Chopped celery
1 can green chiles
Sliced jalapenos to taste
Salt, pepper, southwest seasonings to taste
Beer to taste.

Toss pork with flour, salt and pepper, then fry pork in oil til browned. Add other ingredients and simmer til done.

When I make this, I sub a lot of fresh stuff for the canned, but it's good either way.

 

[jdandy]

I am getting hunger!

 

[pmsummer]

1886 Chili

2 lbs cubed beef (stew beef works well, or brisket), 1 inch cubes
1.5 cups chopped red onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 oz chili powder (Gebhardt’s is best for commercial product, or Adams, or your favorite bulk style… but no Durkee’s or other yankee powder.)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumino
1 10oz can of RO*TEL Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies
16 oz beer (Spaten Optimator is best, Guinness is good, Shiner Bock is OK... WARNING! The use of any Budwieser, Miller, or Coors product can result in severe abdominal cramps and/or diarrhea.)
1 tbsp Blackstrap molasses
1 tsp Masa Harina (corn meal will work)
1 dried Ancho pepper, crushed

Sear beef until grey. Drain off liquid. Add all ingredients to pot (or Crock Pot) EXCEPT Masa Harina.

Simmer 2 – 3 hours hours.
Skim grease.
Mix Masa Harina into a liquid paste and stir in.
Simmer for 2 hours, or until meat is tender.

Garnish with chopped white onions and grated cheddar cheese if desired.
Serve with saltine crackers. East Coast Liberals may use oyster crackers without penalty.

Serves 4 to 6 people. Adjust ingredients accordingly.

ACTUALLY TASTES BEST THE NEXT DAY AFTER SETTING IN FRIDGE OVERNIGHT.

WARNING! The use of any legumes in this recipe can result in intestinal gas, severe abdominal cramps and/or diarrhea.

 

[Sansui Louie]

WARNING! The use of any Budwieser, Miller, or Coors product can result in severe abdominal cramps and/or diarrhea.)


WARNING! The use of any legumes in this recipe can result in intestinal gas, severe abdominal cramps and/or diarrhea.

What fun is chili without diarrhea, cramps and farting like a damned chieftain???

I can appreciate what a fine beer can do for chili, but I prefer to dump whatever swill magically accumulates in my fridge in chili. And when making beer brats. And fish batter...

 

[ponderbear]

Damn, I'm not sure which recipe to try this weekend now.

 

[beans]

I have a silly question....

How are REAL good chilli supposed to taste like ? I made Chilli once and it tasted somewhere in the neighbourhood of "taco" .. I feel I did something wrong (yeah, I chose quite a few prefabricated chilli ingredients) I just was quite sureprised it tasted so much the same as taco

Are they closely related, or should I try to make the stuff from scratch as you do ?

With all due respect to our chefs here, these recipes are all over the "chili map", but I'm sure they all taste good. But to answer your question just go here and order the mix:
http://www.cinchili.com

I've made it and it's excellent, and "real" as you put it. It may not taste as good as the competition chili made from scratch but the real chili flavor is there. The only thing is you have to find no-salt tomato sauce or it will turn out too salty.