It's Chili Season!

[Chad Michael]

Option 1)
Wendy's Chili

We left out the celery. I don't see celery (or green bell peppers, as listed in above posts) as a viable chili ingredient.

This is, in my experience, a crowd - pleaser. My son and his friends approve and always asked for seconds.

Option 2)
My aunt Shari starts by adding a large can of pre - made chili to a crock pot, then just adds additional ingredients that fit.... browned ground beef, stewed tomatoes, pre-cooked beans of your choosing, spices that add to the flavor, etc.... Think in terms of making the chili more hearty and tasty to the canned version. It works well.

 

[gln1955]

Forgot to mention. Chili always tastes better on the 2nd day, 3rd day. Freshly made chili lacks some kind of undescribed flavor. It needs 24 hours to age. For the flavor to broaden out. Spaghetti sauce is kind of the same way. It needs 24 hrs before eating. IMO, IME.

I always make chili a day before I'm planning to serve it. Overnight in the fridge brings everything together and makes it easy to skim off any excess grease.

 

[pie_man_25]

Don't mind me, just taking notes.

 

[MJ5150]

I always make chili a day before I'm planning to serve it. Overnight in the fridge brings everything together and makes it easy to skim off any excess grease.

Definitely not a make it and eat it immediately meal in our house too.

-Mike

 

[Jeremy Crockett]

I am a gourmand and, as such, will have chili with or without beans.

My father used to make a great chili (with beans). I need to call him for the recipe.

 

[pisces_bass]

Speaking of Wendy’s chili, I like it for road food. Add a baked potato and side salad.

Costco offered chili at the food counter until a couple years ago. It was similar to Wendy’s and great for a winter lunch.

 

[fdeck]

Here in Wisconsin, this is the only affirmation we need, that we can make any kind of chili we want. When I was a kid, this was always one of our meals on any camping trip.

The plant is alongside the freeway when you drive from Madison to Chicago. Can't miss it.

World's Largest Can of Chili, Beloit | State Trunk Tour

 

[moon-bass]

The Sushibox thread was great, glad to see it over here! I'd agree that I've never made the same pot of chili twice. Part of the fun is experimenting. I do like mine on the hotter side, and with beans. The three bean blend is superb.

Venison makes a really good Chile, as does beef chunks (instead of ground beef). Use something that would be good braised. Also, duck makes great chili. Why stick with one type of meat? Throw some beef and some wild boar in there, or try some other wild game.

Dark beer, cinnamon, chocolate, various peppers (try it with pimentos). All "secret" ingredients at times. I also tend to keep around 30 or so different types of hot sauces around, which all lend themselves to experiments.

I love serving it over rice, various types of pasta (especially elbow Mac).

No one has mentioned white chili yet though. I mean is it even chili? Is Welsh Rabbit even rabbit? I think we know the answer.

 

[WilbursaurusRex]

Here in Cincinnati we have a regional variation that often turns off the Tex-Mex fans, but I like it. As posted a bit above it's a bit sweet and often has cocoa powder. I've sold out plenty of times in assorted restaurants skipping the brown sugar and cocoa in favor of straight up Hersheys dark.

The two big local chains offer it with or without beans, and honestly mostly it's paired with spaghetti.

Now that sounds interesting! Is there any spiceyness to it? I could see the sweet pairing with that well.

 

[StereoPlayer]

Here in Wisconsin, this is the only affirmation we need, that we can make any kind of chili we want. When I was a kid, this was always one of our meals on any camping trip.

The plant is alongside the freeway when you drive from Madison to Chicago. Can't miss it.

View attachment 4458818
World's Largest Can of Chili, Beloit | State Trunk Tour

I swear the chili at Chili’s is hot Hormels/ no beans chili…IMO.

 

[StereoPlayer]

I like Wendy’s too. My mother used to put potatoes in her chili to stretch it out over 7 kids. If Wendy’s chili had potato in it, it would taste very much like my mothers’ chili…R.I.P..

 

[turf3]

Here in Wisconsin, this is the only affirmation we need, that we can make any kind of chili we want. When I was a kid, this was always one of our meals on any camping trip.

The plant is alongside the freeway when you drive from Madison to Chicago. Can't miss it.

View attachment 4458818
World's Largest Can of Chili, Beloit | State Trunk Tour

Well, this one isn't as big:

But somehow "Corsicana, Texas" goes better with chili, it seems to me, than "Beloit, Wisconsin".

And Ranch Style Beans is just up the road in Ft. Worth.

So maybe that's the solution to my "beans dilemma": Wolf Brand Chili and Ranch Style Beans. Keeping it all local.

 

[DirtDog]

Ever since I tried this recipe for Super Bowl XXIII, it’s been Texas style for me…cubed beef, broth like sauce and a “five alarm spice mix” for kick.

 

[WilbursaurusRex]

Do you roast the dry spices first? Just heat them in a dry pan to right on the edge of char. It breaks out the oils differently than adding them to the sauce or meat, and puts a bit of an extra dimension in the flavor. Like with everything else, don't use the cheap stuff.

A bit of ground cardamom and corriander don't hurt either.

Ive heard about the roasting but not done it. So you dont use any oil or butter? Just the dry seasonings?

 

[basscooker]

Correct. A small non stick skillet works best IMHO.

 

[JRA]

Really crazy! Yesterday, the first time in well over a year, I made a big pot of chili. And, now here I am reading and posting here on TalkBass about chili.

almost the same: first batch since last winter --- but i came from the other angle = the "chili talk" made me hungry for some! i went to the grocery last night but i decided to wait until this morning to make it!

here's a quick batch of chili (60-70 minutes with some shortcuts) i just had to make:

lots of meat a la @two fingers:
- 2 lbs. of lean ground beef
- 1lb. of hot sausage
- 3/4 lb. of cooked/sliced angus beef


brown throughout and dump into large pot:


chop and add some onions (these were very large onions):


i used V-8 to make some 'soup' (a la @bassdude51) and added a bunch of beans:

and i added "commercial" chili seasoning, two kinds, about one cup + some cumin until it tasted "right."
i added about ~1 cup of salsa (finished off one jar from the fridge and added a bit of another)

the angus beef, before chopping it up:


more V-8, ~1/4 cup or less of brown sugar, and some scallions for 'color' (and because they're onions!):


let simmer/blend:


here's all the ingredients i used in this batch:


it's thick and meaty with a slightly sweet first blush and a determined "kick" to follow up.

ingredients that i did not use this time include:
- fresh garlic! usually i do, but this time i didn't! (not missing it in this batch, but we'll see...) edit: i added some garlic after it simmered for 45 minutes or so!
- dark chocolate
- a beer
- whiskey
- boullion
- bay leaf
- fresh ground black pepper
- pinch of cinnamon
- other fresh vegetables (e.g., celery, bell pepper)
- prayers and incantations

anyway, it's simmering now!


edit: my apologies to @basscooker and the other gourmets for the lack of 'finesse' in the making of this batch --- i just had to have some good ol' chili --- right now!

 

[two fingers]

almost the same: first batch since last winter --- but i came from the other angle = the "chili talk" made me hungry for some! i went to the grocery last night but i decided to wait until this morning to make it!

here's a quick batch of chili (60-70 minutes with some shortcuts) i just had to make:

lots of meat a la @two fingers:
- 2 lbs. of lean ground beef
- 1lb. of hot sausage
- 3/4 lb. of cooked/sliced angus beef
View attachment 4459089

brown throughout and dump into large pot:
View attachment 4459091 View attachment 4459092

chop and add some onions (these were very large onions):
View attachment 4459093

i used V-8 to make some 'soup' (a la @bassdude51) and added a bunch of beans:
View attachment 4459095
and i added "commercial" chili seasoning, two kinds, about one cup + some cumin until it tasted "right."
i added about ~1 cup of salsa (finished off one jar from the fridge and added a bit of another)

the angus beef, before chopping it up:
View attachment 4459113

more V-8, ~1/4 cup or less of brown sugar, and some scallions for 'color' (and because they're onions!):
View attachment 4459121 View attachment 4459122

let simmer/blend:
View attachment 4459123 View attachment 4459124

here's all the ingredients i used in this batch:
View attachment 4459125 View attachment 4459126

it's thick and meaty with a slightly sweet first blush and a determined "kick" to follow up.

ingredients that i did not use this time include:
- fresh garlic! usually i do, but this time i didn't! (not missing it in this batch, but we'll see...)
- dark chocolate
- a beer
- whiskey
- boullion
- bay leaf
- fresh ground black pepper
- pinch of cinnamon
- other fresh vegetables (e.g., celery, bell pepper)
- prayers and incantations

anyway, it's simmering now!


edit: my apologies to @basscooker and the other gourmets for the lack of 'finesse' in the making of this batch --- i just had to have some good ol' chili --- right now!

 

[gln1955]

I'm thinking of the worst chili I ever had. I still ate two bowls of it.

 

[MJ5150]

Ive heard about the roasting but not done it. So you dont use any oil or butter? Just the dry seasonings?

If you're going to add beans to your chili, buy them dry and roast those as well before adding them to the pot.
We used to soak our beans before adding them, now they go right in the pot dry. But I suppose if you want a softer and chewier bean, you'd be better off soaking them for a few hours first. We don't mind our beans more on the firm side. Mushy beans ruin a dish in my opinion.

-Mike

 

[bassdude51]

almost the same: first batch since last winter --- but i came from the other angle = the "chili talk" made me hungry for some! i went to the grocery last night but i decided to wait until this morning to make it!

here's a quick batch of chili (60-70 minutes with some shortcuts) i just had to make:

lots of meat a la @two fingers:
- 2 lbs. of lean ground beef
- 1lb. of hot sausage
- 3/4 lb. of cooked/sliced angus beef
View attachment 4459089

brown throughout and dump into large pot:
View attachment 4459091 View attachment 4459092

chop and add some onions (these were very large onions):
View attachment 4459093

i used V-8 to make some 'soup' (a la @bassdude51) and added a bunch of beans:
View attachment 4459095
and i added "commercial" chili seasoning, two kinds, about one cup + some cumin until it tasted "right."
i added about ~1 cup of salsa (finished off one jar from the fridge and added a bit of another)

the angus beef, before chopping it up:
View attachment 4459113

more V-8, ~1/4 cup or less of brown sugar, and some scallions for 'color' (and because they're onions!):
View attachment 4459121 View attachment 4459122

let simmer/blend:
View attachment 4459123 View attachment 4459124

here's all the ingredients i used in this batch:
View attachment 4459125 View attachment 4459126

it's thick and meaty with a slightly sweet first blush and a determined "kick" to follow up.

ingredients that i did not use this time include:
- fresh garlic! usually i do, but this time i didn't! (not missing it in this batch, but we'll see...)
- dark chocolate
- a beer
- whiskey
- boullion
- bay leaf
- fresh ground black pepper
- pinch of cinnamon
- other fresh vegetables (e.g., celery, bell pepper)
- prayers and incantations

anyway, it's simmering now!


edit: my apologies to @basscooker and the other gourmets for the lack of 'finesse' in the making of this batch --- i just had to have some good ol' chili --- right now!

(Sorry for quoting your whole post JRA. I don't know how to isolate quote sentences.)

First, the classic "LOL"! This thread inspired you to make a "pot" after about a year of not making any chili! That's humorous and I laughed out loud!

Next is WOW! What a recipe! WHOA! Very meat oriented! YUMMY! I like your putting some sausage into you mix. Great, great idea!

Thank-you so much for your effort to type this all out and even include some awesome photos of your chosen ingredients! WOW!

After reading about your chili JRA, you've inspired me to put more effort into the next time I make a "pot".

I'm gonna have to figure out how to put your post on file or something so I can reference it next time I make chili.

Wish we were neighbors! I'd help you eat your chili and then I'd love to see your fretless basses!

Great job, amigo! Excellent post! Thank-you!