Your best Chilli recipe?

This is almost embarrassing but I don't make chilli. I'm a pretty good cook, in fact I do all the cooking if I'm home but I never make chilli. And I love a good chilli. One of my closest friends and hunting partner usually brings one to deer camp which I looked forward to but this year it wasn't on the menu. So, let's hear your best recipes for that wonderful comfort food. I'm thinking maybe this weekend is time for me to make a big pot of it. This place is full of belly rubbing rednecks and gourmets, bring it on.

RANCH CHILI with JALAPENO CORNBREAD


3 ½ pound shoulder meat
Salt and pepper
8 slices bacon sliced
1 large onion diced
4 jalapenos seeded and minced
3 tbsp chili powder
4 tsp Ancho chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp dried Oregano
5 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ Tbsp cocoa powder
2 can San Marzano tomatoes (with the juice) chopped in a blender
1 can black beans
1 can white beans

Cut up the meat in cubes and shake up with salt and pepper.
Fry the bacon in a Dutch oven. Removed when fried.
Pour off the fat and wipe pot clean. Add some bacon fat and fry the meat in batches, till browned. Add bacon fat for each batch. Set aside.
Fry the onion and jalapeno till onion is browning.
Add garlic for last 30 seconds.
Add chili powder, cumin, sugar, and oregano stir briefly and pour in tomatoes.
Scrape down bottom to loosen and browned bits.
Add the meat and simmer for 1-3 hours, covered.
Add the beans

Alternately, fry everything in a steel frying pan and accumulate everything into Dutch over and bake at 350F for 2 hours. Deglaze at each frying step with a bolshy strong beer and add the residue to the pot.



JALPENO CORNBREAD


2 tbsp canola
2 green jalapenos seeded and finely diced
1 medium red pepper finely diced
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tsp brown sugar
¾ tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp black pepper
½ cup hot water
¾ cup buttermilk
1/8 tsp Tabasco
1 large egg
½ cup shredded Old Cheddar.

Fry the peppers in oil till soft (5-6 minutes)
Mix 2/3 cups cornmeal, sugar, salt, pepper and baking powder.
Mix 1/3 cup cornmeal with hot water. Then add buttermilk, Tabasco and quickly wisk in the egg.
Wisk in with the dry ingredients, peppers and the cheese.
Pour into a grease loaf pan.
Bake at 425°F for 30 minutes. Toothpick test to see if cooked.
Cool on a wire rack.

Whether you like chunk chilli like my recipe, or ground meat chilli which is more common--- do try the Jalapeno Corn Bread as a side dish. It's to die for.
Be sure to poke tooth pick or satay stick to be sure it's cooked through. I've seen some ovens take 15-30 minutes extra to cook 100% through to center.

Cocoa eh? Hhhmmmm..

... will go with me to my grave.

But is nothing all that special. I just put stuff in that I like.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by terrym

Cocoa eh? Hhhmmmm..

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Of all the "Secret Ingredients" for a stunning Chilli-- cocoa is the most common you will hear about.
I've heard of people using chocolate bars but I think there would be too much sweetness.
If I want my chilli sweetened, I will grill or caramelise onions and tomatoes for a mix of sweetness and umami browning

I'm thinking I need to try making that Jalepnio bread too. We have an ice fishing weekend coming up where we have an ice bungalow rented so having an easy pre made meal is handy.

I generally don't follow a specific recipe but just kind of throw everything together. Usually turns out great. I like my veggies on the chunky size though.
Good thread. Going to make up a batch today :) and try the addition of some cocoa and maybe just a touch of cinnamon. Just happen to have a bunch of jalapeno peppers in the fridge too. Going in to town soon to get some cornmeal as I definitely want to try that bread. Tks for the recipe Johny.

Cheers

Cooking in Mexico is often based with a moele. Sorry for the inaccurate spelling. It always contains a choclate element.
Like Johny - I also prefer chunk meats instead of ground. Or at least some portion chunked. My method would be chunked game meat with some ground pork added.
Love the corn bread idea. Another alternative would be celery bread.
You can't beat a good chili.