Chili Recipe

[The Sir]

Planning on making my own Chili this weekend. I've done it before, but never with my own recipe completely. I've always used variations of other recipes. Anyway, aside from the usual chili spices (chili powder, cumin, etc.), ground beef, beans (kidney and pinto), and tomatoes (regular crushed and diced with green chiles), I'm using the following:

Beer
Beef Broth
Bacon
Masa Harina flour
liquid smoke
worcestshire sauce
jalapeno peppers
red bell pepper
yellow onion
corn

So my question is - Is there anything I've left out that I absolutely should add? Or is there anything that I've included that I should eliminate? I'm sure we've got some chili experts on here.

[frostyj]

The only thing I can see that is not there is red beans. Sounds pretty good.

[The Sir]

Well, one stamp of approval is all I need. Think I'm just going to go with it.

[MLSKINS]

Anybody got a beginners recipe they want to share. I can't mess with that stuff Sir is doing.

[DButz65]

Bacon? not a fan, in chili LOL

Dont forget onions! And dont forget to make or buy some corn bread! Real chili doesnt have beans btw,..

[dfitzo53]

For me, there's a little bit too much going on in that chili. With the jalapenos, beans, onions, corn, bacon and ground beef, are you really going to taste the red pepper for example? I'd be looking to take a few ingredients out rather than add more in, but that's personal taste.

[HBnotBlades]

Bacon can be great in chili. When I add bacon I fry it separately then mince it, it helps add a little more umami flavor. I obviously wouldn't want chunks of bacon floating around in there, instead nobody realizes there's bacon in there unless I tell them. Another way to get that kind of flavor is to add a little bit of chocolate.

[The Sir]

Might eliminate the corn then.

I'm planning on cooking the bacon, and then sauteing the onion, red pepper, and jalapeno in the grease. Would you recommend mincing the bacon beforehand and just sauteing it at the same time as the onion, etc.? Or should I do it as I'd planned and chop it up after it's cooked?

Also, in regards to tomato paste and tomato sauce, is it necessary to use one of them? I don't have either in it currently but I seem to remember every recipe I've ever followed had one of them in it.

[MattFancy]

We put some italian sausage in ours

[China]

Tomato paste and/or sauce are not required, although many chili recipes include it.

As an example of a recipe without tomato paste/sauce, below is Craig Claiborne's (former food writer for the New York Times) chili con carne recipe. I have made this chili and it is very good, especially if you put it over spaghetti, and have available cheese, chopped onion and sour cream to put on it if you wish.

Chile con Carne with Cubed Meat

5 pounds lean chuck roast
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup chili powder, more or less to taste
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons dried oregano
6-10 cloves garlic, finely minced
4 cups fresh or canned beef broth
Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Trim the meat and cut it into 1-inch cubes. Heat the oil in a deep kettle and add the cubed meat. Cook, stirring, just until the meat loses its red color.
2. Sift together the flour and chili powder and sprinkle the meat with it, stirring constantly so that the pieces are evenly coated.
3. Place the cumin and oregano in the palm of one hand. Rub the spices between the palms, sprinkling over the meat. Add the garlic and stir. Add the broth, stirring the meat constantly. Add salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Partly cover and simmer for 3 to 4 hours, or until the meat almost falls apart. If necessary, add more broth as the meat cooks. This chili should not be soupy, however. Serve with pinto beans, if desired, and chopped lettuce, sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, chopped fresh coriander leaves, and hot pepper flakes.
YIELD: 8 to 12 servings.

[dfitzo53]

Might eliminate the corn then.

I'm planning on cooking the bacon, and then sauteing the onion, red pepper, and jalapeno in the grease. Would you recommend mincing the bacon beforehand and just sauteing it at the same time as the onion, etc.? Or should I do it as I'd planned and chop it up after it's cooked?

Also, in regards to tomato paste and tomato sauce, is it necessary to use one of them? I don't have either in it currently but I seem to remember every recipe I've ever followed had one of them in it.

I would cut the bacon into lardons (small strips or cubes) and saute the lardons first to render the fat out and crisp them up, and then cook the veggies in the grease that's left behind. Add the bacon in again later.

[The Sir]

Thanks. That one sounds good. Starting to think I might be overdoing it on the ingredients. Guess I'll find out saturday. I can't imagine it tasting bad, but might take a few tries to get something that really works.

[Pick6]

Anyone ever try adding crab meat to chili?

What I do is just whatever I feel like into the slow cooker. Always comes out great.

[SiCkSoULjA]

Chop up a few habanero peppers for the HEAT!!

[MassSkinsFan]

I saw the request for a beginner's recipe, so here is a stripped-down version of my general recipe. Know that I substitute things freely and often, but here's the basic idea:

• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• ~ 3 lbs. Beef, cheapest cut you can get per pound; ground or not - you decide
• 2 large onions, diced
• Dry spices:
• 5 or 6 tbsp Chili Powder
• 5 or 6 tbsp Cumin
• 2 tbsp Granulated garlic
• 1 tbsp Mexican oregano (if you can't find that, leave oregano out)
• Salt and Pepper
• fresh or canned chili peppers (6 or so fresh or one small can) - use more if you like heat
• Beef stock or beef stock paste
• Beer

• Get a big pot to make your chili
• Add the oil and heat over medium high

• Season the beef with salt and pepper; if using non-ground, have it cut into 1/2" cubes ahead of time
• In small batches, cook the meat until browned well on all sides
• Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and put in a bowl, then add the next batch of meat
• Continue until all meat is done