It's Chili Season!

[viper4000]

I grew up in TX, so I was indoctrinated properly. Then I grew up and realized they're just blowing smoke. Beans in chili is quite good. For years I made a half ground beef, half ground venison chili. Now I am more focused on eliminating red meat from my diet here's how I do it now

disclaimer: This is chicken chili

-braze 2 bone in chicken breasts, 3 thighs, 3 drumsticks in a roasting pan using McCormicks fajita mix. If done properly, you just grab the bone and shake off the meat.
-start the base with spaghetti sauce and diced poblano, green pepper, onion, celery add tomato juice to fill volume.
-I use pre-mix 5 alarm chili mix, easier than buying $40 in fresh spices just for chili.
-Once close to done, add can of roasted corn and any type of bean (black, navy, kidney, etc)
-Served with block of cheese or shred and saltine crackers.

No one expects my chicken chili to be any good because they think it will be "white chili". They always grab a second (or third) bowl.

 

[viper4000]

Chicken is red meat. But I’m all in on your recipe!

It surely is red when I'm done with it. Meant to mean cutting out beef specifically.
I posted before I was done typing (oops) - just updated.

 

[ThudThudThud]

Celery is an excellent chilli ingredient because it acts as a flavour enhancer. Much like in an Italian soffrito, you won't taste the celery directly but it adds a delicious savoury note that enhances the overall flavour of the dish. I like it very finely diced to really let the flavour out.

'er indoors can't stand the flavour of cooked celery. She'll eat it raw, but she can spot cooked celery in anything.

 

[StereoPlayer]

It surely is red when I'm done with it. Meant to mean cutting out beef specifically.
I posted before I was done typing (oops) - just updated.

Yea, I googled, from what I read, chicken is not red meat. Sorry.

 

[Gorn]

What meat wouldn’t be good in chili? Fish I suppose. Anything that can’t stand up to long cooking times. Give me some properly seasoned coyote chili and I’m a happy man.

 

[ThudThudThud]

Oddly I rarely use ground beef, but rather 'any-leftover-meats.' Especially barbecue meats.

In a large Duth oven sauté 1-2 roughly diced large onions with a diced, large red or orange bell pepper.
Once the onions are translucent add a couple of finely minced garlic cloves, and a small can of green chilis (mild through hot depending on taste), and a finely diced red Jalapeno (on stalk or seeds).
Now comes the seasoning (I toss on top them all on top, then stir in):
1 tsp. Chili powder
1 tsp. Cayenne
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. granulated garlic (garlic powder doesn't do the same thing)
1/2 tsp. ground white pepper
1/2 tsp. cracked black pepper
a shake of thyme, a big pinch of dried basil
1 tbsp. brown sugar
Big glug of Worcestershire sauce (pronounced "wooster")
Don't add salt yet as the canned stuff can be really salty.
Stir in the seasoning. It'll be quite dry at this time, so not too hot under the pan, and make sure you scrape off the 'fond' from the bottom of the pan.
Add chopped meats (usually roast chicken, beef rib meat, pulled pork, brisket etc.), and a couple of cooked, sliced sausages (your choice. You'll thank me later).
Cook through and add a large can of tomato sauce, and a can of crushed, fire roasted tomatoes.
Bring back to boil, and add a can of kidney beans, and a can of white beans.
Allow to simmer for at least an hour.
Add Tabasco, and salt to taste (easier to add later that to take out when there is too much).

I serve over white rice, with grated cheddar cheese, and sour cream on top, and buttered cornbread on the side.

Not a 'chili' to the purists, but the family love it.

 

[ThudThudThud]

Chili season? Every day is chili season.

I'm in Southern California, so we don't have a 'chili season' either. I do, however, make the most out of a slightly cloudy day...

 

[WilbursaurusRex]

Celery is an excellent chilli ingredient because it acts as a flavour enhancer. Much like in an Italian soffrito, you won't taste the celery directly but it adds a delicious savoury note that enhances the overall flavour of the dish. I like it very finely diced to really let the flavour out.

Huh, I never knew celery had this use. It makes me want to use some in my next batch! How much do you usually add?

 

[A9X]

I'm in Southern California,

My condolences...

so we don't have a 'chili season' either. I do, however, make the most out of a slightly cloudy day...

Some time ago, I was bet that I couldn't eat chili every day for a year, because I ate it all the time anyway. Bet won. After the move, I might do it again, as my very hot and heavily garlic laced chili seems to cleanse my system. It will be even better after I can go hunting and bring home my own deer.

Huh, I never knew celery had this use.

I use it as a spoon sometimes. After a couple of dozen scoops, it starts to soften, but is very chili laden, so I eat it and then get another frsh piece of celery and start again.

 

[India_Sierra]

Huh, I never knew celery had this use. It makes me want to use some in my next batch! How much do you usually add?

I like a stick or two depending on the size of the pot, diced very finely. You will probably find you need a little less salt overall in the mix too.

 

[ThudThudThud]

My condolences...

.

Yeah. But we do spend only a fraction less time on fire than Australia.

 

[A9X]

Yeah. But we do spend only a fraction less time on fire than Australia.

We just look at it as God giving us free BBQ of species we couldn't legally consume otherwise.

 

[turf3]

Y'no what other season it is?

You're missing the crustacean.

 

[ThudThudThud]

We just look at it as God giving us free BBQ of species we couldn't legally consume otherwise.

From what I understand that's exactly how we hominids were introduced to cooked meats. We never looked back!

 

[IamGroot]

I am torn.

As a native Texan, I believe chili should be without beans.

But I like beans in my chili.

What should I do, Abby?

Don't ask, Dont Tell

 

[IamGroot]

Don't Martha Stewart your chili. Keep the Ingredients simple;, fresh chili powder, dark beer and beef broth are your friend.

I am not a Native Texan, but i hang around a lot of truck driving redneck fools...and some Texans too.

 

[Hot Rats]

Canned everything with some browned turkey meat and Texas Chile mix. It was quick and it smells great. Yep, that's corn....It's a cold overcast day here in California and in about 4 hours I'll have a nice bowl of... Chile I guess.

 

[MJ5150]

We made chili on Wednesday. I got to the very end and kept feeling like I forgot something. It wasn't right until this moment when I said out loud.....bbeeeaaannnnnnssssss. Doh!

-Mike

 

[SteveC]

We don't usually use packaged anything and scratch cook, but last time we did chili we felt lazy. Beef is expensive so we did 1/2 beef 1/2 pork for meat and used a packet seasoning. I think it was McCormick. It was actually pretty good. I think my wife made buttermilk biscuits.

 

[4Mal]

I did birria des res earlier this week. Got my beef fix in for a while. Pretty much it is about a chili as you can get. Dried chilies, lots of dried chilies beef stock
Ingredients
For the marinade:

• 3 dried guajillo chiles
• 3 dried ancho chiles
• 3 dried chiles de árbol
• 1 medium white onion, diced
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• ½ 15-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried Mexican marjoram
• 2 whole cloves, briefly toasted and ground
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, briefly toasted and ground (or 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin)
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black peppercorns
• Salt, to taste

For the birria:

• 3–4 pounds bone-in goat meat (or substitute other stew meat such as lamb shoulder, lamb ribs, beef shank, short ribs, or beef chuck)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick

Make the marinade, sear the meat (I used beef shoulder from the mercado) do the braise... serve however you please... The marinade was a little 'Aztec' as one of my fav Southwestern Cooking authors Huntley Dent would say. I rounded it out with a tablespoon of cacao mixed with warm water to make a slurry and stirred it in. I also riffed on the spices a little... Very mole negro like but not as complex of course. This was damn delicious!

I think the left over marinade wil go with shredded chicken nicely. I'll think it out and riff on tortilla soup.

Black beans! on the side. Instant pot, add cumin and mexican oregano...

Next time ... I think raisins in the marinade. Sometime this will get chipotle. Eventually most everything here does ;-)

The ingredients list above I scraped off Masterclass (google Masterclass birria) for more. It seemed like a good place to start.