Chili, Chili, Chili!!

[marmalady]

Allen, this recipe won me a 2nd in a cookoff - maybe you can take some ideas from some of the flavorings I used.

SPICE RACK RED CHILI WITH BEANS



¾ lb. Ground beef 1 tsp. Celery seed
¾ lb. Ground pork 1 T. mild chile powder blend
1 cup onion, ½ inch dice ½ - 1 T. ancho chile powder*
1 cup red bell pepper, ½ inch dice 1 tsp. Chipotle chile powder*
1 cup green bell pepper, ½ inch dice 2 bay leaves
1-2 fresh jalapenos, minced* 1 T. ground cumin
4 cloves garlic, rough chopped 1 tsp. whole cumin
½ - 1 T. vegetable oil 1 T. dried marjoram
1 12 oz. bottle of beer** 2 tsp. dried tarragon
2 14 ½ oz. cans pinto beans, drained 1 tsp. coriander
¼ cup brewed strong coffee 2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. Unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tsp. black pepper
1 7 oz. can Ortega mild green chiles ½ cup chopped cilantro, leaves and stems
1 cup crushed plum tomatoes
1 14 oz. can beef stock

Mix all dry spices/herbs together in a small bowl, and set aside. In a Dutch oven or large pot , heat ½ T. oil over medium heat. Add ground pork and ground beef and cook over medium heat until just cooked through, breaking up any large pieces. Remove the meat from the pot and set aside. Turn the heat to medium high and add the onions, jalepenos, red and green bell peppers, and garlic; saute until just soft ( 3-4 minutes), adding another ½ T. of oil if needed. Add the dry spice mixture and cook 1 minute until the spices are fragrant. Add the meat back in to the pot and stir to mix well.

Add the beer, tomatoes, coffee, stock, green chiles, and cocoa powder. Stir well, and bring mixture to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 1 hour. Add the pinto beans and simmer another 45 minutes. Add the chopped cilantro, and add more salt if needed. Remove bay leaves before serving.

* For a milder chili, use smaller quantities of these ingredients. For a really spicy chili, increase at your own risk!
** Any lager type beer – I used Sam Adams.

Quantity: 2 quarts.

Servings: Makes eight 1 cup servings, or six 1 ½ cup servings.

 

[AllenOK]

TY, marmalady. I hadn't thought about using beer. I'll be sure to note that, and the different herbs you use (I may have to give some of those a try ).

I'm going to get started on prepping dinner here really quickly. I'll let you all know my results afterwards.

 

[Konditor]

Chili has long been a big issue in Texas. At those chili cookoffs, contestants use every meat ingredient from beef to chicken to raccoon – all with the intention of earning more winning points in order to qualify them for grand showmanship. I recall hearing, several years ago, on WCBS News Radio 88 (Manhattan) a report about the champion & his winning pot: it was based on armadillo meat. Yee-ha!

My understanding of good chili is to keep things basic; that is, don’t let any one ingredient become overpowering. And, really, it’s not the heat of the dish, but the flavour that counts. On the subject of beans vs. no beans: If you want pinto, or red kidney beans with your chili, cook them separately – and there’s no need to make them highly flavoured. Traditional chili enthusiasts view those cooks who add beans with the meat in chili con carne as people who’ve gotten the chemistry all wrong.

In the chili I prepare most often, I use half ground beef & half ground pork. Fresh garlic & peppers are essential; and so are best-quality chili powder & crushed cumin seed (or powder comino). When I use yellowish, greenish, or purplish chili peppers, I know that some paprika can be sprinkled in to add a reddish hue. My main culinary work is as a baker & dessert cook, so I am always alert to the visual appeal of a dish in its presentation -- and chili must have a vivid red composition. My preference is to serve it with dollops of sour cream, chopped green onions, & lime wedges, along with tortillas made with masa harina (corn flour); or yellow- or blue-cornbread. I would generally drink spring water rather than beer with this meal.

Pork makes an excellent chili meat. I season it quite liberally with ground cinnamon & unsweetened cocoa. Both of these ingredients have strong precedent in Mexican & Spanish cookery; and the pairing contributes an unusual but outstanding difference to this great stew. Precede the chili with guacomole salad or seviche and follow it with a crisp green salad garnished with sliced oranges. (Or if a light, refreshing dessert is wanted, offer something like a citrusy sorbet or an espresso granita.)

3 lbs diced or coarsely ground lean pork
2 fl. oz. olive oil
4 medium onions, coarsely chopped
3 to 5 Tbsp chili powder
3 Tbsp ground cumin
3 Tbsp Mexican oregano
3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbsp salt
8 medium garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsp stone-ground cornmeal
2 lbs red kidney beans

 

[Juliev]

WOW... thank you marmalady and konditor.... yeah, I saw a recipe before where they used cocoa, chocolate in the chili.. I never have tried it... but I love trying new things........ along with the beer!

 

[AllenOK]

Ok, here's the proto-recipe I used, and the results:

Big Al’s Bodacious Chili
Yields:

½ # Chorizo sausage
1 ½# Hamburger
¾ c Chipotle sauce
2 T Chili powder
1 T Cumin
1 c chopped onions
2 t minced garlic
Two 14 oz cans of pinto beans
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
Mexican chocolate, optional
-or- cocoa powder
2 dashes Liquid smoke, optional
Toppings:
Shredded cheddar
Sour cream
Crackers
Diced onions
Chopped green onions
Salsa

Heat a heavy-bottomed over medium-high heat. Brown the Chorizo and hamburger. Add the chili powder, cumin, onions, and garlic. When the meat is browned, and the onions are becoming translucent, add the tomatoes, beans, and liquid smoke if desired. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook covered, stirring occasionally, for an hour. Stir in the Mexican chocolate (if desired) until it’s melted and combined with the chili. Ladle into a bowl and serve with the toppings of your choice, and some good cornbread.

I've never used Chorizo before, so I didn't know what to expect. Honestly, I thought it was going to really "light my fire", but didn't. I originally planned on using some canned Chipotles packed in Adobo, but they didn't have any, so I used some Chiptole sauce instead.

The end result wasn't really much different than what my DW makes. I intentionally didn't want to jazz it up to much, as she just can't handle the amount of heat that I can. I was looking for flavor instead. Specifically, an intense smokey flavor with some heat.

I did add about a T of Mexican Chocolate to the bowl that I ate. While the chocolate flavor was interesting, the sugar negated any heat. I think that next time, I will try some cocoa powder (I've already mentioned it in the recipe above) to see what that does. Also, I'm going to make sure and stock up on canned Chipotles in Adobo, as I liked the flavor. Those can also be my heat source. I'll probably go half-and-half with the Chorizo Beef, now that I know what to expect. I may even bump up the liquid smoke a bit.

 

[kitchenelf]

Black Bean and Pumpkin Chili

I made this for supper last Halloween - it was really good. I mean really, really good. The pumpkin gives the chili another layer of flavor that works really well.

BLACK BEAN CHILI w/pumpkin

6 Tablespoons olive oil
3 pounds lean/boneless pork, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 large onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 can (13 oz.) beef broth
2/3 cup cream sherry
1 can (14 oz.) stewed tomatoes
5 Tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
Cayenne Pepper to taste
Sea Salt to taste
1 can (15 oz.) pureed pumpkin
2 cups cooked black beans
Garnish: Cheddar cheese, sliced scallions

Heat 2 Tablespoons of oil in large pot and brown pork in batches over medium-high heat, adding more oil as needed. Once pork is browned on all sides, reserve. Add onion, garlic and bell pepper to the pot; saute about 10 minutes. Stir in broth, sherry and tomatoes. Add spices, cayenne pepper and salt to taste. Stir well. Add pumpkin puree, stirring until smooth. Add black beans and browned pork. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally for 1 hour. Top with shredded Cheddar cheese, sliced scallions, for garnish.

 

[debthecook]

Chili, make whatever you like PLUS:
1 can beer
2 oz tequila
2 oz bourbon

Cook it up for about 1 hour after you pour that in.

 

[Juliev]

Halloween chili:

1 1/4 lb ground goblin gizzards (ground beef 15% fat)
1 md eye of Cyclops (onion)
15 oz can soft shelled beetles (kidney beans)
28 oz can blood of bat (V8 juice)
1/8 tsp pureed wasp (prepared mustard)
1/4 tsp common dried weed (oregano)
1 dash redtailed hawk toenails (crushed redpepper)
2 tsp ground sumac blossom (chili powder)
1 tsp hemlock (honey or sugar)
1/2 cup fresh grubs (sliced celery)
1 tbsp eye of Newt (pearled barley)
1 tbsp dried maggots (uncooked rice)
water from a stagnant pond (tap water)

Best made during the last phase of the moon, if that is not possible, just do the best you can in a softly lighted kitchen after dark. Brown the gizzards in an iron cauldron over a fire made from the siding off of a haunted house, add chopped eye of cyclops and simmer until the pieces of eye become translucent again, add blood of bat, and soft shelled beetles, bring to a slow bubbling boil. At this time, add the common weed,
maggots, toenails, sumac, grubs, hemlock, eye of newt and the pureed
wasp. As it cooks you may want to adjust the consistency with pond
water. You can tell it is done when the eye of newt swells and the
vertical tan colored 'cats eye' appears on one side.

 

[spryte]

Hector's Chili

This is my boyfriend's chili recipe and he doesn't make it into the kitchen often. But when he does it's almost always awesome!!

1/2 Tbls olive oil
2 medium yellow onions
1 lb hot sausage meat (loose ground or links w/casings removed)
1 lb lean beef stew meat
2 bottles (12 oz each) beer (smoked beer ROCKS!)
1 can (28 oz) plum tomatoes in their juices
2-4 TLBS Chili powder
1 TBLS whole cumin seeds
1 TBLS dried oregano
1/2 tsp ginger (grated is better than ground)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1 C water
1 can (15 oz) light kidney beans rinsed & drained
1 can (15 oz) dark kidney beans rinsed & drained
6 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 tsp Caribbean style hot pepper sauce (or your favorite hot pepper sauce)

Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent to golden, about 10 minutes. In a separate skillet, crumble sausage and cook, stirring often, until sausage looses its pinkness, about 8 minutes, and drain off excess fat. Transfer the meat to the pot with the onions, add stew meat and turn heat to low. Add the beer (minus a swig for yourself) and the tomatoes with their juices, breaking up the tomatoes with with a knife. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, oregano, ginger, salt and allspice. Add the water and simmer, covered, for 1.5 hours. Add beans and garlic and simmer until done, about 30 minutes to one hour. Add hot sauce just before serving or put a bottle of hot sauce on the table and let people add their own. Garnish with sour cream and shredded cheese. Serve with warm cornbread.

 

[Juliev]

Baked Chili:

3 tbsp suet
2 lb ground beef
1/3 cup green pepper, cut in strips
1 cup chopped onion
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 bay leaf
10 garlic, chopped
16 oz can kidney beans
2 cup tomatoes, chopped as the topping
1/3 cup flour
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup buttermilk

Melt suet in large, heavy pot. Add meat, peppers, onions, chili
powder, salt, pepper, bay leaf, and garlic. Brown meat mixture
until peppers and onions are tender. Add beans, cover and simmer for
1 hour. Stir occasionally. Preheat oven to 375F. Combine flour,
sugar, baking powder and cornmeal until well blended. In a separate
bowl, combine egg and buttermilk. Pour egg mixture into flour mixture
and beat until smooth. Let stand for 5 minutes. Pour chili filling
into 9x13-inch cake pan. Spoon topping over chili and spread to touch
sides. Bake for 30 minutes or until cornmeal crust turns golden.

 

[BlueCat]

Well, I'm making chili today and it seems too tart. I added a little cocoa powder in hopes of cutting the tartness down, and it's simmering away in the kitchen. The spiciness is good, the color is good and the thickness will be fine after a bit more time, but it's just too tart.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
BC

 

[buckytom]

the opposite of tart is sweet, right? so maybe a bit of brown sugar might do the trick...

 

[BlueCat]

the opposite of tart is sweet, right? so maybe a bit of brown sugar might do the trick...

Well, because I was going to enter it in an annual chili contest/party, I thought I'd try your suggestion. It was entirely too tart before I started with the cocoa powder. One or the other, or possibly the combination of the two things really did the trick. I came in second place out of 13 chilis. Not bad for one that I considered leaving at home because of the tartness.

Thanks for the tip!

BC

 

[Catseye]

What I'm thinking of using, is a mix of hamburger and some kind of sausage (I saw that someone else already does that), either Italian or Chorizo. I'd also like to add a few Chipotles (packed in Adobo), seeded and minced.

You know how it works sometimes that you hear of something for the first time, then suddenly you're seeing it all over the place? Before yesterday I had never heard of chipotles packed in adobo; then I saw an Alton Smith show, where he added what looked like a couple of tablespoons of it to hand-mashed sweet potatoes, along with some butter. It seemed inspired.


Cats

 

[Catseye]

A major cooking objective my whole life has been to duplicate the flavor of Hormel's Chili. Not the solid ingredients ratio necessarily, but the flavor. I adore the stuff. I still haven't gotten there, but the following is what I've come up with, after much experimentation. It's a good, comparatively mild chili, even if you don't care about Hormel's one way or the other.

Cats' Chili

2 T Crisco
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork
4 yellow onions, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 T cumin
2 T chili powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
2 tsp Tabasco
2 T Worchestershire sauce
4 T white vinegar
1 T oregano
1 28-oz can puried tomatoes
1 lb can kidney beans, with juice
1 lb can pinto beans, with juice
1/2 cup concentrated beef stock

Add oil to pot. Saute beef, pork, onions, garlic, cumin and chili powder until the meat is browned.

Add remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. cooked for 1-1/2 hours. Add additional beef stock as needed.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Catsey; The missing flavor in your chili is coriander. Coriander and cummin are the main flavors in Hormel chili. But be careful with both as they can easily overpower the other ingredients, especially the coriander.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[Catseye]

Catsey; The missing flavor in your chili is coriander.

Goodweed, a thousand thanks! I never would have thought of coriander. I can't wait to try it in my next batch. My undying gratitude.