contest VOTE! Chili and Cornbread Throwdown

[grantmichaels]

 
Yeah, flavor doesn't count for much here, unfortunately. But hey... it's a fun process.

 
I hear that - but then again, I decided on FD's for a flavor I assumed to be there for having been cooked over coals ...
 
We're not even consistently inconsistent, I'm afraid ... and nobody more than myself.

 

[The Hot Pepper]

Phew! Got my vote in.

To me Husker21 KILLED it. The traditional mole flavors in chili, the meats, peppers, seasonings, Mexican chocolate, and the mole emulsifiers like almonds and bread, sweeteners like raisins, his own chili powder with toasted ingredients and seeds... then the awesome honey/queso fresco cornbread to pile it onto. Wow! If you didn't delve into that one you need to. The flavors he manipulated with those ingredients and methods must be outstanding! That one made my mouth water just reading it. And I was only half way through. Yup. If you haven't had mole poblano it may be hard for you to grasp. But for me... it's the one.
 
On the veggie I went with spysee. The roasted bells and poblanos (and removing skins, thanks!), fresh habs and Santa Fes, the 8-10 dried New Mexicos. That pic of your dried ingredients with all those NMs and traditional chili ingredients like cumin... off the chain. I like the mix of roasted, fresh, and dry. Very complex! I know with the slow three hour simmer that tasted like chili and not baked beans. And using black beans only, that was key here in my opinion. Excellent cheesy cornbread. Kudos! Was this your first entry? 
 
There were a lot of runner ups imo. Everyone did great!
 
JJJessee's had my eye. Some unique stuff going on there, and reaper hot! Nice use of dried chilies and very interesting ingredients. Black raspberry meade vinegar, powdered eggplant skins. Well done for your first entry, hope you enter again!
 
I can't name them all. But SmokenFire's struck me as a nice hearty chili with just the right amount of beans and awesome chipotle cheese cornbread. A good comfort food entry.
 
The chili on cheesy corn pancakes had my eye too. I like that idea a lot!
 
Can't name them all but all had my eye for at least something.
 
-Out!

 

[zdecker]

This is so hard when you love them all.....

 

[D3monic]

Looked great but I didn't see the .55 in Huskers post. but the photos where spot on and looked tasty

 

[The Hot Pepper]

He didn't forget. Everyone had it. It can be in any post of that topic and may or may not appear in a final pic they chose.

 

[SumOfMyBits]

I hear you on that roasted and peeled pepper, THP. BUT.....!!!!!
 
I prefer leaving the skins on in general... just to preserve the snap. Especially if I'm cooking down for more than 30 mins.
 
There is a point where roasted skinned peppers can get too soggy in chili, and skin-on peppers can curl off if done too long. IF that happens... it's a thumbs down from me. In both cases, I've given myself several of those.
 
Is this the most entries for a TD ever? The list of greatness looks long.

 

[The Hot Pepper]

I liked Essgi's first chili attempt and presentation (this dude loves his volcanos lol) and I bet it tasted great. I also thought Grant had an awesome presentation, with the chili on corn muffins and sour cream. I liked that he used guajillo chile-flavored dark Mexican chocolate and tequila in his chili. I really like the complex richness when Mex chocolate is used right, and tequila! Keybrdkid had the moisttttttt cornbread. Did you see all the peppers he had in there? Probably not. He blended them fine first. I'm going to remember that for moist cornbread! That blending to a pepper pulp releases all the juices. Nice!
 
I could keep going. I might. LOL.

So many you can comment on. Again, great stuff by all! Don't mean to leave anyone out.

 

[SumOfMyBits]

It was a cornucopia of awesome chili.
 
Anyone have a good technique for making a Horn of Plenty out of cornbread? I'm lookin' to raise my game.

 

[The Hot Pepper]

I hear you on that roasted and peeled pepper, THP. BUT.....!!!!!
 
I prefer leaving the skins on in general... just to preserve the snap. Especially if I'm cooking down for more than 30 mins.
 
There is a point where roasted skinned peppers can get too soggy in chili, and skin-on peppers can curl off if done too long. IF that happens... it's a thumbs down from me. In both cases, I've given myself several of those.
 
Is this the most entries for a TD ever? The list of greatness looks long.

 
I liked the one I chose because he did a three hour simmer, the peppers were already roasted and steamed in foil, they were already mush! The simmer means they became more of the base of the sauce since there is no meat. Like making a hot sauce. He broke them down into a bell and poblano (Santa Fe/hab) base and all those flavors melded as well. So it wasn't like diced peppers and beans. That's not chili to me so I wanted to try this! He also had that great dry mix. It just hit me the right way. I wasn't comparing it to the other veggie entries. Just commenting on what I saw as good moves for a veggie chili.
 
For meat chili, I get cha.

 

[SumOfMyBits]

 
I liked the one I chose because he did a three hour simmer, the peppers were already roasted and steamed in foil, they were already mush! The simmer means they became more of the base of the sauce since there is no meat. Like making a hot sauce. He broke them down into a bell and poblano (Santa Fe/hab) base and all those flavors melded as well. So it wasn't like diced peppers and beans. That's not chili to me so I wanted to try this! He also had that great dry mix. It just hit me the right way. I wasn't comparing it to the other veggie entries. Just commenting on what I saw as good moves for a veggie chili.
 
For meat chili, I get cha.

 
I ain't knockin' your pref. jajaja... fisticuffs, dammit! The passion and drama of chili... I LOVE IT!

 

[The Hot Pepper]

Oh I know, but you left skin on....... so you were defending it as you have a right to....
 
You also didn't roast so I get yours.
 
Let's fight!

 

[SumOfMyBits]

Pillow Fight! I WILL destroy your blanket fort.

jajajajajaaaaaaaa
Just two dudes swinging sacks of goose down at each other. The Vikings did that.
 
Nothing funny.
 
True Story.

 

[The Hot Pepper]

Just under 2 days left to vote this is anyone's game!
 
Y'all that have been studying make sure you get yer vote in!!!

 

[zdecker]

I wish I could go through and write a paragraph on each of these 17 awesome entries. Such an awesome job from everyone, you all deserve a crown!

Have you ever had one of those AHA moments? Frydad's did that to me. From the pic on the Weber kettle with the chili in the cast iron, to those gosh darn cornbread weenies. I kept going back and asking myself, why didn't I think of that? Great job!

Beerbreath81, you did the exact dish I was going to do if I entered, and you rocked it. Good job. My daughter saw the picture and asked if we could have that for dinner one night, but not spicy

I could go on and on about all the entries. This was one of the most epic since I've been a member.

Oh crap, I still have to decide on a vegy entry

 

[The Hot Pepper]

Have you ever had one of those AHA moments? Frydad's did that to me. From the pic on the Weber kettle with the chili in the cast iron, to those gosh darn cornbread weenies. I kept going back and asking myself, why didn't I think of that? Great job!

 
FD...... wuddit I say about that grill pic.............. boom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[frydad4]

Thanks for the kind words!!
Good entries all around. I'm still torn on my votes. 
Back to the pictures!!

 

[Husker21]

Phew! Got my vote in.

To me Husker21 KILLED it. The traditional mole flavors in chili, the meats, peppers, seasonings, Mexican chocolate, and the mole emulsifiers like almonds and bread, sweeteners like raisins, his own chili powder with toasted ingredients and seeds... then the awesome honey/queso fresco cornbread to pile it onto. Wow! If you didn't delve into that one you need to. The flavors he manipulated with those ingredients and methods must be outstanding! That one made my mouth water just reading it. And I was only half way through. Yup. If you haven't had mole poblano it may be hard for you to grasp. But for me... it's the one.

 
Aww shucks boss.  You are making me blush.
 

Looked great but I didn't see the .55 in Huskers post. but the photos where spot on and looked tasty

 
My .55 was in my big ingredient shot as well as the additional shot I added with the half and half and honey.  I learned a bunch of TDs ago that the POL doesn't have to be in your final pics.  To me the POL in your final presentation looks weird and sometimes steals focus in the pic.  

 

[The Hot Pepper]

 
Aww shucks boss.  You are making me blush.
 
 
My .55 was in my big ingredient shot as well as the additional shot I added with the half and half and honey.  I learned a bunch of TDs ago that the POL doesn't have to be in your final pics.  To me the POL in your final presentation looks weird and sometimes steals focus in the pic.  

 
No prob! It's the one where I thought I could taste it through the screen and I thought your cb pairing was perfect. You didn't go nuts on the cb, you used a traditional Mex cheese used a lot in the areas where mole is prevalent. Perfect complement to a unique chili.
 
Yeah the PoL, money is dirty, I don't know why people put it on their plates, or in every pic for that matter lol. 

 

[Husker21]

 
No prob! It's the one where I thought I could taste it through the screen and I thought your cb pairing was perfect.  

That is how I felt about Sums offering (he got my vote in both both categories). As I scrolled through the pics for his meat chili I felt like I could taste those delicious pancakes topped with chili.

 

[The Hot Pepper]

I love that entry. In the early stages I thought I might pull the trigger on it. 'Twas a hard one!