Favorite chili recipes?

MustardMan said:
Chili is a lot like BBQ sauce for me - I never, ever follow a recipe. I just throw the basic ingredients in, then randomly add crap that I like until it tastes the way I want it to. Haven't had a bad batch of either yet, and no two are alike.
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Same here, I posted a recipe earlier that I try to follow, but its normally whatever is in the fridge and growing in the garden. The other day I made a batch with venison instead of ground meat, no bell peppers, added corn, used pinto beans instead of kidney beans and it still turned out tasting fine. Hard to mess up chili.
 
Success! Thanks for the motivation everyone.

I kept it simple and used McCormick premix chili seasoning (just this first time around so I can get the hang of it); I'll try my own seasoning next time. I used a little bit of everyone recipes to make my own, sauteed onions and garlic with thick pieces of beef and hot links. Diced tomato in a can, pinto and red kidney beans, red/green bell peppers brought to a simmer and dropped the meat in. Half a bottle of beer, Heineken, and some sugar near the end to make it taste better. Topped it off with cheese, sour cream, and corn bread...delicious!!
 
Try these things in your next chili. They are standards with mine.

1. Use red wine instead of beer.
2. Use freshly ground chili powder, not store stuff. (dried chilis and coffee grinder)
3. Use finely ground hot Italian sausage as a main flavor.
4. Use solid meat as the main meat chunks. (chuck for beef, and rib for pork)
5. Grill the solid meat before dicing up, for extra yummy flavor.
6. Finely diced apples for a mild, natural, background sweetener base. (skin removed) It just balances everything out.
7. Chipotle powder for a touch of smokiness.

The result will be something very Southwestern-chili like, and will be truly gourmet.
 
No beer in my chili!!

Ma Unser, the mother of race greats Bobby and Al Unser, made chili every year she attended the Indy 500. She always added tequila to her chili. Good enough for Ma, good enough for me;)
 
komondor said:
Try these things in your next chili. They are standards with mine.

1. Use red wine instead of beer.
2. Use freshly ground chili powder, not store stuff. (dried chilis and coffee grinder)
3. Use finely ground hot Italian sausage as a main flavor.
4. Use solid meat as the main meat chunks. (chuck for beef, and rib for pork)
5. Grill the solid meat before dicing up, for extra yummy flavor.
6. Finely diced apples for a mild, natural, background sweetener base. (skin removed) It just balances everything out.
7. Chipotle powder for a touch of smokiness.

The result will be something very Southwestern-chili like, and will be truly gourmet.
Click to expand...

thanks for all the great tips, I will definitely give all those a try next time around. my apple tree in the backyard has been really good this year, but never used it in cooking before. :thumbup:

i'll try the red wine instead of beer, but someone else recommended bourbon as well, have you ever tried that?
 
Chili is my answer to the question "what should I do with the last ... in the jar?"

When I make chili I clean out my fridge at the same time. There's usually 8 or 10 less jars in the fridge after I cook chili.
 
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