Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Food, Cooking, and Game Preparation Chili Recipe, what would you add or subtract?

4 - Tsp. Cooking Oil
3 - 15 oz. Cans Pinto Beans, Drained and Rinsed
3 – 15 oz. Cans Northern Beans, Drained and Rinsed
1 - 15 oz. Cans Northern Beans, Drained, Rinsed and Pureed
4 - 14.5 oz. Cans Crushed Tomatoes
1 - 8 oz. Can Tomato Sauce
4 - 4 oz. Cans Mild Green Chilies, Diced
1 - 1 lb. Package Bulk Pork Breakfast or Italian Sausage
1 – 1 lb. Package 85% Lean Ground Beef
3 - Cloves Garlic, Crushed & Chopped
1 - Large Sweet Vidalia Onion, chopped
2 – Bunches Green Onions, chopped
3 – Bell Peppers, chopped
2 - Tsp. Chili Powder
3 - Tsp. Ground Cumin
1 - Tsp. Black Pepper
1 – Tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1 - Tsp. Salt

I would use 2 pounds of hot Italian sausage in lieu of any other style of meat and substitute 2 seeded jalapanos for 1 of the bell peppers.

What changes would you make?

I bet it tastes great. At my last employer, we had an annual potluck chili contest. Numerous variations, and really all of it was good, even with ingredients that I wouldn't use at home, once you set your individual expectations aside. And some had some unusual ingredients and flavors. One was vegetarian, and most guys thought it would be horrible but it actually did well in the competition. Another, one of my favorites, was mostly seasoned with paprika and nothing like what many people would consider chili. It won that year by a landslide, based on the voting, and had no chili powder whatsoever. Most every year there are recipes with various venison, and of course loads of beef and/or pork.

It's like pizza. In my mind, pizza can only come in two ways. Artisanal or Chicago pizza aren't one of them. But I can still enjoy a deep dish doughy meal with sauce and cheese. Not pizza to me, but can still be good.

But when I make chili, for me, I don't use bell peppers or sausages. I like both, but not in chili. And I wouldn't use as much tomato products. Or puree beans.

No beans.

Bacon grease, not oil. Probably crumbled some cooked bacon in it too.

Smoke some of the meat or maybe the whole pot.

Scallions set aside for garnish. More chopped onion and garlic in beginning.

No bell peppers, maybe Poblanos or even a small amount of green chile.

I like to make my own chile powder from dried Chiles. Mix that with meat and garlic and smoke that combo over a pot that you will cook the chili in.

Jalapenos.

Tomato paste.

We are further apart than closet together. I'd eat yours though. I cull a chili any chance I get.

I can abide by chile powder, use it when time is short, but prefer to make the real deal from dried chile pods, steamed in water then blended and run thru a sieve.
Basic authentic red chile, uses chile sauce, lots of garlic, just a bit of cumin salt and pepper. Add this simple mixture to whatever rough cut or rough ground meat you choose that has been browned, let it simmer for couple hours.......you got the real deal right there. Have a pile of fresh tortillas and a side of refried beans, man your livin!

I'd substitute dark red kidney beans for the northern beans and add some black beans (nothing pureed), stewed tomatos for the crushed, tomato paste for the tomato sauce, pass on the bell peppers and cooking oil and use ground venison

For chili I'd leave out the beans. No Italian sausage either, chili shouldn't taste like licorice.

You think fennel tastes like licorice?


Maybe it does?

2 tsp of chili powder for all that?

Sounds good, but I’m not sure you can call that chili!

It does.

I always kinda thought it tasted like fennel....aka Italian sausage.

Won't get into the bean debate. I like beans but jeez that seems like overkill. Aprox 6 pounds of beans to two pounds meat. Ratio should be the other way around imo. As for the sausage I don't like using sausage in anything. Seems like no matter how much you use the flavor of the sausage always comes out on top of everything else. Same with large amounts of green peppers which the recipe calls for.

I am pretty basic chili guy. A well seasoned tomato based sauce, not soup. Noticeable amount of onion and tomato chunks, but don't want it looking like a bowl of salsa. As I said some beans. Like black and kidney. Lots of meat, ground beef or venison. As for heat some is fine. But I am real tired of people thinking chili has to to light you on fire. I want to taste more than the first couple spoonfuls.

That said your the one eating it. Whatever you like the taste of go for it.

None of the beans. Reduce the tomatoes by 1/2. Double the spices. The recipe looks like a recipe for Bean soup A La Mexican instead of Chili.

Add a 🍺 or two.

Lose the green onion and garlic.

My chili is very simple.

2x the meat to beans.

Onions

Bell pepper occasionally.

2x the seasoning

A brew or two.

Maybe a big can of tomatoes, drained of course as I drain all cans of beans as well.

Simple but everyone seems to like it.

Best Chili I ever voted for was the unanimous winner in a fair cookoff. The secret was cooking long and slow on a woodstove all night. I will never tell how I got the lady cook to tell me the secret( now you get the secret free but I keep the experience with me). Not many cooks willing to cook chili in 100 degree heat though but come fall I will be looking forward.
MARTIN

I make a modified version of Skeeter's chili, using half and half cubed beef and ground beef, if wild game is not available.

I also add a couple of green bell peppers, as well as 2 13oz cans of kidney beans.

I cook for a minimum of 5 hours, often 7 or so. At that point it's one thick gravy, the peppers and onions have totally absolved.

Need to check frequently add water and seasoning as required.




SKEETER’S CHILI RECIPE

5 pounds chunked venison or antelope (elk or moose serves even better)
¼ pound chopped or ground beef suet
3 29-ounce cans tomato sauce
3 crushed garlic cloves or equivalent garlic powder
6 Tbsp hot, red ground chili powder (more to taste)
6 (or 8) small whole red jalapeno chili peppers
½ cup brown sugar
4 large sliced onions
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp cumin powder
Salt to taste

Mix all ingredients in a large pot. Add water (or beer) to cover ingredients. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to simmer. As water cooks down, replenish it. This takes a long time to cook, so continue to simmer until the meat begins to break up and the other ingredients thicken to a gravy, which will take at least several (three to four, minimum) hours.

This recipe tends to be even better reheated and freezes well.

If you want to make your own beans, the recipe is:

1 pound pinto beans
2 quarts water
Salt to taste
1 large chopped onion or equivalent dried onion
½ cup lard (or more)

Soak beans overnight for faster cooking. Add more water to cover; salt and cook beans with onions slowly until tender. Mash with potato masher or mix in blender until a paste is formed. Add hot lard or bacon drippings, then cook until all fat is absorbed by the beans. Stir frequently to avoid sticking and scorching. Serves 6 to 8.

*Note: This came out of one of Skeeter Skelton’s columns in an old Shooting Times Magazine.

Lose some of the ground meat and add chunks. Lighten up with the canned beans and dont add any until the last 15 minutes of cooking

I'm not sure how many different chili's I've tried in my life, but in the big picture I have enjoyed the majority of them. Beans, no beans, brisket, ground beef, ground venison, ground bison, I can make an argument for many of them. I have seen some unique ingredients and some that are just bizarre. A good friend of mine makes cheese stuffed meatballs and after baking crumbles them for his chili which is outstanding BTW. My next door neighbor puts sliced green olives in his, which to me does nothing but make it look bizarre. My only real hang up is "white chili" or "chicken chili".....there is no such f&*king thing. Call it spicy chicken soup or whatever, but it ain't chili!!