What Goes in Your Chili?

Mine is super simple, taught to me by Mom:

Cook one finely chopped onion in a little oil, then add 1 lb ground beef and brown it (sometimes I will toss in a little red wine too, for flavor).

Stir in 2 cans red kidney beans (14 oz, I believe) and 2 cans crushed tomatoes (the big cans - 28 oz?).

Add salt and hot Mexican chili powder to taste.

Simmer a long time.

That's it. You can toss in whatever else you want.

The good thing about this recipe, besides being quick, is that it has converted several chili-haters I know into chili-lovers.

I just made a wicked chicken chili yesterday and damn was it good - Yep thats me bragging too =)
I also never use a recipe - I dont with most of everything I cook but I dont really put anything overly special in mine, ie. Squash or Zucchini. Just the right blend of veggies and spices and I am pretty good at knocking it out of the park everytime
Actually if you think about it I put carrots and green peppers in mine which arent necessarily 'regulars' on a chili recipe but so damn good

1 lb ground beef
1 lb spicy pork sausage
1 lb Chili brick
1 chopped onion
2 chopped green peppers
4 stalks chopped celeri
2 cans dark red kidney beens
About 1.5 jars Prego traditional spaghetti sauce
Cumin to taste
Chili Powder to taste
Garlic Salt to taste

The recipe also calls for black olives and mushrooms but my husband hates them so thats a no go.

Fiya!! ;) I should have made it today too, but I didnt have the stuff. Again, you go getter! lol

How on earth can you think your chili is good when you are from Virginia?
Hee, hee.

Chili was here in Tejas, where the original Cowboys called "Caballeros" taught the Settlers about raising cattle and how to be cowboy.s.
They taught them how to cook with chilis and the beef that they raised.. The tomato originated in Mexico, so tomatoes are part of the base for it too. It is actually called "Chili con Carne".. (Chili with meat)

Here is the recipe I tend to use.. I make the Pintos the day before.. Home made. Thanks for letting me tease you a bit..

Texas Style Chili

This is Texas style chili We traditionally only use meat, but you can add canned Pinto beans (drained) for the last 15 minutes of cooking..

1 Med white onion chopped.
1 clove garlic crushed
1 1/2 lb chili meat
1 1/2 lb ground beef (venison can also be used)
3 tsp ground cumin
3 Tbsp chili Powder(you can add more to taste)
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 Cans Whole tomatoes (crushed)
tsp salt (optional if you want to add a beef bouillon instead)
1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper (optional) This is what adds the heat.. Is you want it mild, leave it out.. If you want it super spicy add more..

Cook onion, garlic and all meat and spices, till meat is browned.. Drain off all of the fat.. (DO NOT rinse meat).

Add tomato paste and all crushed tomatoes with all liquid, add salt (or bouillon).
simmer on low for an hour. If you feel it is too dry, you can add water or beef broth. Check the seasoning, you can add more heat or salt as needed.

Optional additions.. If you want to add fresh peppers (jalapenos, or poblanos), always rinse them, take the stems off and remove the inside membranes and seeds.. The chopped up peppers and cook with onion, garlic and beef..

Can be served with shredded cheese and raw chopped onions..
We eat it with corn tortillas, tortilla chips, or corn bread..

Freezes great.

In Texas we usually do not add beans.. and when we do make the exception.. It is never Kidney Beans.. those are for cold salads.. Pintos are for chili..

I'm with you Laurie from Texas. 1st ever Chili Cookoff was in Terlingua Texas in the 70s. Like BBQ, we corner the market. ;) S.B. also from Texas - yesssss the beer, coffee, and or cocoa are all really wonderful rich flavors if used properly in chili. It takes a better cook to pull that off though. Other standard flavor pallettes include cumino, paprika, garlic.

For me, I like a thick hearty meaty chili - no beans unless pinto and I'm trying to stretch the grocery budget, topped with cheese and onions and served with cornbread. My own preferance - CHILI MEAT- Not ground beef. It was originally a slow cooking method over a camp fire for cheap cuts of meat slow simmered in spices to tenderize - no ground beef available on the Chisolm Trail. I can't stand when someone serves me a greasy bowl of red watery ground beef and calls it chili. yuck. Also, please don't forget to use chilis, chili powder, cayenne, some kind of a chili! Chili gets its name from the chilis used so people that omit them is a stumper for me. Even if you use mild chilis, it's a key ingrediant.

Mine's similar to Laurie A, but there's a few things she said that I will try out (pinto not kidney, crushed garlic vs minced garlic, tomato paste/whole tomatoes vs rotel chili fixin's, poblanos instead of jalapenos).

Mine is basically this: when in TX or if available, we do buffalo and venison. Here on the east coast, we have to do a small pack of chili meat, then half the ground beef and ground hot sausage (or venison if a cousin gives us some).
Jalapenos (though I believe I'll try poblanos, because I really like them much better), onions, cayenne, cumin, chili, rotel chili fixin's (which I can't find here, so I will take Laurie's reccomendation and do the whole tomatoes and tomato paste, thanks), and then instead of water I always add beer. I've always done kidney beans but interested in trying the pintos to see if there's much of a difference. I DO add beans because I like them and they kinda bulk up the pot without so much fat, and also because, well, yeah---I'm cheap. :P

I serve it with shredded cheeses (pepper jack and cheddar mixed), and jalepeno and cheese cornbread. I just use the Jiffy mix according to the directions, but add a pinch of sugar, chopped jalapenos, and shredded cheddar cheese to the mix, then bake in a cast iron skillet. My husband is British and always wanted his served over brown rice. I cook it separately for him, but he's coming around to the cornbread way of things now. Sour cream is fine, but more for chicken in my opinion.

Funny you'd ask as I just attended a Halloween party where people signed up to bring chili and cornbread. So I can tell you what I saw that SHOULD NOT go in chili, and that was hot dogs. I opened one lid up to see what basically looked like frank and beans mixed with chunks of tomato and ground hamburger. I passed.

Beer, Coffee and Cocoa! Seriously. I found the recipe years ago on allrecipes when I was trying to find ways to use up some venison. I am not a huge fan of game meats and I was trying to find something to hide the taste. This recipe has become a family favorite, although these days it's beef rather than game meat.. It makes a huge pot. I throw it in the crock pot and cook all day. Leftovers freeze well. I am with you...no fritos and fresh bread on the side. :) 4 cans kidney beans, 1 can beef broth, 1 can diced tomatoes, 12 oz tom paste, 1 lb ground beef, 1 pound chopped sirloin (or game meats I need to use up), 1 onion, garlic, 12 oz, beer, 1 cup strong coffee, 1 T. cumin seeds, 4 T chili powder, i T. unsweetended cocoa. Oregano, slat pepper and cayenne to taste.

Enough with the Chili!!! Now I have to go to the store. Can I get back to you after I already have it together cause until it is done I don't know what I am going to throw in it. :)

I use ground chicken and chorizo in my chili and it is delicious

no meat in mine..(mock meat)..tomato paste, a stout beer, olive oil,celery, jalapenos, black beans,onion, garlic, home made chili powder, cumin, oregano, hot sauce, paprika, sea salt,unsweetened cocoa powder................we spoon it on top of veggie dogs, or cornbread,top with sharp cheese...... on rare occasions ...atop.eggs

i gotta try that sour cream thing

Depends on what we have. DH likes to use buffalo vs ground beef. We like peppers, beans, tomatoes, onions....topped off with shredded cheese, sour cream and/or avocado. DH uses a chili spice mix and seasons to taste.

Lots and lots of love....

But I guess it's not enough love because I have no other bragging right than from my little family.

I will "steal" some of your ingredients and step up my game next time I make chili.

Mine is just the usual bean varieties,ground turkey,tomato sauce and tomatoes, onion,garlic and chili powder with some pepper and salt and red chili pepper flakes....and cheese and sour cream on top. I am craving some of your heaven in a bowl!!

Good luck and best wishes at holding tight to your cook off queen title!!

LOOOOVEEEEE

ehehhe... it just depends on what I have on hand and in the mood for... It must have beans preferably kidney..alot of it is canned I hate to admit... I like your idea with the veggies.. I think I will try that

I made chili yesterday because it seems very Halloween-y to me. I use ground beef, lots of tomatoes, kidney & black beans, onion, corn & tons of spices. I usually make cornbread & have lime flavored Tostitoes, cheese & sour cream all on hand. Yum-ola!!

My chilli is much simpler than most. I started making it when I was a senior in high school. That was 40 years ago. I haven't changed it a whole lot. I use a can of Brooks chilli, a can of tomato juice, any brand, ground turkey, diced tomatos, lots of dried onions and chilli powder to taste. I like this better than most of the fancy chillis that we have at our annual chilli cookoff! By the way, the can of Brooks chilli beans is important. They have an important flavor. Nothing else will work! LOL Any meat will do and any kind of tomatoes will work too.

Ground beef or turkey, kidney beans and usually black beans or whatever other beans I have, onions and peppers, chili seasoning, red pepper flakes, beer, diced tomatoes with chiles, tomato sauce and whatever else I have on hand!

hamburger, onions, 1 can each kidney, red, pinto beans, 1 can tomato soup, 1 can diced petite tomatoes, 1 can corn, seasoning. Serve topped with cheese. =)

Ground pork! It's so flavorful. I also add black beans, shoepeg white corn, peppers, onions, celery, garlic and diced tomatoes. The final touch is cheese and fresh cilantro sprinkled on top. Definitely serve it with Fritos Scoops chips (and I usually hate Fritos). Love it!

TOMATILLOS!!! :)
Seriously, I make a green chili with chicken and white beans that is super healthy - but you'd never know it because it's so fantastically tasty.
Olive oil, celery, onions, tomatillos, cilantro, jalapeno, garlic, chicken, salsa verde, green chilies, white wine, chicken, and a whole bunch of spices. Eat it with jack cheese and tortillas.

I like to use two colors of beans, too! Often I use red and white, or light red and dark red, or even red and black beans. Yummy! Beef, sometimes bacon, onions, secret spices, LOTS of tomatoes, jalapenos (sometimes fresh, sometimes pickled, sometimes both), sometimes fresh cilantro. I always like to dress my chili afterward with attractive colors, too. Sour cream, grated cheese, fresh red pepper, scallions or chives, whatever's around! Love me some chili!

Ground Turkey
diced toms
fire roasted toms
chili beans
kidney beans
bell pepper
onion
seasoning

Bufffalo
Chocolate
chipotle
beer
onion
garlic
tomato
n'stuff

no beans

ground beef and sausage, onions, tomatoes (like them here!), beans, spices...
topped with shredded cheese.

served with warm bread OR corn bread

Sorry, if you won't tell us your "secret blends", why do you want ours?

Blessings....