Yes I have nice *****... but great chili is hard to come by, like BBQ pork. Making BBQ and chili is an art, great meatballs are really only based on good ingredients and a decent recipe. My best chili I made in a heavy enamel over cast iron Le Crueset dutch oven, pretty good, but not awesome. That masa flour is really unique, if you get a chance, post us a recipe.

merry xmas y'all.

 

mm...good lookin chili....deliver it for lunch tomorrow

kthanks

 

ingredients

2 mediums yellow onions (i used 1 and a half this time, as i wasnt makeing as much)
2or3 bell pepper, i used yellow and red, but green will due
a few Jalapenos peppers, i have used many different kinds, but Jalapenos is what they had, chili peppers are a good choice, if you want HOT then habaneros are the way to go, i am not a big fan of their flavor and I don't need it that hot.
1.5 pounds of ground beef (can be turkey) and you can vary this depending how meaty you want it
1 can each (so 3 total, they are you normal soup size cans 14.5oz i think) of Black red and white beans (i have used all different kinds on this one, navy, white kidney, never understood the difference, it has always been good)
1 24oz can of tomato sauce, plain not what you put on spagetti (can be more or less depending on preference)
2 14.5oz cans of diced tomatoes, you can also use diced stewed tomtatos, the just diced ones will taste a little less cooked, some people like that.
A small amount of corn meal, mabey 2 tbl at most

spices

Chili powder
Cumin
Cayenne pepper
Garlic (can be powdered or fresh clove)
Peprika

Coriander
Oregano

these last 2 are in small amounts.

I don't know the amounts exactly, i don't really measure things ever. mabey start out with tbl spoon of chili powder and a tsp of the rest (just a touch of Coriander adn Oregano though) and go from there.

I have to admit, I usaully cheat. I grew up making this with a prepackedged chili seasoning packet, then adding from there to my liking it had all the spices premeasured minus the coriander adn oregano, and has a recipie on the back, i stronly recomend buying this packet because it will start you off in the right direction and you won't burn through your spice cabnet quite so quik. however completly ignor the recipie on the back, it will make the blandest chili ever, it calls for like 2 pounds of meat and some tomato sauce, thats it, no joke.

Now for the Fun part, cooking it.

start with choping the Onion. there are several ways to it, figure out, you want small peices, mabey dime size, if you spend half an hour and get it to earaser size bit you went alittle over board.

keep seperate from the onion
Chop the bell and hot peppers to the same consistancy. mabey cut the hot peppers up alittle more so you don't get hot chunks when eating it.

Heat up a BIG frying pan and put alittle oliveoil in it. (2 tbl?, like i said i dont measure things)
you need a big pan because you want all the onions and peppers to spread out and get browned in the pan, if its too small and they pile up they will steam and taste ****ty.

I do all this somewhere between medium and high, but it varies with stoves and pans.

first in goes the onions (thats why i said keep seperate) because they take alittle longer to cook. move them around every once in a while with a spachula so they dont burn.

once they are kinda clear looking throw in all the peppers, and mix them in, you might need alittle more oil at this point, just remeber your not frying here, and all that oil WILL end up in your chili.

once every thing is starting to get browned toss in the ground beef and chop it up with your spachula.

at this point i have my big cooking pot getting hot with a touch of oil in the bottom.
I split the contents of the pan between the pot and the pan, this is again so the stuff doesn't pile up, cause if it does it will steam not saute and will taste kinda ****ty.

start adding spices as you are browning the meat (be carefull, flare ups can send hot pepper ladend smoke up your nose which hurt) you dont have to put them all in, but some of the chili, cayenne, and cumin will help it get into the meat and make it delicous.

best to have some can open at this point mostly the tomato stuff

after the meat looks done/about done combine the pan into the big pot.

now stiring the whole time

pour in the tomatto sauce, (CAREFULL, it will splash and hurt/make a mess)

then the diced tomattos

then all the beans,

and finally the rest of spices. (can really be done at any point once the liquids start going it, but i like to get as much stuff in there as possible first to cool the pot down so it doesnt burn the bottom)

keep stiring, start tasting, not hot enough? add more cayenne, doesnt have that distinct mexican flavor? more cumin, doesnt quite taste like chili? more chili powder. you get the point and will learn as you go, (smelling the spices before you add them helps, they smell like they taste, if you like it but dont taste it in the chili then add some) you can also add a small amount to salt, but dont go over board, i would say less then a tsp.

now the mesa (corn flour or meal), take your tomatto sauce can, add a half or a whole cup of cold water (not hot, hot is bad for this) and stir in about a spoon full of mesa, once there are no lumps dump that in the chili. I learn the mesa part from my mom and that chili packet has it in it.

Now let it cook on low for about 20 mins, the longer you cook it the hotter (spicy hot) and thicker it will get.

Disclaimer, this is all from memorie, but thats how i cook, i may have left something out, i am sorry, and i am not god, if there is something you want in there, by all means throw it in, i have put corn in there, my sister made it with honey or sugar (cuts down on the acidity, i wasnt a huge fan) my opion on chili is the more the merryer, nothing is worse then a boring chili.

 

Fixed

 

^if you going to do that i suggest sauteing it with the peppers and onions. but beware, it may stink up your house a bit and you will need A LOT.