Looking for the Best Chili Recipe

I’ve used beer and chocolate for YEARS in mine. Great addition.

 

Why would you need to add water?

 

Venison Chili Recipe

1 lb Ground Venison
3 whole bell peppers (chopped)
1 White Onion (chopped)
3 tablespoons minced garlic
Chili seasoning (packages work fine)
3 bay leaves
2 Large Cans Chopped Tomatoes with Green Chilis
1 can Tomato Paste
1 can Tomato Sauce
1 can Black Beans (rinsed)
1 can Pinto Beans (rinsed)
Optional: 1-2 chopped Jalapeno

Brown Meat with 1 tablespoon of Garlic
Saute the Bell Peppers and chopped onion in meat pan
Add all contents (remaining) to a large crock pot on low heat and add water to make sure it is covered sufficiently. simmer for at least 4 hours (longer the better in my opinion). Stir occasionally and add salt/pepper to taste after 2 hours.

 

I add water to help with a long simmer not drying it out. It will thicken up as it simmers and if I don't add water, it will sometimes burn to the sides or get to a consistency that I do not like in Chili. Simmering will remove a good bit of the moisture in the chili.

 

canned beans are dumb. soak your beans. the taste and texture is so much better

 

trying out a green chili, I put 2 small pork chops diced, with 2lbs of ground pork and a big jug of tomatillo sauce, onions, garlic, can of diced tomato's, some spices and 3 different white beans and 1 can of kidney beans. So far so good. Not too spicy otherwise no one will eat it. I can always add more to my bowl, just cant take away the spicy

 

I added some rice to my bowl...just seemed to work with it. Its definitely not the usual chili, I personally like it. Disregard the nutmeg in the pic...

 

Pot of steak chili simmering now. Mmm

 

I honestly think chili is one of those personal things. Lot are good but everyone likes to do it their way.

 

After trying many online recipes, we went back to the old Wick Fowlers 2 Alarm kit. About 2/3 of the hot spices, and cubed chuck roast. Oh and we add beans.

 

I've done pretty well at a few chili cook-offs. Not saying my recipe is any better than your family tradition, but I do want to offer up a technique that works with any recipe that will assuredly take it up to another level.

Most chili recipes I've seen call for browning the meat and aromatics (onion, garlic, peppers, etc.) dumping in your spices and liquids (beans tomatoes, beer, etc.) and simmering everything until done.

I'm going to suggest you divide that second part into two separate steps.

When your meat and aromatics are browned/softened to your liking, add your spices (usually some combination of chili powder and cumin) and bloom them in your fat for a few minutes. That's right. Stir that chili powder into your meat and onions and let it go for a few minutes. This will not only bring out additional flavors from fat soluble spices like cumin and coriander, but it will also act like an ersatz roux and help thicken your chili once you add your liquids.

Try it. I guarantee it'll add a little something-something to your chili that you'll never get by adding the spices at the same time as your liquids.

More info: https://www.seriouseats.com/2017/01/blooming-frying-ground-spices-in-oil.html