Recipe Talk to me about chili.

Broken Arrow

Broken Arrow

Heathen Pagan Witch
Backstory: When we have our shearing day it was always our habit to feed the crew for their work. My husband made the best (in my, and others, opinion) chili for the main part of the meal. Since he is gone, I am not able to recreate his recipe. It was in his head and not written down. Last year, I did not make the chili at all, a friend did. While it was good, it was not great, chili.

I would like to make the chili this year, so tell me about your recipes and tips for making good chili. We are of the add beans and meat camp. Please no pissing contests on that! I have beef and venison which I would like to use. Keep in mind i'm a white girl from New England and don't do HOT!

We shear on March 23rd!
 
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Tristan

Tristan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Here's a recipe, from my head:

2-1/4lb-3lb + ground beef or venison, saute' and crumbled (I haven't used venison before, sounds good!)
one nice onion, chopped and lightly saute'd
1-2 fat Garlic Bulbs, crushed and chopped fine added at the very end of the saute'.

very rough measures:
3 tbs chili powder, one you like
1/4 tsp. of Turmeric
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
2 tbs Cumin powder
1/2 tsp Powdered oregano, or 1 tsp of standard (Thanks SousJo for the reminder in your post!)

These are rough measures since I don't really measure... I just eyeball it and correct later as needed.
The Chili and Cumin are subject to being pretty variable in flavor intensity, in my experience, which is why I just tweek it till it's right. Test as you go and add as necessary...

Add spices and saute a bit more...

Add the tomatos:
1 or 2 cans chopped
1 or 2 stewed
1 or 2 puree'd
(depending on how much meat and how big the cans...)

If the canned tomatoes don't have enough natural sweetness, you can add a touch of sugar when simmering, like 1/2 to 1 tsp.

Canned chopped mild green chili peppers, 1-3 cans, again depending on size of the can and how big a batch of Chili...

Add the beer (oh, yeah, he said beer... assuming no Celiacs sufferers are in attendance...) about 1/2 bottle. Drink the rest, you deserve it.... or dump it all in.

If you want beans, add them now.

Simmer, simmer, simmer, till it reduces to a nice thickness. I usually give it 2-3 hours with regular stirring.

Salt and cayenne added at this point, to taste.

If it didn't get thick enough, a tablespoon or two of fresh Corn Masa flour mixed into cold water can be added a bit at a time to get it just right. The Corn Masa flour, if fresh, adds a nice flavor as well.

It's good served with cornbread and butter, and the cornbread does double duty as dessert when you put honey on top.

I know that Tomatos are a no-no for true Texas Red (so I hear) but lots of folks have commented positively on this recipe so there it is...

If you're not up to flying without a definitive recipe, I've enjoyed Carrol Shelby's Chili mix in the past. I'd be careful using the hot pepper pack, though. If it's a big crew, you might want to make at least a double batch.

Good luck!
 
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ComCamGuy

ComCamGuy

Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Just made a simple batch yesterday. A quick and dirty recepie in the electric pressure cooker for convenience, but slow simmered in a pot or crock pot works as well.

Mine is a small recipe, but scales well.

2 lbs ground meat and a pound of small stew style chunks, brown all of it, then add four tablespoons of chili powder, one medium sized can of adobo, two large cans of black beans, one chopped sweet onion, 1 large can of RoTel, four tablespoons of garlic, a tablespoon of liquid smoke, and two tablespoons of honey. simmer. To thicken, near the end add freeze-dried refried beans.

I made it with Bison, elk and Wagu. turned out great
 
Broken Arrow

Broken Arrow

Heathen Pagan Witch
ComCamGuy said:
Just made a simple batch yesterday. A quick and dirty recepie in the electric pressure cooker for convenience, but slow simmered in a pot or crock pot works as well.

Mine is a small recipe, but scales well.

2 lbs ground meat and a pound of small stew style chunks, brown all of it, then add four tablespoons of chili powder, one medium sized can of adobo, two large cans of black beans, one chopped sweet onion, 1 large can of RoTel, four tablespoons of garlic, a tablespoon of liquid smoke, and two tablespoons of honey. simmer. To thicken, near the end add freeze-dried refried beans.

I made it with Bison, elk and Wagu. turned out great
Click to expand...
Sounds wonderful! Thank you!
 
West

West

Senior
Venison makes the best chilly IMHO.

Wife just adds packet of Walmart chilly mix, and a can of tomato sauce. Per pound.

I add red onions chopped up and sharp chedder cheese, just before serving. Also if we have any fritos corn chips, they get crunched up and added too. If there's a good hotdog around I'll dice that up and add a bit of mustard on top, as well!

OMG delicious!
 
S

SousJo

Contributing Member
Chili is essentially a stew seasoned with cumin, oregano, and a large quantity of chili powder. There's plenty of fine detail that fits under such a broad definition (what are we stewing, and define "large quantity of chili powder", just to start).

Texas chili is generally beef. Other vegetables are allowed, so long as they are cooked until rendered indistinguishable as God intended. Most other variations use beans in some fashion. Pintos and kidneys are the go-to beans for chili, but it's still a free country, you can use what you like. Chili often gets its rich brown gravy from long-cooked oxidized tomatoes. Texas Red gets its color from pepper powder alone, almost like a curry.

Pro tips: Chili (cayenne too) powder continues to develop with longer cooking. If y'all like it hot, add early and simmer long. If you want precision control over the heat, don't add any chili/cayenne until the end. Cayenne is way hotter than chili powder.

Tomatoes used to be a high-acid food. Modern agriculture has given us tomatoes suited for modern supply chains, and they're mostly low-acid varieties. This had a side effect of making chili bland. The flavor profile of chili gets its acid note from tomatoes. It's an easy fix, just remember to add something acidic. Juice of half a lemon, half a can of beer or a couple shots of whiskey (most alcohol acts as an acid for cooking purposes). Sufficient onion and garlic also can act as the acid note.

To get the creamy thickness, you need both fat and beans cooked together. It's such a unique texture, and also a good way to fix it if you've got a pot of chili coming out greasy.

Heavy-bottomed pan. Heaviest you got, cast iron is nice for this, and stir regularly, more often the longer it cooks. As the food breaks down, especially beans, a sediment layer can settle on the bottom and burn. Heavy-bottomed pans disperse heat more evenly and slow this down a little, but mostly just remember to keep the bottom stirred up during that last couple hours.

Make plenty. It's even better the next day, after the flavors have had all night in the fridge to really sort themselves out.
 
Tristan

Tristan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
SousJo said:
Chili is essentially a stew seasoned with cumin, oregano, and a large quantity of chili powder. There's plenty of fine detail that fits under such a broad definition (what are we stewing, and define "large quantity of chili powder", just to start).

Texas chili is generally beef. Other vegetables are allowed, so long as they are cooked until rendered indistinguishable as God intended. Most other variations use beans in some fashion. Pintos and kidneys are the go-to beans for chili, but it's still a free country, you can use what you like. Chili often gets its rich brown gravy from long-cooked oxidized tomatoes. Texas Red gets its color from pepper powder alone, almost like a curry.

Pro tips: Chili (cayenne too) powder continues to develop with longer cooking. If y'all like it hot, add early and simmer long. If you want precision control over the heat, don't add any chili/cayenne until the end. Cayenne is way hotter than chili powder.

Tomatoes used to be a high-acid food. Modern agriculture has given us tomatoes suited for modern supply chains, and they're mostly low-acid varieties. This had a side effect of making chili bland. The flavor profile of chili gets its acid note from tomatoes. It's an easy fix, just remember to add something acidic. Juice of half a lemon, half a can of beer or a couple shots of whiskey (most alcohol acts as an acid for cooking purposes). Sufficient onion and garlic also can act as the acid note.

To get the creamy thickness, you need both fat and beans cooked together. It's such a unique texture, and also a good way to fix it if you've got a pot of chili coming out greasy.

Heavy-bottomed pan. Heaviest you got, cast iron is nice for this, and stir regularly, more often the longer it cooks. As the food breaks down, especially beans, a sediment layer can settle on the bottom and burn. Heavy-bottomed pans disperse heat more evenly and slow this down a little, but mostly just remember to keep the bottom stirred up during that last couple hours.

Make plenty. It's even better the next day, after the flavors have had all night in the fridge to really sort themselves out.
Click to expand...

Excellent explanation.

You sound like a real Veteran of the Chili wars.

We might need to have a family get-together sometime! :)
 
F

Freebirde

Senior Member
I sauté the onions and sliced jalapenos, usually outside, first. I put the onions and peppers in a stock pot with some water or tomatoes juice over heat. I add the ground beef/venison and stir or mash with gloved hand into small pieces. Add cumin powder, garlic powder, and chili powder. I add shredded masa tortillas to thicken. If I don't use juice, I add tomato sauce. Simmer, stirring often and add water/juice as needed. Add the cooked beans of your choice or serve the chili over beans, rice, hominy, or pasta. If you use dried beans, add right after you add the meat and expect a lot longer cook time. I don't measure anything and go by texture and taste. The amount of peppers you add depends on their heat, my homegrown tended to have more heat than commercial grown. When short on peppers, add crushed red peppers early in the cooking process. My 'medicinal chili' uses more peppers and spices in a smaller pot.
 
pauldingbabe

pauldingbabe

The Great Cat
www.thepioneerwoman.com

Does Chili Have Beans In It? Here's What the Cowboys on 'Yellowstone' Think

Whose side are you on?!
www.thepioneerwoman.com www.thepioneerwoman.com


Should Chili Have Beans? Here's What the Cowboys on 'Yellowstone' Think
Beans or no beans?
f4a4e86f-0b64-4507-8d1f-aa4ab6ea055b_1620677591.png
By Kara ZaubermanPublished: Jan 4, 2022

Everything to Know About “Yellowstone” Season 4
by Country Living US




Beans in chili? Not if you’re from Texas!
While some people claim that chili can be made with a variety of ingredients—including beef and bean chili, chipotle chicken chili, or dare we say veggie chili—anyone from the Lone Star State would argue that traditional chili simply does not contain beans. In fact, this controversial topic was recently brought to light by the wildly popular Paramount Network show Yellowstone.
Anyone who’s up to date on season 4 knows that along with the beautiful Montana scenery and Dutton family drama, the show is also full of plenty of horsing around among the Yellowstone cowboys. The bunkhouse scenes featuring Rip, Lloyd, Jimmy, and the other Yellowstone characters commonly show them rough-housing and joking around with each other to add a bit of lightheartedness to the otherwise dramatic show. Such was the case in the last episode of the season where Jimmy and his new fiancée make one final appearance at the bunkhouse before heading off to the 6666 Ranch in Texas. It was during this scene that Jimmy and the other cowboys get into a fiery discussion over whether chili should or shouldn’t contain beans.
This content is imported from twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

For some of the cowboys, chili is considered a clean-out-your-fridge kind of meal. It's a one-pot comfort food where you can throw in whatever you have laying around, including beans and plenty of spices. But if you’re from Texas (like Teeter!) you might think otherwise. And, despite only leaving the Yellowstone ranch for a short time, Jimmy takes the official state dish of Texas very seriously. “As soon as you put beans in chili, it ain’t chili,” he says. Perhaps it's more of a hearty soup recipe or stew? Either way, if there's one thing we know for certain, it's that chili is a cozy winter dinner best served with your favorite cornbread.
This content is imported from twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

We wonder whose side Kevin Costner would take?

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S

SousJo

Contributing Member
Tristan said:
We might need to have a family get-together sometime! :)
Click to expand...
Agree. I've been thinking what a hoot it would be to have a TB2K potluck, or maybe put together one of those cookbooks like church ladies used to do. That was a good chili recipe you offered up, and that masa tip is excellent, you're clearly no slouch yourself.
 
F

Freebirde

Senior Member
Personally, I'm a no beans in chili, but you do you. The next question, what kind of bean? My first choice would be black beans, even though those take longer to cook, for the flavor and texture. My last choice would be kidney beans, again for the taste and texture. I like my second day chili over some kind of carb such as rice. Chili over brown rice is a unique taste and texture experience.
 
ComCamGuy

ComCamGuy

Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
My favorite is over an open-faced cheeseburger with nice cold chopped onions and a spoon or two of salsa. (Chili Size) Second best is over a plate of steak fries or a bowl of spaghetti noodles Cincinnati style with plenty of cheddar
 
Millwright

Millwright

Knuckle Dragger
_______________
Tristan said:
Schweet!

Do you make it spicy, or mild?
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Yes. :D


Recipe here....

Stove Project (and green chile recipe)

Millwright's Green Chile The seasonings are a guestimate, adjust to your taste. I probably use more than what I listed. 3lb pork, cubed into 1" chunks...or thereabouts. 2 LARGE yellow onions or 3 medium, Coarse chopped. You don't want red or sweet onions, they should make you cry. 4+ cans...
www.timebomb2000.com www.timebomb2000.com


Copied it as a stand alone thread here...

Recipe - Millwrights Green Chili

Had to find the recipe hidden in another thread. Posting here so it doesn't take me two beers to find it. Millwright's Green Chile The seasonings are a guestimate, adjust to your taste. I probably use more than what I listed. (maybe a lot more :D) 3lb pork, cubed into 1" chunks...or...
www.timebomb2000.com www.timebomb2000.com
 
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