Big Al’s Bodacious Chili II

[AllenOK]

This is my second attempt (not counting variations) to make my own Chili recipe. I used four ingredients I've never really used in Chili before, Cinnamon, Beer, Chipotle, and corn tortillas. I've been checking it as it cooks, and it smells GREAT. PeppA has been salivating for a bowl. It just finished cooking, and PeppA identified the Cinnamon, so I may have used to much.

Maybe next time, I'll try using some coffee and/or chocolate.

Big Al’s Bodacious Chili II
Yields: ~ 2 qt

~2# hamburger
½ large onion, diced
2 t garlic, minced
1 Chipotle chili, peeled, seeded, and minced
For the seasoning mix:
1 T salt
2 T chili powder
2 t cumin
1 t cinnamon
1 t oregano
2 bay leaves
One 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
One 14.5 oz can kidney beans
8 oz (1 c) room temperature cheap beer
A handful of corn tortilla chips
For garnish:
Shredded cheese
Chopped onions
Chopped jalapeñoes
Sour cream
Sliced green onions

Prepare all the ingredients, and mix together the seasoning mix.
In a heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium-high heat, brown the hamburger until it’s almost done. Add the onions, garlic, and the seasoning mix, and stir constantly. Once all the water has cooked off (you’ll hear a change in the pitch and frequency of the bubbles), pay close attention to the bottom of the pan.
Once the food starts to stick and brown, scrape this up, for it adds to the color and flavor. Cook, scraping constantly, for a couple minutes. Add the tomatoes, and their juice from the can. Stir this completely, scraping as much of the brown bits from the bottom of the pan as possible. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture starts to stick to the bottom of the pan again, about 3 - 4 minutes. Scrape as much as you can up, then add the beer, beans, and tortilla chips. Stir to mix thoroughly. Cover and turn heat to low. Simmer until the flavors marry, about 30 minutes.
Ladle the Chili into bowls, and top with garnishes as you desire. This is best served with cornbread, but crumbled crackers will also work.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Though I've taste it before, I just coudn't bring myself to add cinnamon to chili. Now don't get me wrong, it was good chili, just not what I'm looking for in a bowl of red. Now the other ingredients you used, well, let's just say that you're a man of educated taste buds.

Though I really don't like beer either, but that's just me. I'd like to give you some tips, but methinks ya be knowin chili as much as this old ex-sailor.

Seeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[GB]

Cinnamon is probably my least favorite spice. That is not to say that I do not like it, but it is very low on my list. It does have it's place in my kitchen though.

I have to say that I found your addition of cinnamon in chili interesting. I can see how that would work. It would taste completely different from chili that I am used to, but I think it could work quite well. Very interesting choice Allen!

 

[middie]

never thought of adding cinnamon to my chili. that's something i
will have to try very soon !

 

[AllenOK]

I've been trying to improve my Chili for a couple years now, to move away from the really simple Chili that I learned to make from my Mom. While it's good, there's things I've learned through the years that I'm incorporating into my recipe. The major thing is something I learned from cooking Cajun, and that's to caramelize EVERYTHING! If you'll notice, I mention caramelization and deglazing the pan a couple times in the recipe, as this helps build the flavor.

Goodweed, I'm always open to advice.

I've read a few posts somewhere on this site about adding a little cinnamon to chili. I know that it's used in Mexican cooking for savory dishes, like Mole, so I'm not surprised that some folks use it in Chili. I honestly think I may have used a little to much, as PeppA identified it as soon as she got a bowl; she could readily smell it.

I've played around with chocolate and cocoa powder in chili as well, and I'm thinking about making a small batch with a little coffee in it.

 

[AllenOK]

Ok, I made another batch. I had made a note to cut the beer down to 4 oz (1/2 c) from what was originally mentioned.

I poured a half-cup of beer into a measuring glass, then downed the rest as I prepped the remaining ingredients. It wasn't until I started to brown the beef and chorizo that I realized I had twice as much meat as listed. I went ahead and started prepping a whole 'nother batch, then I realized I didn't have any more beer

I went ahead and made it regardless, and let me tell you, it was pretty darn good! PeppA again couldn't keep herself out of the pot as it was simmering. I did make one more change, as I felt it was a little on the salty side, so I cut the salt from 1 T down to 2 t. However, I think I will still keep making it as a double-batch, since I have a big family, and PeppA can't keep her little fingers out of it

 

[Robo410]

I have always felt that chili was a creation that evolves as the ingredients are available and the spirit move the chef. I'm glad to see that someone else agrees. Keep on cooking.

 

[Erik]

Cinnamon and chile powder work very well together.

 

[AllenOK]

I have always felt that chili was a creation that evolves as the ingredients are available and the spirit move the chef. I'm glad to see that someone else agrees. Keep on cooking.

Wait until this summer. I'm wanting to smoke a brisket, and use some of the smoked brisket to make chili with, like I used some smoked pork butt to make a posole with last summer.

 

[GB]

I'm wanting to smoke a brisket, and use some of the smoked brisket to make chili

I can't wait to hear how that turns out. It sounds like a great plan!

 

[Constance]

I felt it was a little on the salty side

Al, an easy way to solve that problem is to add some cooked macaroni, and turn it into chili mac.
"Waste not, want not."

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Allen; I made a "white" chili for a cookoff last fall. The people who tried it were very suprised by the flavor. They absolutely loved it.

I made it with great white beans, pork, a bit of tomatillo, yellow and green peppers (light yellow dried tobasco peppers are great), just enough chili powder to give it some kick, and some wicked hot sauce from a bottle called "May Produce Side Effects). I also used white pepper in it.

I entered it in the "White Chili" categori as the judges wouldn't let me put it into the Hot-Chili category. The judges were completely floored as they were expecting something that tasted like chicken or turkey soup that was called chili. That's what every other white chili I have tasted in our Northern region tasted like. Mine tasted like chili.

It didn't win anything, but as I said, it was well received by the public who tasted it. In fact, it was more popular than the "red" that I also made. And I had a guy who said that he came back to the cookoff because he'd eaten my "red" the year before.

Why am I telling you about this experience? Because you are a man who understands chili, and isn't afraid to try something new. And Navy or great white (Northern) beans have a milder flavor than do pinto or kidney beans. They aren't better or worse, jsut different.

Another thing you can do to enhance your chili is to add some broken up fresh corn tortillas, or white hominy (has a similar flavor to the tortillas). it goes wonderfully well with the chili flavor and helps thicken the red (or white chili).

I'd love to be able to give you the be-all, end-all chili recipe or technique, but as Robo410 said, it's all in the available ingredients, and the aprticular mood you are in. I'd prbably be safe to say, that on any given day, at any given chili cookoff, that there are a number of excellent chili's, each as good as the other, and that for that particular time, a judge has a hankoring for a specific flavor. And if the contest were to be held on a different day, a different chili would probably win.

Chili is what it is. You make it the way you like it, and the way your family likes it. Surely try different things. Your brisket idea is great. But before using it in chili, play with different smoking woods, as each imparts a different flavor to the meat. You will find that you will like one better than another.

In my opinion, hickory would not be right for chili. I would use either alder, or mesquite. I might use maple or white oak. I don't think apple would be right either. But I'm only taking an educated guess here. Try them and determine what is right for yourself. That's how you learn what works and what doesn't. But then, you already know that.

As i said, you are as good at this as I am, maybe better. So go perfect the flavor you want.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[AllenOK]

Hiya Goodweed!

One of my coworkers made a White Chili for a cookoff or a potluck. He made it at work. Basically, it just gets chicken, lots of pepperjack, cream, Great Northern Beans, and maybe some cornstarch to tighten it a bit. I tried it, and it was good! I might still throw some tortilla chips in some if I make it, or the hominy you suggested (I love Posole, so I keep some hominy around).

I completely agree with you on the woods used to smoke meat with. I normally use a mix of Hickory and local Red Oak for my pork butt, which gives it a nice flavor. If I ever do smoke a brisket, I'm going to use Mesquite and Red Oak, as brisket is from Texas, and they smoke with Mesquite. I like the flavor the oak provides as well. I may even try to smoke a batch of pork butt with Mesquite, just to see what it's like.

I tried using some local maple last year on chicken, pork butt, and spareribs, and wasn't really pleased. I found that the local maple turned the exterior of the meat coal-black. Now, maybe that processed stuff you can buy would be different. I don't know, as I've never used it, apple, or cherry. I might break down and use some Jack Daniel's barrel chips.

 

[auntdot]

Glad to see this thread was resurrected, always love chili recipes and thanks for all of the great ideas. Big Al's recipe sounds great.

When I heard about cinnamon in the stuff it brought back a memory.

A number ofl years ago a friend, who originally hailed from the Cincinnati area, brought us one of those mix packets labelled something like Cincinnati chili mix.

We knew a bit about about Cincinnati chili from TV, mags, friends, and such, but those sources had mostly concentrated on the five ways they serve it. Not what they put in it.

Tried it and the taste of cinnamon was overwhelming.

As I remember we tossed most of the batch.

Googled and found that Cincinnati chili can contain cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, chocolate and coffee.

Believe that a person has a right in this country to toss almost anything into her/his chili and call it that. It is not in the Constitution, but probably should be (that is about as political as I am going to get).

Maybe if put in below the level at which it can be identified, well, heck, it might be OK.

But would probably opt to leave it out.

Same with the cloves and cardamom.

But have become a convert to chocolate in chili. Just a tad. If you know it is there, it is too much. And generally include it. It gives it an interesting flavor.

As for the coffee, am kinda kicking that about. Am not a fan of coffee in most dishes, but it might just work. Just a tad. Am not sure.

Anyway there is nothing better than a good bowl of red, thanks for the thread.

 

[auntdot]

Glad to see this thread was resurrected, always love chili recipes and thanks for all of the great ideas. Big Al's recipe sounds great.

When I heard about cinnamon in the stuff it brought back a memory.

A number ofl years ago a friend, who originally hailed from the Cincinnati area, brought us one of those mix packets labelled something like Cincinnati chili mix.

We knew a bit about about Cincinnati chili from TV, mags, friends, and such, but those sources had mostly concentrated on the five ways they serve it. Not what they put in it.

Tried it and the taste of cinnamon was overwhelming.

As I remember we tossed most of the batch.

Googled and found that Cincinnati chili can contain cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, chocolate and coffee.

Believe that a person has a right in this country to toss almost anything into her/his chili and call it that. It is not in the Constitution, but probably should be (that is about as political as I am going to get).

Maybe if put in below the level at which it can be identified, well, heck, it might be OK.

But would probably opt to leave it out.

Same with the cloves and cardamom.

But have become a convert to chocolate in chili. Just a tad. If you know it is there, it is too much. And generally include it. It gives it an interesting flavor.

As for the coffee, am kinda kicking that about. Am not a fan of coffee in most dishes, but it might just work. Just a tad. Am not sure.

Anyway there is nothing better than a good bowl of red, thanks for the thread.

 

[AllenOK]

auntdot, I hear you about the cinnamon being strong. My first version of this had, I believe, a full tablespoon of cinnamon in it. It was way to strong. Now, I've dropped it down to the point that you can't pick it out of the flavor medley, but you know that something is in there.

I've been kicking around the coffee idea as well. However, that's going to be a very tough sell to my family, especially PeppA, as she absolutely detests coffee, even the smell of it. I'd have to really fiddle with how much coffee to use, since I have instant right now. I would either start with 1/4 t of instant coffee granules, or, I could just make a mugfull of coffee and add a little, taste, add a little more, taste, etc., until I get it right. Of course, then I'd have to drink the remainder coffee, but that's a good thing.

Maybe do a batch of "cowboy" chili, with the smoked brisket, and use some really strong "cowboy" coffee? OMG, I've giving myself ideas again. I'm not going to sleep easy tonight, knowing I have a project in mind, and won't be able to do it anytime soon.