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Major Nikon (12,717 posts) Mon Jan 6, 2014, 03:23 PMChili con carneHow hot you want your chili depends on what pepper you use and how you prepare them. My family doesn't like hot stuff, so I have to make my chili on the mild side and add red pepper flakes at the table if I want it hotter. I do this by removing all the seeds and the white connective tissue from the jalapenos, which removes most of the the heat from them (use rubber gloves when working with peppers). I also remove the seeds from the dried New Mexico chilis. This makes for a pretty mild chili, but still retains a lot of chili flavor without which you wouldn't have chili con carne. You can use whatever peppers you want both dried and fresh. The ones I list are easy to find in my area. For the spice grinder I use a whirly bird type coffee grinder that I dedicate to grinding spices. You can also use a blender or a food processor. Just remember that when grinding peppers, don't stick your nose in the spice grinder immediately after grinding unless you want to pepper spray yourself (trust me on this one). Beans in chili are a somewhat controversial subject. Sometimes I add them, and sometimes I don't. There's nothing non-authentic about beans in chili con carne (not that my recipe is exactly authentic). The recipe was derived from Native American cooks that didn't write anything down and as beans were certainly available to them, the idea that they wouldn't have used beans from time to time is not a good one. Some chili competitions forbid the inclusion of beans, but this has nothing to do with the authenticity or lack thereof of any recipe. 2 lbs flank steak 3 medium jalapano peppers 2 cloves garlic 3 large dried New Mexico red chile 2 tsp whole cumin seeds 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 Tbs vegetable oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1 tsp + 1 pinch salt 1 can (400g) chopped San Marzano tomatoes 12 oz beer (I usually use Shiner Bock) 2 cans (15oz) dark red kidney beans (optional) Crushed white corn tortilla chips Slice the flank steak up into 2" squares, place into a food processor 1lb at a time and pulse to desired consistency. I like to give it about 10 good pulses so that the meat resembles ground beef, but you still have a few bigger chunks. Place the meat into a large mixing bowl. Place the jalapenos and garlic into the food processor and pulse until minced then add to the mixing bowl. Slice the dried chili into ~ 1/4" squares and place into a spice grinder(see above) along with the whole cumin seed and grind to a fine consistency. Sprinkle the freshly ground chili and cumin onto the meat mixture along with the smoked paprika and mix by hand until well combined. Place the meat mixture into a 1 gal ziplock bag and place in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours. Over medium heat, cook the chopped onions in the vegetable oil along with a pinch of salt until translucent. Add the meat mixture and cook until browned, stirring every 2 minutes or so. Add the tomatoes, beer, salt, and bring the entire mixture to a simmer. Simmer covered over low heat for 30 minutes. Add the kidney beans at this point as you wish. Thicken the chili as desired with the crushed tortilla chips.
opiate69 (8,576 posts) Mon Jan 6, 2014, 03:32 PM1. A happy accident I stumbled upon a few years ago...Was using leftover smoked brisket in my chili. The smokiness it imparted into the chili was just outstanding.
Major Nikon (12,717 posts) Mon Jan 6, 2014, 03:34 PM2. I've seen a few different ways people impart smoked flavor into their chiliI've tried some of it and think it's a good idea. I use smoked paprika to give it a bit of smoke flavor, but I haven't tried experimenting much with this.
pinto (101,403 posts) Mon Jan 6, 2014, 08:22 PM4. I like plain chili - pintos, corn, jalapenos, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, etc. Meat on the side.Simmered while the beef or pork cooks. Bean chili with BBQ.
grasswire (38,843 posts) Mon Jan 6, 2014, 10:44 PM5. a handful of masa will give you a better thickener than tortilla chips, methinks.I always sprinkle it in toward the end of the cooking time.
Major Nikon (12,717 posts) Mon Jan 6, 2014, 10:55 PM 7. The reason I use white corn tortilla chips is because they are made out of masaMasa is the traditional thickening ingredient for chili and it does work well. If I have it on hand, that's what I use but I usually won't buy a bag of masa just to thicken chili. I will buy it sometimes when I make homemade tortillas.
rdking647 (3,042 posts) Mon Jan 6, 2014, 03:48 PM its a chilli nightwhen its this cold,its chilli time 2 lbs ground beef 2 15 oz cans black beans 1 onion diced 3 cloves garlic minced 2 poblano chiles either fresh or reconstituted if dried,seeded 2 anaheim chiles either fresh or reconstituted if dried,seeded 2 canned chipoltes in adobe 12 oz beer 28 oz can crushed tomatoes 6 oz can tomato paste 1 cup beef broth 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp sweet paprika 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp oregano 1 Tbsp oil in a dutch oven heat the oil until hot. add the onion and saute 5-7 minutes until soft. add teh garlic and saute 1 more minute add the ground beef and lightly brown. while the beef is browning puree the chiles in a food precessor. add the beer and process until smoth when the beef is lightly browned add the chile mixture and stir well add the remaining ingredients bring to a boil,reduce heat to low medium and simmer with the lid off for 90 minutes. serve with oyster crackers and shredded cheese http://therecipefiles.wordpress.com/2012/02/05/3-chile-chili/
trof (44,832 posts) Mon Jan 6, 2014, 06:12 PMJust made a pot of chili.Temps are predicted to hit the teens down here in Coastal Alabama tonight. CHILI WEATHER! Used to make it from scratch. Hours of prep and cooking. Now, I use Wick Fowler's 2 Alarm Chili Mix. I can put a batch of Wick's together in about 30 minutes and it's better than what I used to labor over. The 6" X 5" box contains packets of chili powder and other spices. Directions are on the box. I find it on the soup aisle at the Winn-Dixie. after which a photograph of a food product
Laura PourMeADrink (15,970 posts) Tue Jan 7, 2014, 11:53 AM2. My secret ingredient: one bottle of beer. it mellows the acidity of the tomatoes (if you add).
I never quibble with most versions of chili. There seems to be quite the regional deviation on ingredients. Obviously, I'd prefer red meat in my chili, but to each their own.
So....beans or no beans?
I leave it up to the maker, but I do have a solid cast-iron rule: no peppers, no onions, and tomato sauce not tomatoes.
I absolutely detest tomatoes in chili, rather than tomato sauce. Big hunks of tomatoes belong in salad, NOT chili. Nothing ruins a pot of chili faster, in my book.
Chili with beans is not chili. It's a casserole.
dixiegrrrrl (34,367 posts) Mon Jan 6, 2014, 06:14 PM1. My Mom, a lousy cook, made the best chilishe used a "chili log" from the store. It was a roll, like a Jimmy Dean Sausage roll, that had spices and what looked like a hardened tomato sauce, and maybe even hamburger ( It was sold frozen) I remember I used to use it years later, but cannot remember the name of it. If this is not chili weather, I do not know what is! brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
loli phabay (5,282 posts) Mon Jan 6, 2014, 07:50 PM6. coincidentally at work last night we had four guys bring in crock pots of chillifigured since it was buck ass cold chilli would be good and no one knew anyone else was cooking, we had deer chilli, beef, squirrel and v****e.
sharp_stick (10,192 posts) Mon Jan 6, 2014, 07:57 PM7. Not a big fan of ass chiliMaybe Wicks ass chili is better than the packaged ass chili stuff up here in CT. I still like making my own even if I'm the only one eating it.
NightWatcher (22,849 posts) Mon Jan 6, 2014, 07:58 PM8. that's the best chili mix. I've got a box in my pantry for tomorrowWe had some glorious pork and v****e soup with mixed greens in a white chicken broth, but tomorrow I'm going out for some ground buffalo, pork sausage, and a few fixins to fire up a cauldron of that stuff. I start with the mix but do a little creative editing.
denbot (3,867 posts) Mon Jan 6, 2014, 10:31 PM 9. Love Chili, Cubed Beef, Ground Beef, Kidney Bean, Ground Turkey (Meh), but Ass Chili..It would be hard to turn up my nose at almost any steaming bowl during Arctic temperatures.
trof (44,838 posts) Tue Jan 7, 2014, 07:17 PM10. About venison chili:I haven't hunted for decades, but a have some good ol' boy friends who supply me with 'deer meat'. I prefer the term 'venison'.Maybe it's an esthetics thing. I think venison makes the best chili. Low fat and great flavor. Backstrap (tenderloin?) cut into half inch cubes. I prefer chunky as opposed to ground. Never had any complaints from Miz t. until yesterday, when I was about to start the chili. Didn't have any backstrap, but did have a couple of pounds of ground venison 'hamburger'. "I really don't like deer meat chili." "Really? You never complained before." "Well, the last time I had it, I didn't like it." "OK, I'll use beef hamburger." I thawed a couple of pounds of ground beef and started cooking. "Since when don't you like deer chili?" "When we had it at Jeanne's I didn't like it." "At Jeanne's? Hell, that was terrible chili. It was like bean soup. She doesn't use my recipe." "Yeah, I didn't like it." "But you like MY chili?" "Oh sure." "When I make it with venison?" "Is THAT what you use?" "When I can get it." "Oh. Yeah, yours is great."
bamademo (1,948 posts) Tue Jan 7, 2014, 07:27 PM11. I make from scratch and don't eat Bambi even though I grew up in Bama.Just can't eat those beautiful creatures. I have to endure deer hunting stories and it makes me sad.
Chili without beans isn't chili - it's just spicy meat soup.And it has to be kidney beans. Pintos are gross - may as well chop up some brussels sprouts.That's just the way it is.
Nothing is more disgusting than kidney beans. :barf:A woman from "jorja" that went by the moniker of "Bunny" treated my family to what she thought was chili that had kidney beans in it. I had to kick my husband under the table to get him to take a second bite. Unfortunately, a disaster occurred causing us to have to leave before finishing it (Would have rather eaten the chili.) What amazed me was that Bunny wasn't even a damned Yankee to have put those turds in her ketchup sauce. I learned from that experience to never accept an invite to chili from a non-Texan unless the person was of Hispanic origin.
Chicas wade the Rio Grande, jump the fence, tunnel under, and overstay their tourist visas- just for my chili...with pinto beans and big chunks of stewed tomatoes!
Amazing that so many people don't know how to make chili.
http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/Chili/ChiliHistory.htmBe sure to read the Cincinatti Style. I think that's where your detestable kidney beans originated.
At least the maters are stewed and not ketchup. I'll bet you get stuck with a knife in your gullet if you serve them kidney beans. :P. Chicas can be crazy that way. At the very least you'll get a stream of pinche gringo pendejos hurled at you.
