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Chili

Livin the dream
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Livin the dream Enthusiast

Livin the dream

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I'm making up another batch of my award winning chili(according to friends and family) and I thought it would be fun to list what makes yours different. I'm always asked for the  recipe, so here's the basics. 

Meat- I use ground hamburger and 2-3 chuck eye steaks cut into chunks. I always use my Dutch oven and deglaze the bottom after a good sear on the meat. 

Vegatables- onions, peppers, and celery. Lots of chopped garlic. Don't ask on the celery, I grew up with it in my chili. I get lots of weird comments on the celery. 

Beans-light and dark kidney beans. Sometimes black if we have them. I know "real chili heads" say absolutely not on the beans. 

Tomatoes-I use rotel hot diced

Sauce-here's my secret.. Zing zang Bloody Mary mix. 

Of course chili powder and other seasonings to taste.  What makes yours different.?Would love to get new ideas as I'm bored with my recipe.

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ThunderLund78 Mentor

ThunderLund78

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I was lucky enough to have an ex-coworker share her award-winning recipe with me which I've since tweaked a bit to my liking.  I haven't tried it in any official contests of cook-offs, yet.  But I'd be curious to see how I'd do.  Biggest specifics that make it great:

Always used ground chuck - and when browning, make sure to not break it down too much, you want chunks of meat the size of a quarter, not pulvarized ground beef.

LOTS of Garlic - to the tune of 8-10 cloves!

Don't just use any old bargain basement chili powder - Ancho Chili powder is KING in this recipe - and again, quite a bit of it.  It's a warm, flavorful heat. Chipotle powder also works well here,

Other than that, it's your basic mix of crushed tomatoes, beans, cumin and a few other spices.

I think my next experiment will be to put the whole darn pot in the smoker for an hour or two, stirring occasionally.

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Cooperman Rising Star

Cooperman

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I seem to always make the best chile when I just wing it. Start throwing in ingredients that you like, or think will make the chile good. Chile is like pizza, everyone likes it different. Now, are we talking Chile, or Chile with beans?

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Coffee118 Collaborator

Coffee118

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28 minutes ago, Cooperman said:

I seem to always make the best chile when I just wing it. Start throwing in ingredients that you like, or think will make the chile good. Chile is like pizza, everyone likes it different. Now, are we talking Chile, or Chile with beans?

I agree with you it seem the best is when you wing it then try to remember it the next time & can't get it the same but just as good. The one thing I started to use is a half cup of unsweetened herseys baking coco, it adds a really dark color to the chili and it seems to bring all the ingredients together while leaving the heat of the chili powder & cayenne 

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leechlake Grand Master

leechlake

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I like using burger and some sort of solid meat too.  I always wing it and also add vinegar and a sweet component usually honey or brown sugar.  Somehow it makes a sweet tangy combo that's good.

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leech~~ Grand Master

leech~~

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18 minutes ago, Livin the dream said:

Home made hot sauce?? recipe please?

I think there was a Hot sauce thread a little while back in the Cooking page and it should be posted there along with many others.

Edited by leech~~
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CaughtABuzz Contributor

CaughtABuzz

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2 hours ago, Livin the dream said:

Good stuff guys. I've never tried ancho chili powder or adding salsa. Thank you.

Anybody try using those dried Mexican chilis'. I thought I saw a food network show rehydrating those dried peppers and purée them as the base sauce in true Texas chili? 

I used dried chiles for a venison chili I make, I use 4 dried ancho, gaujillo, pasilla, cascabel, and mirasol....Not the easiest to find but I live in STP and go to the Super Mercado in South STP. I break them up removing most seeds than place in a bowl with boiling water for about an hour. After I blend it into a gravy like paste and add about a cup of coffee. Lots more in the rest but know what your talking about!

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delcecchi Grand Master

delcecchi

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2 hours ago, leech~~ said:

 Cumin was the flavor mine was missing. I now add that with the chili powder. And of course my home made hot sauce! :)

"chili powder" is chilies, mexican oregano, and cumin.  Maybe some other stuff.  It isn't just ground up peppers. 

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leech~~ Grand Master

leech~~

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4 minutes ago, delcecchi said:

"chili powder" is chilies, mexican oregano, and cumin.  Maybe some other stuff.  It isn't just ground up peppers.

Is this a statement? What you like to use? Or just more helpful insight?

Since there are two bottles on my shelf, one that say Chili powder the other Cumin I like to add some of both.  ;)

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leechlake Grand Master

leechlake

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47 minutes ago, leech~~ said:

Is this a statement? What you like to use? Or just more helpful insight?

Since there are two bottles on my shelf, one that say Chili powder the other Cumin I like to add some of both.  ;)

I could hear Cliffy Claven's voice is all I know.

28 minutes ago, RebelSS said:

I don't dare reply because I've been informed I'm a chili snob.....:P

that's right...didn't some gal love your chill or something?  Maybe that was the Cowboy Caviar...my mind's beyond slipping, it slipped.  

Maybe they could give the poor kids a bowl of chili instead of the sandwich, lets rehash that deal again :)

 

Edited by leechlake
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leechlake Grand Master

leechlake

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the grill is off btw.  Belle ate part of one of my camo hats today but frankly gave it some much needed character and yes teeth have been blown.  I am a quasi lamb expert now though.  Also, I don't have to post photos of hand written notes on here so I appreciate that and I was patient today at the grocery store.  It didn't hurt that the cashier and gal in front of me were both hot.  I had plenty of time for those gals. :)

I may even agree that my cabin is near Cass Lake I'm being so amiable.  

 

Edited by leechlake
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leech~~ Grand Master

leech~~

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1 hour ago, leechlake said:

I could hear Cliffy Claven's voice is all I know.

that's right...didn't some gal love your chill or something?  Maybe that was the Cowboy Caviar...my mind's beyond slipping, it slipped.

Maybe they could give the poor kids a bowl of chili instead of the sandwich, lets rehash that deal again :)

 

I was going to say don't you have a grill to turn off somewhere! ;)

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