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My chili recipe
Oct. 3rd, 2009 09:26 pmI sent this to David on FB, and realized others may want it. It's actually a reworking of a recipe one of Will's friends sent him, adjusted to how I cook. Since I tend to play with almost every recipe I try, this is the one that has made Will decide I make better chili than he does. :)
All weights and measures are estimates and depend entirely on how much you need/want to make/desire in flavor. I tend to cook by taste, and usually use the cup of my palm to measure for stuff like chili.
2lbs ground beef (I would recommend against the extra lean kind as the fat is an important factor in the texture and flavor)
chili powder (some people use it to the exclusion of other spices. I prefer to use a mix of spices and use chili powder to boost the flavor. But that's me, and I have a fully stocked spice cabinet ;)
one (at least one) good sized whole coarse chopped onion
5 or so whole garlic cloves, peeled and pounded or very thinly sliced. Use a garlic press if you have one.
Variants:
Depending on how tomato-ee you like your chili, you can add any combination of the following to suit your taste
-tomato sauce (about an 8oz can or so) You can get various kinds that include various seasonings (here, we have a brand called "Rot-el" that has chilis, or jalepenos in it. )
-canned whole stewed or cut tomatoes (My personal preference. I prefer my tomato flavor to come from actual tomatoes). Do not drain.
-tomato paste (great tomato flavor but adds less liquid for a firmer body) Sometimes I use it, sometimes not.
Add salt to taste. I tend not to use a lot of salt while cooking, preferring to let people salt their food at the table.
Black pepper - a good palm full. 1/4th tsp minimum (to me at least)
Cayenne pepper (be careful, a little goes a long way. Start slow, add more as needed and sampled)
Cumin - sparingly. Too much, and it's all you'll taste. It's chili, not curry ;)
The rest:
Chopped bell peppers
Chopped jalapeno or chili peppers (to taste. A little goes a long way with these.) I've been known to add a habanero as well...but they are HOT! Make sure you wear gloves to de-seed them.
Beans:
Whatever kind you like or have on hand. I usually use a combination of black beans and red or pinks. I also add corn. Don't drain the beans, the juice adds the needed water and gives it good body.
Prep: Can be done in a pot on the stove, or a crock pot.
Brown the beef with the onions, garlic and peppers. Once the beef is browned and the onions are caramelized, drain. Add to the pot with the rest of the ingredients. If you're doing this in a crock pot, start out at high and then turn it to low. If on the stove, allow the mix to come just to a boil and then lower the heat.
After about 20 min or so of this mix working together, sample and start adding spices to taste. Go slow with spices as you don't really get the impact of them for about 30 min to an hour after adding them. Adjust it slowly upward in the heat factor/salt factor/flavor factor until it suits you.
Cook covered at least an hour, stirring gently on occasion. If you're doing this in a crock pot, you can leave it on low for the day.
If needed, you can add masa flour, which acts as a thickener. I don't usually use it, but I have in the past. Make sure to add it slowly or it will clump. I don't think it's usually needed unless you added too much liquid. We have a spice here called "Caroll Shelby's Chili Kit" (or something like that) which has all the basic spices in it. I don't know if it's available in Canada, though.
Serve over rice, or polenta or whatever. Cheddar cheese and sour cream toppings are always good.
Well, there you go. Chili. I don't think I've ever made it the same way twice. It's kind of like my marinara sauce: I just throw it together and let it bubble.
Enjoy!
All weights and measures are estimates and depend entirely on how much you need/want to make/desire in flavor. I tend to cook by taste, and usually use the cup of my palm to measure for stuff like chili.
2lbs ground beef (I would recommend against the extra lean kind as the fat is an important factor in the texture and flavor)
chili powder (some people use it to the exclusion of other spices. I prefer to use a mix of spices and use chili powder to boost the flavor. But that's me, and I have a fully stocked spice cabinet ;)
one (at least one) good sized whole coarse chopped onion
5 or so whole garlic cloves, peeled and pounded or very thinly sliced. Use a garlic press if you have one.
Variants:
Depending on how tomato-ee you like your chili, you can add any combination of the following to suit your taste
-tomato sauce (about an 8oz can or so) You can get various kinds that include various seasonings (here, we have a brand called "Rot-el" that has chilis, or jalepenos in it. )
-canned whole stewed or cut tomatoes (My personal preference. I prefer my tomato flavor to come from actual tomatoes). Do not drain.
-tomato paste (great tomato flavor but adds less liquid for a firmer body) Sometimes I use it, sometimes not.
Add salt to taste. I tend not to use a lot of salt while cooking, preferring to let people salt their food at the table.
Black pepper - a good palm full. 1/4th tsp minimum (to me at least)
Cayenne pepper (be careful, a little goes a long way. Start slow, add more as needed and sampled)
Cumin - sparingly. Too much, and it's all you'll taste. It's chili, not curry ;)
The rest:
Chopped bell peppers
Chopped jalapeno or chili peppers (to taste. A little goes a long way with these.) I've been known to add a habanero as well...but they are HOT! Make sure you wear gloves to de-seed them.
Beans:
Whatever kind you like or have on hand. I usually use a combination of black beans and red or pinks. I also add corn. Don't drain the beans, the juice adds the needed water and gives it good body.
Prep: Can be done in a pot on the stove, or a crock pot.
Brown the beef with the onions, garlic and peppers. Once the beef is browned and the onions are caramelized, drain. Add to the pot with the rest of the ingredients. If you're doing this in a crock pot, start out at high and then turn it to low. If on the stove, allow the mix to come just to a boil and then lower the heat.
After about 20 min or so of this mix working together, sample and start adding spices to taste. Go slow with spices as you don't really get the impact of them for about 30 min to an hour after adding them. Adjust it slowly upward in the heat factor/salt factor/flavor factor until it suits you.
Cook covered at least an hour, stirring gently on occasion. If you're doing this in a crock pot, you can leave it on low for the day.
If needed, you can add masa flour, which acts as a thickener. I don't usually use it, but I have in the past. Make sure to add it slowly or it will clump. I don't think it's usually needed unless you added too much liquid. We have a spice here called "Caroll Shelby's Chili Kit" (or something like that) which has all the basic spices in it. I don't know if it's available in Canada, though.
Serve over rice, or polenta or whatever. Cheddar cheese and sour cream toppings are always good.
Well, there you go. Chili. I don't think I've ever made it the same way twice. It's kind of like my marinara sauce: I just throw it together and let it bubble.
Enjoy!
