Chili recipe ideas?

[shurik1986]

Hi guys,

My gf wants to make chili tonight. Do you have any ideas for recipes? I know that ingredients like peppers, onions, ground beef, garlic, beans, tomato, and some spices like paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, etc are essential, but is there anything else I can add that will make it taste even better?

[Andy M.]

Here's a recipe he might want to try.

Chili con Carne

2 Tb Oil, plus more as needed
2 Lb Chuck, ¼” cubes
1 Ea Onion, diced
4 Cl Garlic, minced
1 Ea Cubanelle Pepper, diced
1 Ea Poblano Pepper, diced
1 Ea Jalapeno Pepper, Diced
2 Ea Chipotle Peppers, soaked+diced
8 Oz Tomato, diced
2 C Beef Stock or Water
45 Gr Chili Regular Powder
15 Gr Ground Ancho Pepper
½ Tb Smoked Paprika
2 tsp Ground Cayenne Pepper or ground chipotle
1 tsp Cumin
½ Tb Mexican Oregano
TT Salt and Black Pepper
15 Oz Red Kidney Beans, canned
2 Tb Masa

In a 3½ quart sauté pan or similar, heat the oil over high heat and begin browning the beef in batches. Remove the browned beef to a plate.

Add more oil if needed and add the onion, garlic and peppers. Sauté the veggies over medium high heat until soft and starting to brown around the edges.

Add the tomato, stock, chili powder, ground Ancho, paprika, cayenne, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer covered for 2 hours.

Drain the beans and add them to the chili.

Mix the masa with a little water and stir it into the chili. Return to a simmer for 20 minutes.

[buckytom]

andy's recipe is a very good one, almost identical to my own.

if you have a good mexican/hispanic market nearby, try to make your own chili powder. buy some dried chipotles and dried anchos or mulatos. if you have a clean coffee grinder, buzz away until it's a powder. if no grinder, chop with a knife into the smallest bits possible.

also, using a mortar and pestle, grind black pepper and cumin from whole black peppercorns and whole cumin seed.


freshly ground spices will add an unmistakeable aroma to to chili that brings the flavours up a notch or two.

good luck.

[purple.alien.giraffe]

There were some really good looking chili recipes posted just recently in this thread:
http://www.discusscooking.com/forums...pes-73233.html
Lots of variety in them to so should give you some ideas.

[joesfolk]

Originally Posted by shurik1986

Hi guys,

My gf wants to make chili tonight. Do you have any ideas for recipes? I know that ingredients like peppers, onions, ground beef, garlic, beans, tomato, and some spices like paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, etc are essential, but is there anything else I can add that will make it taste even better?

I never could figure out what was wrong with my chili recipe. It just had no depth of flavor, until I started adding a big can of beef stock or broth. For me it made all of the difference in the world. Hope this helps.

[shurik1986]

Thanks guys thats awesome. I really like the idea of crushing your own spices.

[Jeff G.]

Originally Posted by shurik1986

Hi guys,

My gf wants to make chili tonight. Do you have any ideas for recipes? I know that ingredients like peppers, onions, ground beef, garlic, beans, tomato, and some spices like paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, etc are essential, but is there anything else I can add that will make it taste even better?

Don't use ground beef. Get a sirloin, remove most of the fat and cut into cubes.

Try adding some scotch whiskey.. not kidding. It really adds to it. I converted a die hard chili person from Texas to adding scotch in their recipe.

[Dawgluver]

Def ground cumin. Epazote and cocoa powder add great depth. I also use some low sodium V-8.

[CWS4322]

It is so hot, I couldn't think of making chili right now! But, I do add cocao powder and beer...never thought of Scotch...but then, the only time I have access to Scotch is when I visit my family--I don't drink it, so I won't buy it...but maybe for cooking, kinda like keeping a bottle of Sake in the house...the other thing you could try is adding some pork. I will buy a boneless chop and cut that up to add to chili...and, sometimes I add a wee bit of maple syrup...but then, I add maple syrup to almost everything--we collect the sap and evap it...so we have a surplus.

[Timothy]

Ok, this one sounds weird, but when you try it, you'll find it to be one of the best ways to eat chili you've ever had!

First, homemade mayo:

Stick Blender Mayo

1 each egg
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons Splenda or Sugar
1 cup salad oil

Mix well using stick blender, standard blender or food processor.
Store overnight to allow flavors to meld.

---------------
Then, make your chili thin enough to be used as a sauce. Add mayo to it and mix well. (Mayo to taste, I like a LOT)

Put that on some angel hair pasta (Make a "bowl" in the middle of your pasta and fill it with the chili) and top with your favorite shredded cheese.

Serve with crusty garlic bread

Serious Yum!

[shurik1986]

Awesome, I'm going to try it

Originally Posted by Timothy

Ok, this one sounds weird, but when you try it, you'll find it to be one of the best ways to eat chili you've ever had!

First, homemade mayo:

Stick Blender Mayo

1 each egg
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons Splenda or Sugar
1 cup salad oil

Mix well using stick blender, standard blender or food processor.
Store overnight to allow flavors to meld.

---------------
Then, make your chili thin enough to be used as a sauce. Add mayo to it and mix well. (Mayo to taste, I like a LOT)

Put that on some angel hair pasta (Make a "bowl" in the middle of your pasta and fill it with the chili) and top with your favorite shredded cheese.

Serve with crusty garlic bread

Serious Yum!

[Robo410]

beer is a great chili addition. Something medium in flavor. adds a great depth of taste.

[Claire]

On a totally different line, there is New Mexico Green Chili and Cincinnati Chili (really a Greek dish). If you decide to take a walk on the wild side (probably not this time) ask and I'll pass on my versions.

[luckytrim]

maybe you could just choose one...........
(attached)

(Sorry I'm Late..............)

[Timothy]

Originally Posted by luckytrim

maybe you could just choose one...........
(attached)

Thanks Lucky!

Saved and Filed.

[Dawgluver]

Originally Posted by luckytrim

maybe you could just choose one...........
(attached)

(Sorry I'm Late..............)

I couldn't find the attachment...

[BigAL]

Not a beef chili, but what about a seafood chili?

:: Cooking For Dads ::

I've made it twice and I added what I thought would be good. We really liked it, alot. Add some tony chach's creole and it makes it better, imho.

It's something different, anyway.

[meatroast]

Instead of straight ground beef, try a little Hot Italian Sausage as part of your meat compliment. A 3 to 1 mix, beef to sausage, always works nice, in spicier dishes you can even go half and half. Sausage brings a wealth of spices to your dish as the meat is seasoned and marinates in it's casing further enhancing flavors and providing depth.

[Fabiabi]

Originally Posted by joesfolk

I never could figure out what was wrong with my chili recipe. It just had no depth of flavor, until I started adding a big can of beef stock or broth. For me it made all of the difference in the world. Hope this helps.

I had this problem too with no depth of flavour and it's so disappointing when you have everything else well balanced, just need to go for it.

[Claire]

I hate to say it, but sometimes you're just using way too lean a cut (or ground) beef. Fat carries flavor. If you need to keep it lean, cut the salt out entirely and find a beef base (powder or paste) that you like and use that in place of salt.

Sometimes the depth of flavor develops with time. For instance, my Cincinnati chili absolutely has to sit in the fridge for a minimum of 24 hours after I make it, a couple of days is better. It allows the flavors to meld into unity instead of your brain immediately thinking: cinnamon. allspice. cayenne. pepper. vinegar. Etc.

I also find that when people make southwestern/Mex food they often go too heavy on the peppers, way to light on the other flavor-makers: Garlic, Onion and CUMIN!