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How do you like your chili?

Phil...its pretty easy. Go to your local grocery store and go to the Mexican foods aisle. Look for dried ancho's which are really poblano's. Depending on the amount of chili I am making, I'll soak the chili's for about half an hour in room temp water and then throw them in the food processor. Instead of chili powder I use the paste. Per pound of meat I have used as little as 2 big tablespoons of the paste and as many as 5. The dried peppers seem to vary in heat and you add to your taste. You can also take the paste and add oil in a skillet and make what would be a fairly authentic ranchero sauce for eggs or enchiladas. Experiment with it first and go from there. Essentially my chili is...
Any cubed meat braised and slow cooked with garlic, onions, (I dig Texas Sweet, Maui, or Mayan)
I also like to sear the meat when braising with olive oil. (healthy)
After I braise the meat with the garlic and onions, I usually throw in a good beer or two but you can use whatever is around. Cheap pilsner like say, Bud , gives a nice overtone of beer without conflicting with the chili. You can add the chili paste at any time but I usually do it just before I add the beer and usually add more as I taste it....and you have to taste it often, add s&p if needed. Thats the basic..oh also forgot...as the cooking winds down, if I want to thicken I add a little more oil and dust flour in and stir.
From there you can add japs, habs, bells, corn ...whatever...but I use that as the base...When you make it ...it looks like nothing out of a can and tastes so much better. Cheers Mon!
 
when I make a chilli I never use the same ingrediants... basiclly whats infront of me when I get the urge...last chili I made I used store bought chinese thai and some home grown habs(my buddies) and it was awsome..did a basic chili but with good peppers lol
 
texas blues said:
Phil...its pretty easy. Go to your local grocery store and go to the Mexican foods aisle. Look for dried ancho's which are really poblano's. Depending on the amount of chili I am making, I'll soak the chili's for about half an hour in room temp water and then throw them in the food processor. Instead of chili powder I use the paste. Per pound of meat I have used as little as 2 big tablespoons of the paste and as many as 5. The dried peppers seem to vary in heat and you add to your taste. You can also take the paste and add oil in a skillet and make what would be a fairly authentic ranchero sauce for eggs or enchiladas. Experiment with it first and go from there. Essentially my chili is...
Any cubed meat braised and slow cooked with garlic, onions, (I dig Texas Sweet, Maui, or Mayan)
I also like to sear the meat when braising with olive oil. (healthy)
After I braise the meat with the garlic and onions, I usually throw in a good beer or two but you can use whatever is around. Cheap pilsner like say, Bud , gives a nice overtone of beer without conflicting with the chili. You can add the chili paste at any time but I usually do it just before I add the beer and usually add more as I taste it....and you have to taste it often, add s&p if needed. Thats the basic..oh also forgot...as the cooking winds down, if I want to thicken I add a little more oil and dust flour in and stir.
From there you can add japs, habs, bells, corn ...whatever...but I use that as the base...When you make it ...it looks like nothing out of a can and tastes so much better. Cheers Mon!
Click to expand...

Thanks from me as well.:lol:
 
Thanx,texas blues...

...but the Mexican Food aisle overhere its almost zero! You just get some tacoshells,tortillas and boring blended istant spices.
I think,I'll make my own chipotles and do it with them.
 
Phil...that sounds great using the chipotles. Why didn't I think of that? But if I did, I would run them and the whole escabeche thang' (if canned) through a food processor till its nice and smooth. When you do cook it up..please post pics if you can of the "product". Chipotle chili base...great idea mon!!
 
Ok,I'll try to make my own Chipotle somewere next week....Thats a good reason to take my smoker out off the garage and do also some brisket.:lol:
 
For my last chili, I smoked some tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, and sausages with hickory chips soaked in Crown Royal and apple juice. It turned out better than expected so I plan on trying this again with different wood and booze and some herbs and maybe smoke the beef too.
 
I like my chilli THICK! alot of veggies,meat,beans. as for what kind of chiles to use ? I'll use any that I have on hand but I agree with BBQ Phil that the hab types are better served elsewhere than in chilli, not that I dont mind the hab flavor in my chilli its just I think itd be a waste to put habs in chilli where you cant truely appreciate their flavor since its mixed in with a bunch of other stuff & spices, so a chile that has a decent spice to it but not the greatest flavor would suit the chilli better, IMO.
 
I dunno...during my fishing guide days when I spent time on the river at outcamp, alot of what we had to eat was canned or dried or fish(no surprise there). We ate alot of Nalley canned chili which is primarily a Pacific Northwest brand. Anywhoo...we put pineapple chunks and tabasco hab sauce in it and wow!! it really jacked up the flavor. I reckon I need to do further research. Now I'm jonesin' for chili. Who cares that it was 114 today!
 
[quote name='wahene's texas poi']Dragon - there was really no need for an open apology. Each one of us has our own idea of chili - it is just us crazy Texans have a thing for beans in our chili.

Matter of fact when I get the absolute desire for the red stuff I get a can of Hormel with beans - I know I am suppose to be loyal to Wolf Brand but when they were bought out I fervantly believe the recipe was changed - it has more something in it that did not have before. Canned chili is not the preferance but sometimes i get lazy and the can opener is closer than the skillet.

Take care and see ya somewhere - going cooking this weekend and next and then the big one August 14th at the Texas Open in Conroe. Looks like there is going to be around 120 or so competition chili cooks there to vie for points, jackets and trophies - well also fun, dancing, friends, etc.

Have a great and profitable weekend.[/QUOTE]
My wife and I often joke about the time my aunt made her famous "homemade" chili after tasting it and well it being so, so,. Not great not good but edible my wife tried to cozy up to the family she hadn't met before by lying and saying. "That is good chili whats your recipe?" My Aunt told her, "well you see I opening 4 cans of Hormel chili and stir on simmer and the trick is in the stirring".......well my wife who is German thought this must be American humor......and asked, "so what is really the recipe?" My aunt offended said, "thats it! the trick is in the stirring".....I bout fell over laughing I laughed so hard I cried......
 
I love black beans in my chili! I also like to add cilantro. I respect competition, though. As a homebrewer, I understand that competitions focus on style, and that is important when judging is involved. When we are making something at home for pure enjoyment, anything goes, and sometimes the out-of-the-ordinary is better and more interesting than keeping true to style. Just my opinion, and I respect everyone else's.
 
I'm glad for whomever brought this thread out of the dust, I've enjoyed reading it. I think chili is a work of art and you use whatever you have on hand to make it best. Also whatever weird creation you can put in it will make it that much more fun. I know the CASI rules and I say poooey. Unless you are in a competition have at it. Myself, I like to make a variety of chilis with a variey of meats sometimes with beans sometimes without. Chili is meant to make us smile!
 
I like to use a slightly different formula each time, so I can try new ingredients etc. Of course I have a standard recipe that I use when I am asked to cook "my chili".
I'm always open for new ideas to keep it exciting.
 
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