Ground Beef
Tomato Paste
Lots and lots of Chili Powder.
Served with sweet corn bread and sweet tea.
That is all.
Adding lots of veggies, water etc is not chili nor is it “gourmet” chili. It is soup.
I am waiting for Chef Lisa Marie to weigh in with her chili recipe. I’m sure it will be the final and definitive word for both taste and nutrition.
[quote]squatdude wrote:
I am waiting for Chef Lisa Marie to weigh in with her chili recipe. I’m sure it will be the final and definitive word for both taste and nutrition.[/quote]
I would certainly not ever say that I would have the final or definitive word on anything. I would love to contribute a recipes though. I am loving reading everyones recipes and there are so many chili recipes out there that you could make it everyday for the rest of your life and never get bored of chili.
What makes chili so appealing?
For me, it’s a one pot meal. Who doesn’t love to be able to make something that is so delicious and only have to clean one pot.
It’s easy. Just about anyone can make and enjoy chili. You just throw it all into the pot add lots of spices and you can’t help but enjoy the flavors and aromas that fill your kitchen and your mouth.
It’s versatile. Like I said you can make it hundreds of ways and never get sick of it. It can be adapted to fit just about any diet. If you want low fat, use ground turkey. If you want low carb just omit the beans. If you want to add more vegetables to your diet, just toss in tons of different vegetables and they all meld into one delicious flavor. It just works.
Blah, blah, blah…just give me a recipe you say!
Here’s my contribution to this amazing thread. Please keep on adding more recipes, I know I’m going to try them ALL… I’ve tried Kuz’s Mom’s chili and it ROCKS!
[center]Pork Chili[/center]
[center]Makes 8 servings[/center]
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
3 pounds lean pork loin, cut into small dice
Salt, as needed
Freshly ground black pepper, as needed
2 cups small-dice yellow onions
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup tomato puree
1 cup diced green chiles
2 fresh jalapenos, minced
3 tablespoons mild pure chili powder, or to taste
3 tablespoons ground cumin, or to taste
2 teaspoons ground oregano
2 tablespoons green Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
Four 8-inch flour tortillas, warmed
Method
- Heat the oil in a casserole or Dutch oven over high heat until it shimmers. Season the pork generously with salt and pepper. Add the pork to the hot oil, working in batches if necessary, and saute, turning as necessary, until browned on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and reserve. (This, to me, is the most important part of any chili recipe, browning the protein and the next step browning the onions. This adds more depth of flavor rather than just throwing it all together and simmering the meat and vegetables.)
- Add the onions and garlic to the casserole and saute, stirring frequently, until the onions are lightly browned and translucent, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add the tomato puree and cook lightly until browned slightly.
- Add the stock, chiles, jalapenos, and the browned pork along with any juices it may have released to the casserole. Stir well and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to establish a gentle simmer. Boiling hard will make the meat tough and not tender.
- Stir in half of the chili powder, half of the cumin, and half of the oregano. Add the Tabasco, and vinegar and continue to simmer, adjusting the seasoning with additional chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper, until the pork is fork-tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Serve in heated bowls topped with Monterey Jack and accompanied by tortillas.
I also like to add some chopped red onion or scallions and fresh cilantro to the top of my bowl of chili.
[quote]Chef Lisa Marie wrote:
Method
- Heat the oil in a casserole or Dutch oven over high heat until it shimmers. Season the pork generously with salt and pepper. Add the pork to the hot oil, working in batches if necessary, and saute, turning as necessary, until browned on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and reserve. (This, to me, is the most important part of any chili recipe, browning the protein and the next step browning the onions. This adds more depth of flavor rather than just throwing it all together and simmering the meat and vegetables.)
[/quote]
Hmm. I had never thought about separating the browning of the protein and the onions. I always assumed doing that together was just the way it should be done. Thanks for the tip! And I will have to try this recipe - sounds lip-smacking good.
[quote]Kuz wrote:
Chef Lisa Marie wrote:
Method
- Heat the oil in a casserole or Dutch oven over high heat until it shimmers. Season the pork generously with salt and pepper. Add the pork to the hot oil, working in batches if necessary, and saute, turning as necessary, until browned on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and reserve. (This, to me, is the most important part of any chili recipe, browning the protein and the next step browning the onions. This adds more depth of flavor rather than just throwing it all together and simmering the meat and vegetables.)
Hmm. I had never thought about separating the browning of the protein and the onions. I always assumed doing that together was just the way it should be done. Thanks for the tip! And I will have to try this recipe - sounds lip-smacking good.[/quote]
Kuz,
The reason I recommend to brown the protein and the onions or veggies separately and in small batches is to create the Maillard reaction.
From Wikipedia:Maillard Reaction: In the process, hundreds of different flavor compounds are created. These compounds in turn break down to form yet more new flavor compounds, and so on. Each type of food has a very distinctive set of flavor compounds that are formed during the Maillard reaction.
When you’re browning something it’s best to do it in small batches. That way you will get proper caramelization and not steam the item from the water that leaches out into the pan. This will create better depth of flavor with all the different flavor compounds melding together to form the finished dish. More than you wanted to know…
Ummmm…more chili recipes PLEASE!!
Tried something a little different over the weekend. OK first, I completely forgot to brown the onions which is new. lol But unintentional. I also used buffalo instead of beef and black beans instead of kidney. I tried just some organic beef broth (since I could not find any boullion cubes. Finally, I chucked in some cinnamon to the mix.
While the lack of bouillion seemed to have thrown a lot of the recipe off, I think the cinnamon added a nice wrinkle to the overall flavor.
Anyone else ever try cinnamon with their chili?
[quote]Kuz wrote:
Tried something a little different over the weekend. OK first, I completely forgot to brown the onions which is new. lol But unintentional. I also used buffalo instead of beef and black beans instead of kidney. I tried just some organic beef broth (since I could not find any boullion cubes. Finally, I chucked in some cinnamon to the mix.
While the lack of bouillion seemed to have thrown a lot of the recipe off, I think the cinnamon added a nice wrinkle to the overall flavor.
Anyone else ever try cinnamon with their chili?[/quote]
I’ve never tried cinnamon in chili, but I love ground buffalo in place of (or along with) ground beef. I also like a combination of black and white beans in place of kidney beans.
Did you like the cinnamon in your chili?