chili con carne

[Peter K]

Guys (and Grrls),

I love chili con carne. Here in germany chili is often made with minced meat.

Do you know a real good recipe for chili?

But please: No rattlesnakes as an ingredient because we don´t have rattlesnakes here in germany ;-)

Who has got the best recipe?

(Edited by Peter K at 8:09 pm on April 4, 2002)

[EricW]

True Chili comes from the soul, as such recipes are superfluous.  

Saute garlic and 1 to 1 1/2 onions in a stewpot.  Cook the onions until they clarify.  

Chop 2-3 kilos stew meat into about 2 cm cubes.  (Don't waste your money on good beef, get the cheap stuff, otherwise it will disintegrate before you're done cooking.)  Never use ground beef.  No real chili is made with that.  Ever.  Also, please notice the absence of beans.

In the same pot, Brown the stew meat.  

Add tomato sauce, chopped green and red bell peppers, a chopped jalapeno pepper, maybe a chopped habanero pepper, lots of chili powder, chopped green onions, chopped fresh tomatoes, lots of oregano, no no - more oregano than that, sage, salt, pepper, tabasco sauce, a little cinnamon, a little brown sugar (just enough to offset the acidity of the tomato sauce), leeks are good, lots of paprika for that good red color...

Oh, and don't forget the beer...very important.  Add more beer as necessary to keep the chili liquid.

Simmer the whole mess with the windows open until the neighbors start peeking in the window wondering what's smells so good.  

Simmer it some more until the meat is tender.  

Re-spice it as some of the original zest will have faded.  

Serve with lots of beer and tortilla chips.  Put a bottle of tabasco and habanero sauces on the side.  Garnishing the top of the chili with sliced peppers is always in good taste.

Enjoy!

E

[Flexmoney]

I like to use Spicy V-8 instead of tomato sauce.  I also like to use a wide variety of hot peppers.  They don't have to be real hot varieties (though they can be).

There are some good chili websites online.  I used to have the links on my other computer.  I don't know if they are still on there.  A search on Google should turn up some info.

(Edited by Flexmoney at 4:22 pm on April 4, 2002)

[TDean]

Throw some carne asada in the recipie.

Carne Asada- 1/8" thick  beef soaked in beer, lime juice and italian dressing.  Grill till done baby!

[BradC]

I would just like to stress one small portion of EricW's rather tasty sounding recipe...

As we say here in Texas:  "Anybody who knows beans about chili knows chili aint got no BEANS!"

=)

BradC

A46143

(Edited by BradC at 9:54 pm on April 4, 2002)

[BigDave]

Here's mine...

Cubed (1/2-3/4") venison (deer) loin or roast, sautee'd in a hot pay with some crushed garlic and a good hot sauce (to your liking).  Just to brown, set aside.

Chop one large white or yellow onion, large chunks.

Chop 3-4 (maybe 5) bell peppers into large chunks.

More crushed garlic

All of this into a hot pay til the onions just begin to sweat.  I also add hot sauce to this while it is cooking.

Add the meat and veggies to a large sauce pot.  Add two large cans of quality tomato juice (or V8, if thats your thing).  Bring to a medium simmer.  Add chili powder, more hot sauce (several is good, I like Red Hot, Afterburner and Boar's Breath) and some diced jalapeno's.  Cook it all down for a few hours.  Thats it.

You can add beans when you add the tomoto juice.  I like beans, so I add them.  Make sure that they are drained, though.

Nice thing about this recipie is that, the venison is damn near fat free.  The meat really takes on all the spices, and I like the big chunks.  So, all in all, its pretty healthy, as chili goes.  I generally make it during deer season here, it goes over really well.

[et45]

Here is my result of many pots of chili.                      2.5 lbs of lean ground chuck                                1 16 oz can of chopped tomatoes                             2 medium chopped onions                                     2 16 oz cans of red kidney beans                            8 oz chopped green chilies                                  2 stalks of chopped celery                                  1 red and 1 yellow chopped bell pepper                      1 tblspn cummin                                             1 tblspn celantro                                           1 tblspn oregeno                                            1 tblspn paprika                                            1 tblspn cayenne pepper or 1 tspn,up to you                 4 tblspns chili powder      1 long neck Bud                                              Brown the chuck in a deep skillet, then add the onions and celery, blend them together.Cover and let simmer for 20 mins.Drain the water and grease of the chuck and onion/celery and put them in the pot.Add the tomatoes,bell peppers,chilies and the beans with the juice drained off the beans.Stir all this together and add the spices 1 at a time and stir well after each one.Pour in the beer and cover.Cook on hi for 1 hour and turn it down to simmer for 2 more hours.Stir the pot every 30 mins.I almost forgot,add salt to your taste.I like only 1 tsp per batch or you could leave it out of the cooking and add it when you eat.                                                This is my personal favorite recipe,I have made chili with beans and with out, with beer and without and I prefer them both in my chili. I use a large crock pot,but any pot or dutch oven will do.

[et45]

Damn,That posted weird.Oh well,It is all there.Enjoy

[Shooter Grrl]

I tried to fix it for you - but "it" wouldn't let me!  Just add returns and you'll be fine.

[kellyn]

Brown cubed meat (any meat venison, beef, pork) and remove from heat, then drink a beer

Saute chopped onions in olive oil till almost carmelized and then add garlic (lots of garlic), then drink a beer

put the meat and its rendered juices back into pan with onions and garlic, turn heat to medium, add new mexico chile powder (hot or mild, your choice) and brown briefly and add a mixture of 1/2 beer and 1/2 stock (beef or chicken) to cover, bring to boil.  Add oregano,cumin and salt, and then drink a beer.  

Turn heat to low and simmer till meat is tender.  Add stock/beer mixture as necessary.  You may want to add more chile and oregano in the last 15 minutes of cooking.

Serve with beans and/or rice on the side.  Chopped onions, grated cheese, and sliced jalepenos make good condiments.

[jhgtyre]

kellyn forgot to mention that when the chili is done you should serve it with a beer.  

-jhgtyre

[kellyn]

My god, you're right.  I left out the most important part of the recipe!

It's also better if you let the chile sit over night.

[BigDave]

if you really want to take up a notch, FREEZE your chili, then reheat it...WOW

[EricW]

I have a theory why letting chili or spaghetti sit overnight makes it better.  I think it's because the dried spices are still rehydrating.  Try using fresh herbs if you can get them.  Also, extending the cooking time helps to hydrate the spices - and your house will have that chili smelling goodness all day long.  

E

[wide45]

I was out working in the garage,and running the wood stove. Made some of my special Cheap Chili.

1 lb. tube frozen ground turkey $0.59

1 can sliced stewed tomatoes $0.49

1 can Red Kidney Beans $0.39

1/2 cup Chili Powder

1 teasp minced garlic

1 tblsp dried onion

crushed red pepper to taste

Thaw the turkey, throw it in a pot, and start it cooking. Stir often, and when it is no longer raw, but not browned, add Chili Powder, red pepper, and onion. Stir often, and cook it untill it is almost, but not!, burnt. Dump in the garlic, tomatoes, and beans. Bring to a boil, then simmer for at least five minutes, more if you can wait.

[George]

Kelly's and Eric's are fine recipes, but I don't think Eric uses enough ingredients, and I don't really think that Kelly uses enough beer

My father taught me the real trick to chili back when I helped him cook in his restaraunt. He used to cook chili for Friday on Wednesday, or even Tuesday and keep it in a big pot in the walk-in till it had aged right. Overnight is just not long enough. He made the best chili that I have ever tasted and never went by a recipe, just threw stuff in until he was happy. He always used cubed beef, and never used beans. Kelly and Eric have the spicing about right. Oregano, Cumin & Red Chili Powder are the main players here (always use way too much chili powder), Paprika is basically a milder version of the ground red chili powder you get in a good mexican food store. Use a good ground red chili powder, not all are equal, find one you like.

BTW, my father always used Oly beer because it was the cheapest six pack you could get at the liquor store across the street

--

Regards,

[EricW]

...I don't think Eric uses enough ingredients...

[Dueling Banjos in the background]

You'd best just faar up yer cookin' iron dere boy! Them's fightin' words.

[George]

Just made a Chili Colorado with nuttin' but onions, beef, tomatoes, spices and beer. Doubled the usual amount of "way too much" ground red chili, simmered it till the beef gave it up (about 20 hours), put it in the fridge for two days and then served it with chopped white onion and saltine crackers after bringing the pot back up to simmer slowly. It's not what you put in the pot as much as it's about how long you leave it in the pot.

I thought that I used a lot of chili before but I found out that there really is no such thing as too much red chili powder

Warning, Do not try to make great chili in a crock pot Simmered over open flame is the only way it should be done. Electric stoves are not rated for the job

[schmitz]

I'm getting hungry, is diner already served?

DVC, Henny.

P.S. I'm going to try all of your recipes! and then let you know....

[tightloop]

George

Sounds Great..

[texasag93]

OK, first there are no beans in "real chili. Second, the one important ingredient I didn't see in any of these recipes...TEQUILA! Not that cheap rot-gut stuff either. I really need to find my recipe soon. Chilifest in Snook, TX is coming up very soon. I highly recommend this even to anyone who has never been. If I find my recipe I will post it. TXAG

[texasag93]

OK, found my recipe

4lbs. course ground chili meat(or cubed chuck or round steak)

1lb. pork sausage

1.5 Tbsp fresh crushed garlic

1.5 medium onions -chopped

2 Tbsp cumin(1/2 while cooking, 1/2 just prior to serving)

.5 Tbsp salt

5 Tbsp black pepper

1 cup of chili powder

.5 cups of paprika

18 oz tomato sauce

6 oz crushed tomato

6 oz can of green chilis

1 tsp brown sugar (added shortly before serving)

1 tsp of dry mustard

1/2 tsp oregano

8 oz beef broth

3 oz beer of choice. Shiner Bock gives a distinct taste over other domestic beers

1 oz of tequila of choice. (optional)

Brown meat and onions together. Drain grease from meat. Add all ingredients as instructed above into pot and simmer on low heat for 2 hours or more. Stir frequently. Add water if necessary but sparingly. Add rest of cumin and brown sugar just prior to serving. For a hotter option, add one or two fresh chopped jalapenos or habaneros!

There are lots of ingredients but it is all worth it. Vary amounts as desired. Enjoy!

TXAG

[old shooter]

OK, these all sound good, but I think that BASIC chili is

Meat

chili powder

tomato sauce

Everything after that is what makes chile special. It, like a good 1911, is customized to the individual. I have made chili at one time or another with every ingredient listed.

One thing that I haven't seen yet is adding a little masa, or corn meal, or soy flour at the end of cooking. It really thickens everything up.

Oh, in Texas, we never say "con carne"

Mike

[wide45]

Just had to bring this one back, again!

[bierman]

Thanks. I know what I'm making for dinner tomorrow night. If/when I can find them, I like to throw a handfull or two of diced Hatch chili peppers into the chili. Adds a really nice dimension.