Tell me about your chili recipe!

[joyfulheart]

Do you have a chili recipe you love? 

I'd love to hear the main ingredients -- whether you use meat or not, what type of beans, etc.

I have a turkey chili recipe that uses black beans and pinto beans.  My family loves it, but I would love some chili inspiration!

p.s.  What toppings do you put on your chili, if any?

[happyhippie]

HI! Our chili recipe is simple and my DH loves it!

I usually wing it, but it is roughly like this:

I like 3 c broth, one can of kidneys (partially mushed), one onion, garlic clove, LOTS of chili powder, tomato paste, stewed tomatoes, ground turkey, cumin, garlic salt, pepper, chili flakes, and sometimes I throw in a can of anaheim chilis. 

We don't top it off with anything, but I almost always make cornbread!

[mariahsea]

Hi there, We have a pretty simple, vegetarian, low salt chili recipe (actually we have two, the other one is my dad's award winning meaty tasty fatty bacon-y salty one haha)

First I start soaking about two cups TVP (we use bob's red mill) in either water or beef broth. (the beef broth is better- so I guess this isn't totally vegetarian, but you can use whatever you want.) While that's soaking, saute garlic, onion and peppers in olive oil. Stir in about 4 tablespoons of tomato paste. Season with copious amount of Chili powder, cumin, black pepper, and paprika. You'll have a sort of thick paste. After this cooks for a bit stir in the tvp. Stir this around so that the tvp really soaks up all that flavor, you can add a splash of liquid at this point, but not much. Then add two large cans or 3 medium cans of crushed tomatoes or diced. (there's one brand that sells these roasted diced tomatoes that are awesome.) Simmer and add in one or two cans (depending on preference) of black or kidney beans RINSED. <-- that's important, once we didn't rinse them and it tasted wayy to earthy. I prefer black beans. Cook for a lonngg time, stirring occasionally so that it doesn't burn, because the TVP does settle to the bottom and stick. I like to simmer it for to hours, we cook it in a pressure cooker so I lock it and leave it overnight, then the next afternoon cook it a little bit longer then eat it for dinner that night. The reason is that the tomatoes need plenty of time to cook so that they lose their acidity. It also sits overnight allowing the flavors to blend better.

As far as toppings my dad makes this hot chili oil (basically just boiled chilis in olive oil i guess) and he adds that to his bowl as a spice. It's good! Once I made a sort of savory apple sauce type thing- I'm not sure of the exact ingredients because I kind of threw it together but it was basically apples, onion, garlic, sage thyme and rosemary, white wine, butter and olive oil. We stirred it into the chili and it was realllyy good.

[cristeen]

I make Texas style (beanless) chili. Beef or buffalo roast cut into cubes, tomatoes, tons of herbs & spices.

Serve it with cheddar, sour cream, baked potato, on a salad, on mashed potatoes, on sausages (chili dog style), with kraut and mustard. Lots of ways to eat it. I was raised eating it w cornbread too, but only sometimes bother.

[ollyoxenfree]

Lately, I've made a fairly traditional chili with ground beef, kidney beans and canned diced tomatoes. Sometimes I'll add in some chipotle. We serve it topped with sour cream (me and DD), grated cheddar, and diced onion. 

I like to make a version with black beans and Italian sausage meat, served with avocado, sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro and lime wedges. 

Happy to supply recipes for either, if you are interested. 

Many years ago, I used to get a vegetarian couscous chili from a lunch take-out place. They also served wonderful wraps with brown rice, chopped veggies, and different sauces (peanut was my favourite). I've tried to replicate that vegetarian chili many times, but never came close. I look for a recipe in every vegetarian cookbook I see. 

[greenemami]

I made an awesome sweet potato chilli in the fall-it had red peppers, sweet potatoes, red kidney beans, chipotle, diced tomato, as the main ingredients. I think I threw in some corn and peas for color too.  I serve with cornbread and top with cheese, it was delish.  I can come back with the actual recipe later if anyone wants it, I mostly make it up as I go along, lol! :)

[Ldavis24]

I don't have a set recipe for chili at all. I just throw it together depending what we have. 

My favorite ingredients to use though are black and kidney beans obviously soaked overnight, I think the canned ones taste weird.

I LOVE venison as the meat in my chili. Ground over cubed.

I throw in onion, garlic, diced tomatoes, chipotle peppers, a couple jalapenos diced (I like my chili spicy although I tone it down for DH)

umm what else, chilli powder obviously, cumin, pepper, I add just a pinch of salt. Sometimes I add a little bit of cocoa powder to the recipe and brings out a nice flavor in it. Not a lot though. Umm ok so this is a very basic chili recipe I realize...Sometimes I will add the pulp of carrots from our juicer just to getsome good veggies in there but not often.

[joyfulheart]

I am so inspired by your responses.  I will definitely need to play around with my recipe using the ideas posted here.

Thank you!!! 

[amnesiac]

I usually make mine quick & easy with ground turkey, light red kidney beans, tomato sauce, onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, cayenne. I like to serve it with avocado chunks & cheesy cornbread.

Dh makes his with bratwurst removed from the casings, cannellini beans, tomato paste & sauce, oregano & then pretty much the same seasonings as I use. I don't like bratwurst so it's not my favorite but he & the kids love it.

[zinemama]

Saute onions, add pound of ground turkey and a couple of Tbs chili powder (mild!), toss in a few cans diced tomatoes, some Trader Joe Tuscan marinara sauce, and a whole bunch of canned kidney beans. Add chicken broth. Simmer. Add a lot of chopped cilantro.