food How do you like your chili?

Hmmmm...

I don't think I could compete in chili cookoffs. I don't do well with rules...and of course that gets me in trouble all the time. I've cheated with canned beans before (shhh, I didn't really say that). If I forget to put the pintos to soak the day before I'll use Ranch Style Texas beans in my chili, liquid and all.

I must say all those rules kind of limit creativity. It reminds me of stock car racing: cars (nearly) all the same, different drivers. I'm sure to competitors it must seem like competition chili is wildly diverse. But to a chef, limiting chili to only meat, gravy, and spices feels rather restricting.
 
Not really.

When you think of all the spices both fresh, dried and powder you have unlimited ability to create a flavor - that is really what it is all about - creating a flavor that is going to WHOH the judges.

The meat can also be a challenge - especially when you might be cooking with cut(cubed) meat - cooks all over the states are not able to get the same cuts of meat - some tender - some tough - some flavorful with marble - some not.

The timing is another art - making sure that you cook that meat to perfection - not to mush.

You cook a roast - you add spices on it - you cook an egg - you add spieces - everything that we cook whether it is chili, dessert, beans - the spices make the product the flavor the gravy, it is just that chili is purer than beans or desserts.

Does that make sense.
 
I do like being creative. I'd be happier if someone handed me a food item and let me decide how to ruin it. There are so many different ways to cook a thing. For meat there's roasting, broiling, braising, microwaving (yeach), pan frying, deep frying, steaming, smoking, curing, and some things they do in Asia I can't explain.

You mention all the flexibility available within the confines of the rules. Sure, and I anticipated your answer in my previous post. If you were to equate chili competition to stock car racing you might have: meat, gravy, spices = horsepower, tires, chassis. The concept for both is to level the varibles to just a few so that it's a test of who's the best cook/driver. My argument isn't that either contest is wrong, in fact they both probably work best this way. The rules just feel too confining to me. There is more to cooking than spices and timing. However, I never did play well with the other kids either.

You make the chili, I'll just stand here and watch (and eat).
 
Well, if you want diversity you could always go to a local cook off that's not sanctioned by any group...CASI etc. Then you're lible to find any type of chili with numerous ingredients. I find cooking chili in competition is fun....as my husband says we're not cooks we're chemists. We try to put a product out there the public will like and sometimes we succeed.



:)
 
holy mole

so sorry competition folks, but i DO like beans in my chili.

it's how my mamma always made it, so that's how i like it. ;)

i use both kidney and pinto. and sometimes even canned corn if the mood strikes me.

must-use additions of my own that mom would never have even considered:

brewed coffee, cinnamon, chocolate, ketchup and chipotles (powdered and/or whole dried - i've never liked the canned chipotles) also new mexican chiles and ancho powder. cumin, coriander, etc. fresh garlic and fresh onions are a must of course, but mamma knew that.

i put this combo in my taco filling also, and friends and family RAVE about my tacos. they would rave about my chili too only i've never made it for a large group. :D

i got the idea from a store-bought bottle of mexican mole.
 
Re: holy mole

datil paddle said:
so sorry competition folks, but i DO like beans in my chili.

it's how my mamma always made it, so that's how i like it. ;)

i use both kidney and pinto. and sometimes even canned corn if the mood strikes me.

must-use additions of my own that mom would never have even considered:

brewed coffee, cinnamon, chocolate, ketchup and chipotles (powdered and/or whole dried - i've never liked the canned chipotles) also new mexican chiles and ancho powder. cumin, coriander, etc. fresh garlic and fresh onions are a must of course, but mamma knew that.

i put this combo in my taco filling also, and friends and family RAVE about my tacos. they would rave about my chili too only i've never made it for a large group. :D

i got the idea from a store-bought bottle of mexican mole.
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Am I the only one that puts chocolate in their chili?

T
 
alotn brown with good eats had a special on chili and they had this lazy susan with alot of stuff you could put in chili like cheese and sour cream etc etc...truffels...have no idea what a truffel is?? anyway alton was acting like a cowboy and he said a line that cracked me up he said someting like i like to put something in my chili...the spoon and then put the spoon in my mouth...i cracked up.
 
I've seen lots of people put sour cream on chili. Not me. But I love to smother it in Jack cheese! It melts into the chili and gets gooey, yummy nummers. I like serving it in edible bread bowls too.

As for truffels... They're these really expensive fungi that grow under the roots of oak trees in France (they use pigs to sniff them out). They are really rich and earthy like mushrooms oughta be, but because they're so hard to find... well, I pity the pig that ever develops a taste for 'em... Can you say "pork chops"?

T
 
chocolate

yes, chocolate is in my "must use" ingredients, tina ;)

if anyone has ever tried mexican mole, you'll understand the whole coffee, chocolate, cinnamon angle.

it makes for a really deep, rich taste. TRY IT!!! (if you like deep rich flavor, that is....if you prefer tomatoey thin flavors you'll prolly not like it)

and before i decided that this flavor needed to be in my chili, all i'd ever tried was the jarred mole sauce on chicken....who knows how good the real homemade mexican mole sauces are!?! prolly indescribably delish.

but too time/ingredient intensive for me....google "mole sauce recipes' and you'll see what i mean.
 
oh oh! i forgot toppings!

shredded cheddar cheese, sometimes i will put a dab of sour cream, depends on my mood and whether i have any on hand -- and can you say CRUSHED CORN CHIPS! you know, fritos!

YUMMY!!!
 
datil paddle said:
oh oh! i forgot toppings!

shredded cheddar cheese, sometimes i will put a dab of sour cream, depends on my mood and whether i have any on hand -- and can you say CRUSHED CORN CHIPS! you know, fritos!

YUMMY!!!
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Eeeeew... Fritos are disgusting! lol

You are going to flip when our Peppermaster finally formulates our Mole sauce!

Nothing like fresh Mole... but... don't forget the tomatoes!

T
 
nahh the frito scoops are cool.....dab of chili a sprinkle of cheese and a dolp of sour cream...one bite.....mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
 
bubbaschili said:
nahh the frito scoops are cool.....dab of chili a sprinkle of cheese and a dolp of sour cream...one bite.....mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
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Well, I can't argue that the scoops are cool, but they taste like regurgitated corn! I'll take Tostitos any day.

All this talk of chili, I think I'll make one for supper... Yum.
 
As the base liquid I like to use beer instead of water. I like venison (Leaner and richer tasting in the chili), lots of onions, kidney beans a must,tomato's, and fresh peppers. I like to mix habanero with cayenne. Then I crush up some crackers and cover it with sharp colby or cheddar cheese. Reading some of this stuff on here is giving me some other good ideas as well that I never thought of doing. Might be kind of tasty. Mabye I'll make some soon.
 
Hmmm,I don't like the Habanero taste in a Chili,I prefer Jalapenos,Cayenne and Tepins.The fruity taste is not my favourite in such food.I think,Tepin are more autentic.And they are hot anyway ;)
 
Bein' a Texas born boy, I am a no beans guy. I like to use small cubed chuck or meat such as moose. Cook it slow till it falls apart. I have been moving away from tomato paste in the bowl of red, simply going with the chili paste from roasted peppers. Once its made, no matter what recipe, I have been known to add pineapple and splash in some mango hab. Sometimes I add corn too. Chili demands beer on the side too.
 
texas blues said:
Bein' a Texas born boy, I am a no beans guy. I like to use small cubed chuck or meat such as moose. Cook it slow till it falls apart. I have been moving away from tomato paste in the bowl of red, simply going with the chili paste from roasted peppers. Once its made, no matter what recipe, I have been known to add pineapple and splash in some mango hab. Sometimes I add corn too. Chili demands beer on the side too.
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Hey, Tex. I've eaten ALOT of wild game. Venison, elk, alligator, rabbit(You are what you eat:lol::hell:), squirrel, duck, goose, ect. I've never had Moose though. Is it more similar to venison or elk? They bost taste a little bit different and I was just curious. Also, how to you make a chili paste from roasted peppers? That honestly sounds like something I may want to try in my chili. Different and I really like that pepper taste.
 
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