banjotom2 - Posted - 08/10/2011:  12:09:18

Somehow, I made it to age 50+ and have NEVER made my own chili...

I've had my own house now for just over 5 years and little by little, I've been learning how to fix certain items...

I never was a cook...

I could always throw meat on a grill, potato in a microwave, salad on a plate or bowl... and that's pretty much it...

I do not own a stove, but I do have an electric skillet (that has come in very handy), and I finally got my hands on a used, smaller size crock pot.

Today's pay day... I'm thinking about just springing for a larger crock pot... get the chili ingredients and see what kind of a mess I can make...

I come from a family where all men learned how to cook, except me...

Both brothers and my father are unusually good cooks... and just like a great banjo player.... when you ask them how they do it... they just shrug their shoulders and say something like, "I dunno, I just do it... it's easy!"...

I believe it probably is...

I just haven't done it.

I could just look up the ingredients on the net, but I was curious if anyone had any ideas on making chili at home...

I'm not gourmet, obviously...

Trying to come up with relatively inexpensive food that I like that will go beyond 'one serving', which is an issue I'm constantly faced with...

I appreciate anyone's ideas and help.

Tom

banjotom2.com

Richard Dress - Posted - 08/10/2011:  12:29:05

personal recipe

chili

Brian T - Posted - 08/10/2011:  12:34:57

4.10 PG FOREST SERVICE CHILI The Forest Service office in Prince George held a chili cook-off. This winner appeared in the paper. To be correct, this really is chili with beans and really better than that all that I’ve tried. My guess is that it’s the vinegar and cumin make it taste right.
ORIGINAL RECIPE: WHAT I DO:
1 lb ground beef........................3 lb
1 onion (chopped).......................2 3
1 stalk celery..........................3 stalks
1 green pepper (chopped)................3
2 28 oz cans red kidney beans
(drained)..........................4 X 24 oz, or so
1 14 oz tin tomatoes....................2 3 cans
1 5 oz tin tomato paste.................3 tins
1 cup water.............................don't bother
1 can tomato soup.......................3 cans
2 TBS chili powder......................4 5 TBS
1 TBS ground cumin......................2 3 TBS
1 TBS sugar.............................3 TBS
2 TBS vinegar...........................6 TBS
1 level tsp mustard powder..............2 3 tsp
1/2 tsp salt............................1 1/2 tsp
1/4 tsp ground black pepper.............3/4 tsp
Baked beans. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 cans
Kernel corn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4 cans

Brown the beef on high heat until really well cooked.
Add onion, celery & green peppers, cook until
onions soften & start to go transparent.
Drain fat, lower temperature.
Open all cans, add everything.
Stir and simmer over low medium heat for an hour.

banjotom2 - Posted - 08/10/2011:  12:52:31

Thank you, gentlemen!

Tom

banjotom2.com

banjotom2 - Posted - 08/10/2011:  12:59:29

Between those 2 recipes... I saw a couple of  ingredients that seemed to be very unusual, but also very interesting...

Vinegar, wine (or beer), corn...

I'm gonna try it all...

Thanks again...

Tom

Brian T - Posted - 08/10/2011:  13:06:57

Tom: you're most welcome. As I recall, my "batch" makes 16-17 servings, soup-plate size.
When you get it all put together and it takes a couple of really large pots, be careful heating it.
The bottom gets quite hot, long before the top does. Consequently, it's really easy to burn the food at the bottom.
Stir lots, stir often.

Richard: Yours will be a nice change from mine. Thanks.

figmo59 - Posted - 08/10/2011:  13:09:10

i guess at one time a champion chilli resipie was based on hormels chilli from a can.....just Dr.ed up a bunch........

maybe an easy way to start......kinda like learnin rolls.......

Richard Dress - Posted - 08/10/2011:  13:31:18

quote:

---

Originally posted by Brian T

Tom: you're most welcome. As I recall, my "batch" makes 16-17 servings, soup-plate size.

When you get it all put together and it takes a couple of really large pots, be careful heating it.

The bottom gets quite hot, long before the top does. Consequently, it's really easy to burn the food at the bottom.

Stir lots, stir often.



Richard: Yours will be a nice change from mine. Thanks.

---

Many years of experimentation has resulted in a formula that bypasses the brain's "fullness" signals.   Be careful not to founder on it.

Brian T - Posted - 08/10/2011:  13:47:06

Decades ago, I would have a single beer and try the local bar chili. Everywhere. Some far better than others.
Then the fools that won the chili cook-off got their recipe published in the newspaper. I had all the ingredients.
I hope that I can summon up the courage to demonstrate a little restraint (but not much).

Texasbanjo - Posted - 08/10/2011:  14:23:43

We cooked chili in competition for years and I'll tell  you this: it AIN'T worth eating!  Now, if you want home made chili that everyone will like, here's an easy recipe?

2 pounds ground beef (we use 85-15)

1 large onion, diced

2 cans diced chilis (4 oz cans)

1 can rotel tomatoes, drained of all liquid (if you don't like it spicy, use just regular canned tomatoes)

1 can pinto beans - don't drain the beans

4 tablespoons chili powder (yes, that 4 tablespoons)

Salt, pepper, garlic to taste

Saute meat and onions(I add the salt, pepper and garlic at this point)  until meet is done, add all other ingredients and cook for about an hour.

We like our chili to be very thick but if you prefer a more soupy chili, you can add beef broth to thin it out.

We serve it with diced onion and sometimes shredded cheese and either cornbread or crackers and I have been known to crumble up Fritos in it -- that makes it really tasty to me.

Edited by - Texasbanjo on 08/10/2011 14:24:36

Micki - Posted - 08/10/2011:  14:50:45

I soak my pintos overnight, cook a big pot of beans next have for supper.  take leftover beans add browned hamburger , onion , chili powder, green peppers, and a quart of my home canned tomatoes with juice.  Simmer on low all day , in crockpot,  Have for supper.  Micki

bubbalouie - Posted - 08/10/2011:  19:03:23

My hundred dollar chili starts with a pound of bacon cut into 1" pieces in the pot just to " Season the pot".

Brian T - Posted - 08/10/2011:  20:41:28

I can and will stand up straight and as tall as I need to be. I needed to cook wholesome, nutritious (and fast) meals for my kids.
I did that. The chili recipe was a "home run".
Perhaps my motives were and are not the same as yours. So be it.
In the meantime, I don't mind sharing really economical & tasty recipes.
As a young punk, I had been quite protective of the "gems."
I don't seem to care much anymore except where it helps out a BHO member.
BTW, tonight was "lettuce wrap."

banjotom2 - Posted - 08/10/2011:  21:44:06

Yeah, bacon was the other item I've never heard of in chili...

Again... I want to thank everyone who took the time to respond to my inquiry...

I live in a small river-farm community that still has it's own local grocery store....

You ca get incredible deals on locally grown and processed meat products... including some of the best bacon I've ever tasted...

Tomorrow is my day to get the ingredients...

Should have something to show for my efforts...

Again, I appreciate everyone's contributions...

I'm looking forward to this...

It'll take me back to my youth... with the chemistry set... putting something 'crazy' together...  !

Tom

banjotom2.com

Micki - Posted - 08/11/2011:  03:37:38

Brian, that lettuce wrap sounds yummie.  Could you please post that receipe sometime?  I would love to try it.  Micki

BConk - Posted - 08/11/2011:  04:51:52

I've made plenty of chili - but I think it's best when it's made with cubes of chuck instead of ground beef.

figmo59 - Posted - 08/11/2011:  05:13:17

lettuce wrap?......................NAW, i like bluegrass.

pstroud1 - Posted - 08/11/2011:  08:00:29

Lettuce wrap Christmas presents in about 4 months. ;)

Paul

Brian T - Posted - 08/11/2011:  08:10:57

Lettuce Wraps up in a different thread. (Paul: Only if it's food!).

raybob - Posted - 08/11/2011:  08:17:18

I agree with BConk.  Tri-tip or chuck roast, cubed then seared in the pot before the rest of the ingredients are tossed in.  Browning the meat first adds to the flavor.  Then the whole thing simmers until the meat begins to get tender enough to fall apart (plan 5 hrs).  Then it gets reduced to the desired consistency if it's not there already.  To me chili is all about the meat.

pickNgrin - Posted - 08/11/2011:  08:28:28

I do like Bconk too, except I use half hamburger and half beef cubes. First, brown up your hamburger, then scoop out the meat and put in in your pot. Leave some fat in the skillet. Then roll the meat cubes in a little flour and brown them up in your skillet, along with your onions, etc. Then put everything in the pot with the rest of your ingredients and slowly simmer for hours and hours. Once you get your meat, etc browned, use a little liquid to loosen up the stuff in the bottom of the skillet and scrape it all up... it goes in the pot too. That's where your flavor is.

I disagree that chili is all about the meat. Instead, it is all about eating a big mess of chili! 

-matt

Edited by - pickNgrin on 08/11/2011 08:35:26

raybob - Posted - 08/11/2011:  08:54:08

"I disagree that chili is all about the meat. Instead, it is all about eating a big mess of chili! "

Ha!  I probably feel that way because meat is just about all that's in my chili.  Sometime beans, sometimes not

BConk - Posted - 08/11/2011:  09:25:10

The one I use:

trim and cut 3lbs chuck into 1/2" cubes

season with salt.

In a large heavy bottomed stock pot or Dutch oven I heat 1 tbsp olive oil then brown the meat in small batches, reserving the browned pieces in a large bowl and adding more meat to the pot. After the meat is done, cook in the empty pot, 2 minced onions, 10 cloves of garlic minced, and 7 fresh jalapenos, stemmed, seeded and minced and cook till tender over medium high heat. Then add the beef back to the pot along with 1 cup of chili powder (best to make your own - recipe to follow)

Cook the mixture stirring it up good for 2 minutes or so then add 1 28 ounce can whole peeled plum tomatoes with juice, a tbsp red wine vinegar and 6 cups water. Salt to taste and simmer uncovered until the meat is tender and the sauce is nice and thick....at least 2 hours in most cases.

About half an hour before it's done I like to add dried pinto beans that I've cooked separately.

CHILI POWDER - 5 tbsps ground mild dried chiles like New Mexico or Ancho chiles, add 2 tbsp dried oregano, 1.5 tbsps ground cumin and a 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more to taste. Toast these dried ingredients in a dry cast iron skillet for about 2 minutes over a medium heat.

Edited by - BConk on 08/11/2011 09:29:27

banjotom2 - Posted - 08/11/2011:  10:53:18

The BanjoTom2 Chili-Making Experience…

I was getting’ hung’ry fer some chili…

I went on line a lookin’…

I got the ingredients and the method…

Now, it’s time fer cookin’…

Choppin’ veggies, browning beef…

Mixin’ stuff together…

I feel like a mad scientist…

Thank God, we got nice weather…

The cauldron boils, the cookin’ pot…

Is on and doin’ it’s thing…

I pick up my old banjo now…

And commence to pick and sing…

The cat don’t mind, if’n I sing…

I guess she just don’t hear…

Now, what’s this in this here recipe…

About adding wine and beer?!

I may just add some al-ke-hol…

And then again, may not…

The drink may just wind up in me…

To chill me from the hot…

I’ll light me up a good cigar…

And watch the crock pot boil…

And at the end of all of this…

The reward for having toiled!

To enjoy a big old bowl of chili…

After receiving help from all of you…

If y’all lived a little bit closer…

You’d be eating chili too!

To be continued…

Edited by - banjotom2 on 08/11/2011 10:54:38

Richard Dress - Posted - 08/11/2011:  11:14:18

You are making me hungry, even in this hot weather.  Might have to go grocery shopping.

BConk's recipe sounds very tasty but too much work for me.  Who is going to wash and scrape the skillet?

Edited by - Richard Dress on 08/11/2011 11:15:51

banjotom2 - Posted - 08/11/2011:  21:40:59

It seems like shopping for the ingredients took longer than making the chili itself.

I had to Walmart the ingredients in order to find everything in one place...

I knew I didn't have a mixing bowl, so I bought a collection of clear plastic storage bowls that were cheaper by 4 dollars that a single mixing bowl... That turned out to be a good idea for more reasons than one... Once I had all ingredients together, and used a mixing cup to get them into the crock, I still had a fair amount of un-cooked chili left over that wouldn't fit in the crock..

The leftover un-cooked chili fit into the smallest storage container... for future use.

Now, it's all in there cooking...

The crock only had low and high settings, so I put it on low... I'll let it sit there for a few hours and see what happens...

Since I live here by myself, it's very likely that this chili will last me quite a while...

It'll also be interesting, depending on the outcome of this entirely new BanjoTom2 project... to adjust future recipes until I find the perfect mix.

Again, I would like to thank all of you for your inputs.

The chili is a mixture of everything posted by everyone.

Except the beer and wine.

I decided to enjoy them separately.

Tom

banjotom2.com

banjotom2 - Posted - 08/12/2011:  00:23:51

Mission Accomplished!

The chili has been on low for several hours...

I went in occasionally to stir it...

Just went in there a few minutes ago and tried a small bowl of it...

It's chili!

Not exactly what I was expecting... but it is interesting...

It tastes more like vegetable soup than chili...

But it accomplished the goal...

Next time, I'm gonna add pepperoncini's and a lot more garlic...

It's got three different kinds of beans in it...

I guess I'll be farting in three octaves tomorrow!

Thanks again, everybody!

Tom

banjotom2.com

BConk - Posted - 08/12/2011:  08:29:43

quote:

---

Originally posted by Richard Dress

You are making me hungry, even in this hot weather.  Might have to go grocery shopping.

BConk's recipe sounds very tasty but too much work for me.  Who is going to wash and scrape the skillet?

---

 Well....I 'spose you could toast the chili powder in the Dutch oven beforehand...then it would truly be a one pot meal...

pickNgrin - Posted - 08/12/2011:  08:37:37

Add more chili powder. Don't be shy now. It can take a lot.

Add. Stir. Wait 5 min. Taste. Repeat.

-matt

Edited by - pickNgrin on 08/12/2011 08:38:19

BConk - Posted - 08/12/2011:  08:58:32

quote:

---

Originally posted by pickNgrin

Add more chili powder. Don't be shy now. It can take a lot.

Add. Stir. Wait 5 min. Taste. Repeat.

-matt

---

 Indeed - when I'm stuck making it with store bought - I want to have at least 5 of them little spice jars of it on hand.

banjoghost - Posted - 08/12/2011:  17:59:11

here's a nice and tasty video that'll give you perfect chili every time...youtube.com/watch?v=GFjstQ30RI8

Brian T - Posted - 08/12/2011:  19:28:40

If it tastes like you expect, keep it, if not, futz with the seasoning.
You eat some, freeze the rest,
Do the same with Lettuce Wrap and Tacos.
Three kinds of economical meals and a single clean up for the lot of them.

XXXris - Posted - 08/12/2011:  20:33:29

My "secrets":

* Grind your own chilis and use lots of chili powder (not the hot kind, just the flavor kind, something like new mexico chilies and ancho chilies)
* skip the sweeteners
* I'm from Texas, but pinto beans are ok
* use beer as your only cooking liquid; if you want you can make a rule that you can only add beer from an open can that you are drinking

inniepie - Posted - 08/12/2011:  20:42:41

Hmmm. The "chili" thang caused mucho problemos for me. So for goodness sake, don't add beans, or ground beef, or tomatoes, or any of that good stuff!

banjotom2 - Posted - 08/12/2011:  22:10:14

After having 24 hours to think about the experience of making and eating my own chili for the first time...

I think the biggest issue contributing to the 'soup' taste and the sweetness, which is not for me specifically... is the tomato soup... there were so many tomato products going in, it seems like the tomato soup part could have been left out...

Even though it didn't completely suit my taste buds... I haven't given up and I did indeed eat at least 3 bowls last night... and another bowl for breakfast this morning...

Notes to self:

1. Double ground beef to 2 lbs (I can still do this)...

2. Delete Tomato Soup ingredient (next time)...

3. More garlic, more garlic, more garlic! (I can still do this)...

4. Add those pepperoncinis for heat and salty taste (I Can still do this also)...

I'm still getting used to the different types of beans...

I added Baked beans (I could easily pick those out by taste), Pinto Beans (No trouble there)... The kidney beans seemed alright too... no offending issues there...

I think I expected less sweetness...

My mom and dad were both chili masters... mine didn't taste like theirs... but had plenty of good qualities...

Just need to refine the recipe...

At 50+ years of age and having done this for the first time, I had a grand time making it... Truly a fun experience...

I felt like an 8 year old mad scientist... mixing magical ingredients together... sounds crazy, I know... but I had a good time...

I've told everyone one I know that I did it... even strangers at the grocery store and at the local Walmart where I got the parts... everyone smiles...

Tomorrow morning, I'll add more stuff... more garlic salt... maybe the beer... I have some ale here and some Guinness right now...

Loads of fun...

This experience has been the bright spot of my whole summer!

Tom

banjotom2.com

Edited by - banjotom2 on 08/12/2011 22:12:06

Brian T - Posted - 08/12/2011:  22:32:37

Well done, Tom. Good food and you know exactly what's in it.

May I suggest that you pencil in the edits in your written recipe?
They will twig your memory next time and better than an electronic write/erase.

In a published cookbook, I mark the recipes in the front index that I have made.
In the recipe, I write the date and add whatever I think I'd like to taste the next time around.
Sometimes, my notes say: "OK but not again."

dmiller - Posted - 08/12/2011:  22:38:57

quote:

---

Originally posted by inniepie

Hmmm. The "chili" thang caused mucho problemos for me. So for goodness sake, don't add beans, or ground beef, or tomatoes, or any of that good stuff!

---

That sounds like a request for a recipe for "soup".   

dmiller - Posted - 08/12/2011:  22:52:11

I usually do the cooking at the group home I work at, and chili is on the menu frequently.  I use:



3 cans of red kidney beans/ 

3 cans of Italian stewed tomatoes/

2 pounds of (browned) ground beef/

several stalks of celery (chopped fine)/

an onion or two (also chopped fine)

and 1 or 2 cans of Rotel.

The spices I add are black pepper/ chili powder/ crushed red pepper/ garlic/ and onion "salt".

All of the spice additions are "subjective", with no set measurements.

I see a few interesting ingredients mentioned above that I'll be "giving a try to"

the next time chili show up on our menu!  Thanks for the suggestions!   

banjotom2 - Posted - 08/13/2011:  03:17:49

DMiller,

I added some of the Italian versions of tomato products to my chili...

All good...

I just added the last of what I made that didn't fit into the original pot...

Added a heck of a lot more chili powder...

A lot more garlic salt...

Also added those pepperoncinis and the remaining juice from the jar...

Finally, stirred in a half cup of parmesan cheese to absorb some of the new fluid added...

It's been cooking for a while and now...

It REALLY tastes like chili!

I've had more fun doing this...

I'll never look at fast food or pre-packaged food the same again...

Tom

banjotom2.com

eagleisland - Posted - 08/13/2011:  05:10:08

Mine is kind of like BConk's, with several exceptions:

- I cube meat, but I use roughly half beef and half pork

- I use the toughest, cheapest, stringiest, gristliest meat I can find.  It's a long cook and there's a ton of flavor in all that connective tissue.

- I don't use chili powder.  I start with a package of dried new Mexico chiles, cover them them in boiling water, puree and strain.  Other spices apply.

- I brown the meat in bacon fat

- I do add some canned green chiles, diced up

- beer for cooking liquid (along with the liquid from the chile soak)

- for a large batch I WILL add one small can of tomato paste for a tiny bit of sweetness

- I use cayenne for heat.  Not impactful on flavor, absolutely impactful (and highly controllable) for heat.

NO BEANS (although I don't mind beans in chili; I just don't add them to mine)

Edited by - eagleisland on 08/13/2011 05:15:06

banjotom2 - Posted - 08/13/2011:  21:35:12

Cost Breakdown on Making Chili – August: 2011

Slow Cooker (4 quart): $14.96

Mixing Bowl Set:                      $  3.96

$18.92

Pinto Beans (can) x2:                $  .96 ea                                   $1.92

Diced Tomatoes (x3):               $.  68 ea                                   $2.04

Garlic Salt:                                $1.64 (re-useable)                    $1.64

Ground Cumin:             $2.00 (re-useable)                    $2.00

Garlic Tomato Sauce (x1):        $  .50 ea                                   $  .50

Pork and Beans (x1):                $1.62 ea                                   $1.62

Parmesan Cheese (x1)              $2.62 ea                                   $2.62

Vinegar (x1):                            $  .78 ea (re-useable)               $  .78

1 lb. Ground Round                  $3.78                                       $3.78

Chili Powder (x1)                     $  .50 ea (re-useable)               $  .50

Bell Pepper (x3)                       $. 94 ea                                    $2.82

Onion, Sweet                           $ .79 ea                                    $  .79

                                                                                                $21.01 Ingredients Total

$18.92 Cooking equipment (one time)

$21.01 Ingredients

$39.93 For the first batch

$21.01 approx. all batches thereafter

How many cups per batch?

1 Quart = 4 cups…

So, approximately 24 cups of Chili for $21.01

$21.01 / 24 = .88 per cup of chili

$1.89 is the cheapest can of chili out there… normally $2.79 per serving pre-made

Home-made chili is about 1/3 the cost of canned chili (the good stuff).

Brian T - Posted - 08/14/2011:  09:37:00

I see that the first batch has paid for the utensils.
You got a taste that you like.
You have a whole bunch of meals prepared, no more mess to clean up.
You know what the ingredients are. Hard to put a dollar-value on that prize!