Chili Recipes

Spicy sausage (never seen Bob Evans in the store, but Jimmy Dean's is available everywhere) is a great addition. I like to mix it up -- sausage, ground turkey, even ground buffalo, which is healthy and has a distinctive flavor. I usually use three different kinds of meat and three different kinds of beans in every batch.

 

Also a big fan of homemade chili powder. Alton Brown showed how to make it on "Good Eats." I have made it, but used varying peppers with no problems.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/abs-chili-powder-recipe/index.html

 

I forgot a diced onion as part of my recipe. Brown it with the meat. My apologies. Sort of loopy today.

 

I love the town, so my apologies to anyone who likes it, but that is some nasty shit.

 

Add a little high fructose corn syrup.

 

I used to have a chili cookbook written by a (former?) sports writer, Jenny Kellner. I think my brother-in-law has it now. There's some strange shit in there -- IIRC, one was made with tuna.

She did a good job with the book and it was helpful when I was learning, but chili fanatics make my head hurt. I never measure anything and nothing is a secret. But I do a few things that are unusual. For all I know, I learned them from Kellner's book, but I don't really remember. I think I took a little from one recipe and a little from another and other stuff from somewhere else. I have nothing written down, it's all in my head.

A few things:

If I have it, I use homemade stock (beef, chicken, turkey -- doesn't really matter. it adds body). If not, I use canned or I just throw some roasted pork or beef marrow bones in.

I rarely use all beef. Sometimes all pork, but most often a pork-beef mixture, heavier on the pork.

I use lots of ground, unsweetened chocolate.

Lots and lots of garlic.

I don't usually make it too hot -- I'll use a lot of sweet paprika in addition to conventional chili powder (ancho, chipolte and/or regular supermarket chili powder). For those who want heat, I'll chop up some fresh jalepenos and people can add that to their bowls as needed. And there's a bottle of Tabasco on the table.

Wife likes beans, so I make it with beans. I prefer it without, but not for purist reasons. Black beans and pintos, no kidneys. If I plan a day ahead (no given), I soak dried beans overnight instead of using canned.

I never cook it less than four hours. Usually six.

Lately instead of stovetop, I bake it in the oven in a Le Creuset dutch oven and I think it comes out a lot better.

Carmelize the onions and peppers to start. Brown the meat, deglaze the bottom of the pan with some stock. The brown stuff adds a depth of flavor.

 

Thanks all! Much appreciated!

 

Best office moment ever.

 

Tom Petty really does have a fantastic recipe, and I love spup's as well.

Too bad I quit meat.

 

That's only bad for you

Does anyone make chili during the summer? I just can't do it. Gotta be in the winter.

 

If you lived in Florida or Arizona, you would never make chili?

 

Damn good point. I'm sure I would. I've just always lived in places were it got cold enough in the winter to make it. Never lived in Florida or Arizona.