If this isn’t the least-precise recipe you’ve ever seen, it probably wins the title for things I’ve posted here. The reason is I’ve finally really accepted that there is no single perfect chili recipe. There are as many ways to make good chili as there are ways to serve it: Over nachos, in a bread bowl, on a hot dog, with sour cream and fresh veggies on top, with crackers, etc. etc. etc.
For this batch, I wanted two kinds of chili, and didn’t want to use two pots to do it. So with one pot, I’ve got great eating chili, and great hot dog chili.
Ingredients
5 pounds ground beef
4 large onions
3 large green peppers
2 heads garlic
1 giant can crushed tomatoes
kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper
ground cumin seed
chipotle chile powder
ancho chile powder
bell pepper powder
(all chiles optional, see below)
Directions
When I say, “There is no single perfect chili recipe,” that doesn’t mean I don’t have a preference. For instance, I hate beans in my chili. And I generally prefer the beef ground rather than diced into chunks. Except that my father-in-law makes a great chili with beans, diced beef, mushrooms, potatoes, carrots … it’s almost as much a beef stew as it is a chili.
For putting on hot dogs, though, I like a very dry, dark, mild chili that’s heavy on the onions, with the meat ground very fine. Specifically, it’s the sauce at The Last Stand, just off of MacDade Blvd. in Holmes, PA. That and minced onion, on a Medford hot sausage on an Amoroso’s roll … excuse me, I’m having a moment …
Okay, now where was I. Right, chili for hot dogs.
So start with the garlic. Peel and mince it all.
Do the same for the three of the four onions.
Should have used the larger container rather than working in batches like this. Oh well.
Finally do two of the three green peppers. Which I forgot to take pictures of. But here’s the fastest way to prep peppers.
Now that the veggies are all ready, melt a few tablespoons of bacon fat over medium heat. You don’t render and keep your bacon fat? Then use some olive oil. Pure or pomace is fine If you use extra virgin, keep an eye on the temperature — you don’t want it to smoke.
Add the onion, and about a tablespoon of salt.
By the way, don’t think for a minute that I measured anything in this. The only measurement I’m absolutely sure of was the five pounds of ground beef. The rest you should taste and adjust as you go. Just make sure you give it a generous shot of salt right in the beginning or it will be bland no matter what else you do.
Next, add the minced green pepper and stir it in.
Finally, add the garlic, but leave it on top. You want to let the veggies sauté without scorching the garlic.
Stir a few times as you cook until the onions start to get a little golden, and the pepper loses the bright-green color.
Now add three pounds of the ground beef. Push the veg to the side so the beef gets down against the pan as you break it up.
Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the beef is well browned. Then add ground black pepper and bell pepper powder.
Don’t worry if you don’t have any bell pepper powder. I made it because I needed to do something with my harvest last year. You might want to add more fresh green pepper, though.
Add enough water (or beer, remember this is not a precise formula) to hydrate the pepper powder.
For that distinctive “chili, not sloppy joes” flavor, add about a tablespoon of cumin.
Check the flavor and adjust as necessary, then simmer for about another 10-15 minutes, until it’s reduced to the right consistency. Then scoop out about half of what’s there, and set it aside to use for hot dogs.
Serve over a grilled hot dog with diced onion, on a Halloween-themed paper plate.
I’ve been told the plate makes a difference.
Now, the second way
Now that you’ve set the first batch aside, add the other two pounds of ground beef.
Dice the onion and pepper into very large pieces, and add that, along with enough crushed tomatoes to get to the right consistency. (I don’t like my chili runny, some people do.)
Now add some chipotle and/or ancho chile powder. (No, I didn’t spell that wrong. There’s a difference between “chile” and “chili”.)
This much chili will take a good three to four tablespoons of chile powder, plus another one or two tablespoons of cumin.
Again, it’s not measured, but don’t try to adjust the seasoning in five pounds of chili one pinch at a time.
Add some more water and simmer until it’s reduced to the right consistency.
You can serve it like this, or go nuts and keep simmering the whole day. Add water (or beer) if it gets too thick, and keep checking the seasoning. The longer you simmer, the more the flavors will blend together.
When you’re finally ready, serve with some shredded cheese — Monterey Jack is traditional, but I prefer extra-sharp cheddar — diced tomatoes, jalapeños, and hot sauce.
And that’s it.
18 Comments
I vote for the 2nd way.
When I can get it, I use ground buffalo. The flavor is amazing, with very little fat. To counter that I use a pound of pork sage sausage. According to my dyed in the wool Texas husband (as well as his equally Texan dad) it's great chili. Even though it was made a Yankee from San Francisco. Oh and no beans. Beans are for red beans and rice, which I apparently did a "darn good job on" for my first try last week.
This is great! I can't wait to try this out this weekend. My husband and I love going to the local drive-in for two reasons the great prices and the chili! It has that really good homemade taste to it. I've never been able to figure out how to make in the winter when we don't go due to the cold but I think the first way would be a hit with my husband. Truthfully this is the first chili recipe I've come across without beans so he'd actually like both ways.
Nice! Loving the rich color of both kinds. I think I would like to eat at your house on chili night. Or hot dog night:) I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't like to give out too many measurements. As far as I'm concerned, everything in cooking is "to taste."
Hope you guys had a great Thanksgiving:)
Is it weird to say how awesome your photo of just the ingredients is? I mean, we know you take nice photos; but I just realized I was admiring how nice a photo just a pile of foods can be (that first one especially)…thought I'd let you know
Now for my questions-
Does it ever get really tedious having to take a photo for us every step of the way, when you're just trying to cook the way you love to?
And you say all chile is optional. I'm kinda finicky about hot/spicey/peppery stuff. I don't mind bell pepper, but I don't like chipotle or much other chile pepper…yet I really do enjoy the flavor of chili, if it's mild and won't burn my tounge at all. Yes, I know, very silly of me…who doesn't love a good flavor kick, right? I'm just weird.
So…is chili still chili with the traditional flavor if I make it the same way and simply don't add chile…or would that be leaving a lot out, that I would need to subsitiute something for? Just curious on how to get the best not-spicey chili. Thanks for your consideration
PS.
Oh! I should mention that I recently had a chili dinner at one of my Professor's homes and his wife made a big pot (hers had corn too) and layed out the usual toppings like cheese, sour cream, and fritos, then there was white rice and shredded lettuce for a sortof chili taco salad… but she also had dried cranberries, and shredded coconut! Which we all thought was very weird, but I made myself a plate with just chili, cheese, fritos and a little coconut, and it was surprisingly wonderful! It didn't mess with any of the flavors; but just a little hint of sweet actually made it really yummy, and others said they enjoyed the added cranberries just as much. So incase, like me, you'd never heard of this variation…thought you and your readers might like to have a go at it. You just have to try it once
This makes me soooo hungry.
The best chili I ever ate, however, used half beef and half fine diced canada goose. The sharp taste of wild meat suits very well a good chili, and making it simmer for hours is the best way to enjoy canada goose, which is quite a tough meat.
On another note, can you believe I never ate a chili dog?
Cerise, me too. Except on hot dogs. (Or hot sausage.)
Stephanie, I can probably get the buffalo. In fact I know I can, at the West Side Market. But I still want to do a venison chili first.
Eliza, it took me a while to figure out it was the cumin that was missing from my chili. That, not the pepper, is what makes it different. It's like the cilantro and lime juice in fajitas.
Jenni, you make the bread bowls, I'll make the chili.
Krystal, it's not as tedious for me as it is for the wife and kids. Especially when it's done, it smells good, and I keep saying, "Wait, wait … I have to fix the back-light." As for leaving out the chile, you should look for some other kinds, like ancho. Much less heat. Take a look at Andrew's chile pepper page for plenty of other ideas.
David, I can believe it. I've never had one with sauerkraut.
I noticed you didn't drain your meat after browing. Is that normally something you don't do or did you just use a leaner type of beef?
Monica, if it were swimming in grease I'd drain it, but I'm not afraid of a little bit. And after it's simmered for a while, if I get a pool collecting on the top I'll scoop that out.
It's a deal!
I had moose chili one time, and it was GOOD. I normally do mine in the crock pot and toss in some portabella shrooms as well (they hold their shape and texture better than others), but I like your method of chopping the hell out of the onions and green pepper; I will try that some day.
Sorry…the best chili dog I had was at the Cubi Point O Club (or several)….don't know what was in the ingredients, or where they got the hot dogs from, but it was outstanding! Of course, maybe it was because we had been eating ship food for approximately 2 weeks!…Coincidentally, you can actually have somewhat the same chili dog at the reconstructed O Club at the Naval Air Museum in Pensacola. Flown from the Phillipines piece by piece to P-Cola in a P-3……….
Uggh! Bell peppers, green or any color have no place in chili.
Thumbs down, way down!
Fair enough. I feel the same way about beans.
I used to use the mix because you could never convince me that green cumin powder is what gave chili that great flavor. I keep cumin and chili powder on hand at all times I’ll admit I am a little more heavy handed with the cumin than you are Drew but this is a great recipe everyone should know how much cheaper it is to make this stuff from scratch than to pay several dollars for packets of mix. You should really post a blog on the core spices people should have on hand at all times to make their lives easier and save them money!
That’s not a bad idea. I’ve already done one about making your own garlic salt. Hmm, I wonder what pre-mixes would be good …
We’ve become big fans of no-bean chili after I finally created one that was pleasing to everyone’s palate. It even includes my favorite ingredient, chocolate. My readers on my blog have raved about it and the fact that everyone in the house, bean chili lovers and all meat chili lovers, can’t get enough. I think the jar of salsa in it could also have something to do with it lol.
http://www.4hatsandfrugal.blogspot.com
That moment Drew had up there in the second paragraph under Directions? I’m having the same one. Maybe I can talk the wife into going there some night this week.
Signed,
Drew’s older brother – who passes The Last Stand on the way to Mom & Dad’s