Psst. See my instructions in post #17.
Post 11.
:smack::smack::smack:
I have nothing new to add but wanted to endorse three or four of the best tips I’ve seen here:
Try cooking finely-cubed stewing meat or brisket for a LONG time, rather than using ground beef – it will eventually become shreddable/shredded, sort of the consistency of pulled pork.
Alternatively, try using the classic meatloaf mix – 1/3 ground beef, 1/3 veal, 1/3 pork.
Tomatoes/paste/sauce aren’t always necessary – braising the meat for a LONG time along with a bunch of diced peppers will yield a nice homogeneous goop. Also, even the hottest peppers, cooked long, become more manageable and in some cases savory. This is really the only way I can enjoy habaneros without having it become an exercise in pure pain – turns out habaneros, beneath the heat, have a very tasty, sweet, complex flavor. Use gloves while chopping any hot peppers though – take my word on that one.
As with spaghetti bolognese, you can add a bit of extra flavor and complexity by including a very small amount of chicken liver. YMMV of course on this polarizing ingredient.
And finally, beer does make an excellent stock – Guinness works for me.
I am curious to the addition of beer to a chili recipe.
What does this add to it?
“And, " She treads lightly forward, " Why “No Beans In Real Chili” ?”
Why not beer? 
It does add to the flavor. I prefer ales as I think stouts and porters add to much of the wrong type.
Chili was originally a stew of beef, chilies and spices. Some Fuddites believe this to be written in stone as the lost Eleventh Commandment and there shall be No Other Ingredients Before Me.
Well, something like what cooking with wine adds – a bit of extra flavor and body infused into the meat/sauce. Generally a lot of dishes need liquid to cook in but you’ll often see chefs going to lengths to avoid using plain water if something more flavorful and complex (stock, cream, wine, or here, beer) can do the trick just as well. Think beef boiled in water, then think of trying to move toward something more appetizing, I guess is the way I look at it.
Chili snobs are like any other food snobs. It’s your palate, so please it as you wish.
Just don’t put ketchup on hotdogs…
I would be interested in a chili recipe like this.
I wouldn’t go so far as no tomato sauce, but by the time I cook the water off it’s very thick. I’d be interested to see how others make it without.
Found this site with comments about a Texas chili cookoff:
http://www.texasrebelradio.com/texas_chili_cook_off.htm
Some of the funnier comments by a northern visitor who was assured it wouldn’t be too hot:
I need to wipe my ass with a snow cone!
I’ve lost sight in one eye, and the world sounds like it is made of rushing water.
Barmaid pounded me on the back; now my backbone is in the front part of my chest.
Nitpick: stouts and porters are ales. I’m sure you’re referring to amber or pale ales, and that’s pretty clear.
I use tomato juice and V8 for stock. My red is red.
Hmm. I’d actually say the exact opposite. I prefer the malty beers like stouts and porters (a light stout like Guinness works fine–a bit of malt, some sweetness, and roastedness in the flavor without being too heavy) in a stew to, say, pale ales or the more bitter lagers which tend to be too hoppy. A gentle amber works fine, but anything with a hop presence, in my opinion, just ruins a stew. I love hops in my beer, but I can’t stand it in my food.
I use this guy’s recipe as a basis:
http://john.regehr.org/stuff/old_chili.html
Chili needs time. When I used to make it often (it’s been too damn hot in Texas to eat chili as of late), it would take about half a day (noon 'til 6 pm) to simmer just right… and three-day old chili is the food of the gods.
The great thing about chili is that you don’t need gourmet ingredients. I’ve used regular ol’ Stop 'N Shop store brand chili powder and it still tastes fantastic!
First place I’d start for making a really good chili is obviously with the chile blend (chili powder). I think that can mean the difference between an average chili and a premium, kick ass, chili. Developing a layering of deep, rich, red, and smoky flavors is where I would start and that would start with a custom, homemade, chili powder of dried chiles and spices, as well as some fresh chiles.
One of my secrets- I actually canned a blend of fresh green and red chiles, some different hot sauces, along with some other secret ingredients and called it my “Chili Bomb”. It’s a great, fresh, flavor bomb to add to a pot of chili to amp up and compliment the dried chile powder. It is another layer of flavor as well as some spice to develop the chili.
I went out in search of what some would consider to be “real chili” with no tomatoes or beans. What I found turns out to be typically a dry, spicy shredded meat and chopped pepper mixture that I found rather unappetizing.
Now that leaves are turning and the mornings are cool, my thoughts have turned to chili. The ingredients have been acquired, and await me in the kitchen. Yumminess shall soon ensue.
I make my mother’s version, which involves lean ground beef and lots of kidney beans. It’s probably a 70s, Canadian bastardization. But beans are good for you…
The best thing about chili is freezing it in small portions. The stuff tastes better to me after it’s been frozen.
We had a thread awhile ago about How To Save Money On Lunch or the like, and I think chili featured heavily in my cheap-ass strategy of spending a few hours Sunday making big batches of simple dishes and filling Gladware containers for the week.
It hasn’t turned up here, it probably shouldn’t turn up here, but I’m going to go ahead and go where I shouldn’t go, just because the OP (if he/she hasn’t already) and every right-thinking person owes it to themselves to be forewarned/forearmed: I think one should consider making a sample batch of the Greek-American variant (mutant) of chili, so that no one blindsides you for the first time with the assurance that Cincinnati “chili” is chili.
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1649,155190-251195,00.html
Cinnamon, anyone? In a certain light, on a good day, I can indulgently tolerate this as some weird and not-appalling Greek stew, but not much more.
Here’s my basic chili recipe I posted three years ago in reply to Rick’s query for recipes:
This prompted cries of shock and disbelief when I called for a mixture of beer and strong coffee for your cooking liquid.
Nonetheless, downthread the following appeared:
If it’s dry, you’re doing it wrong. While I do normally make my chili with tomatoes (and go on-and-off on the beans, depending on what style I’m in the mood for), if you’re doing it in a dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid, you really shouldn’t need to add more than a little bit of liquid (I’m talking 1/2 cup to a cup maximum for a kilo or little more of meat), as the vegetables and meat will release tons of juice as they’re cooking down. (I use about 1 pound onion for every two pounds meat.)
My chili falls into the sans beans and tomato group.
I use whatever peppers are available in the supermarket, but no bell peppers. My chili ends up at about medium on the heat scale. I stay away from the really hot peppers and the burning chili powder.
Dried spice quality and freshness is very important. If you’ve had spices sitting for a year (especially chili powder), they’re too old. When I’m making chili, I’ll usually but just a few tablespoons at a time from a bulk spice place so they’re reasonably fresh.
Quantities are rather vague. About 2 tablespoons of chili powder and lesser amounts of the other spices should work out about right. Liquids are more difficult - a quart or so of stock and about ½ to a full can of beer. I try to add liquid as required so that it’s reduced just enough at the end. I don’t like using a thickening agent.
1.5 pound sirloin cut into 1.5” cubes
1.5 pound hot Italian sausage meat (removed from casings if that’s how you have to buy it)
olive oil
2 large chopped onions
lots of garlic
market fresh green and or red peppers (not bell peppers)
chili powder
cumin
coriander
oregano
beef stock
Guinness (or other full bodied beer)
shaved unsweetened chocolate
dry mustard
brown sugar
In a heavy pot
Sear sirloin cubes (lightly salt and pepper) in olive oil and remove
Cook sausage and remove
Add olive oil to pan drippings and cook onions
When onions are soft, add garlic, finely diced peppers and spices, cook for 3-4 minutes
Return meat to pot
Add stock, gently scrape bottom of pot, simmer covered for one hour
Add beer, simmer covered for one hour
Skim fat from top
Taste for seasoning – adjust as required. Add in some liquid if required.
Simmer uncovered until liquid reduced (about an hour or so)
With about 30 minutes of cooking time remaining, add (maybe 1 tbsp each) shaved chocolate, dried mustard and brown sugar
Serve with thick sliced crusty bread and butter