Author Topic: My "secrets" for a decent pot of chili...  (Read 9980 times)

BlueStarLizzard

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Re: My "secrets" for a decent pot of chili...
« Reply #25 on: November 03, 2018, 03:46:13 PM »
And they are wrong.  So wrong.  And they should be banned from making, serving, selling, or otherwise working with, Cincinnati "chili."  That stuff is disgusting.  I wouldn't even let fistful eat it.

I'm with you. That stuff is  [barf]
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Perd Hapley

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Re: My "secrets" for a decent pot of chili...
« Reply #26 on: November 05, 2018, 12:42:48 AM »
And they are wrong.  So wrong.  And they should be banned from making, serving, selling, or otherwise working with, Cincinnati "chili."  That stuff is disgusting.  I wouldn't even let fistful eat it.

Based on the descriptions I'm hearing (of fistful, and of the "chili"), I wouldn't let him eat it, either.
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charby

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Re: My "secrets" for a decent pot of chili...
« Reply #27 on: November 05, 2018, 09:26:44 AM »
"Greek style" or Cincinnati style chili includes cinnamon, sometimes other spices, and sometimes chocolate.

Apparently the Greeks running diners in the Cincinnati area in the 1920s started adding chili to their menus, and started using the same spices that were used in Greek mousakka. They also started serving it over spaghetti.



Tasty stuff, man I miss eating beef. Not the same with other meats.
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charby

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Re: My "secrets" for a decent pot of chili...
« Reply #28 on: November 05, 2018, 09:28:44 AM »
I think we had the worst chili growing up. This was popular in my hometown

Chili consisted of

browned ground beef with onions
V-8 juice
chunks of canned tomatoes
canned pork and beans
maybe a dash of chili powder
one bay leaf
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Brad Johnson

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Re: My "secrets" for a decent pot of chili...
« Reply #29 on: November 05, 2018, 09:51:31 AM »
I think we had the worst chili growing up. This was popular in my hometown

Chili consisted of

browned ground beef with onions
V-8 juice
chunks of canned tomatoes
canned pork and beans
maybe a dash of chili powder
one bay leaf

Spicy V8 works really well for chili. The rest of your listed ingredients, not so much.

Brad
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BlueStarLizzard

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Re: My "secrets" for a decent pot of chili...
« Reply #30 on: November 05, 2018, 05:04:31 PM »
Well, I tried two of your "secrets" for the batch I did this weekend.

The sear the *expletive deleted*it out of the meat is going to be a keeper. The onion thing on the other hand, I'm going to have to work on that. I burned the crap out of the frying pan. There were a couple onions that got a little blackened, but the overall chili turned out alright. Probably helps that I was a little heavy handed with the spicing. It turned out to be one of those latent burns where you get flavor and then you feel the heat kick in. It's a good thing I bought the big container of sour cream and two bags of shredded cheddar, because it's needed to cut the burn for the next bite.  :laugh:
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brimic

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Re: My "secrets" for a decent pot of chili...
« Reply #31 on: November 05, 2018, 06:04:45 PM »
I think we had the worst chili growing up. This was popular in my hometown

Chili consisted of

browned ground beef with onions
V-8 juice
chunks of canned tomatoes
canned pork and beans
maybe a dash of chili powder
one bay leaf

I feel your pain.
What often passes as 'chili' in WI is Tomato soup + Macaroni noodles + hamburger + a few kidney beans. Its a bowl of sadness.

I do way better without even trying... just dump several cans of black beans and kidney beans (in chili sauce) in with a bunch of cans of diced tomatoes (the kind with chili peppers meant for salsa), an onion, some browned hamburger, and a handful of rice...

When I have more time, I cook my own beans- much better.
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K Frame

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Re: My "secrets" for a decent pot of chili...
« Reply #32 on: November 05, 2018, 07:50:23 PM »
Well, I tried two of your "secrets" for the batch I did this weekend.

The sear the *expletive deleted*it out of the meat is going to be a keeper. The onion thing on the other hand, I'm going to have to work on that. I burned the crap out of the frying pan. There were a couple onions that got a little blackened, but the overall chili turned out alright. Probably helps that I was a little heavy handed with the spicing. It turned out to be one of those latent burns where you get flavor and then you feel the heat kick in. It's a good thing I bought the big container of sour cream and two bags of shredded cheddar, because it's needed to cut the burn for the next bite.  :laugh:


If you keep the unit at the same temperature as when you seared the meat you've got to tend it at all times and keep stirring it. That's especially true if you put the garlic in withthe onions. Burn the garlic and it's terrible. Burned garlic is nasty.

If you're using ground meat, you can turn the heat down and then add the onions, but that will often result in completely dried out meat by the time the onions are nicely carmelized. If you want to do the onions at a lower temperature, pull the meat out of the pot first.
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BlueStarLizzard

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Re: My "secrets" for a decent pot of chili...
« Reply #33 on: November 06, 2018, 05:03:27 PM »
I was using stew chunks for the beef and cooking separately. My problem with the onions was two fold. Trying to do other stuff at the same time and still recovering from chopping the onions. I always use strong yellow onions for chili, which I think works in the chili, but they are a stone cold bitch to chop up. I should have lowered the heat, but I was just going for get it done and throw it in.
Like I said, it didn't turn out bad and I've always liked a little black on my sauteed onions anyway.

Anyhoo, the onions made me think... I wonder what would happen if I used whole pearl onions? I bet those would be good in chili. Probably in addition to regular onions for flavoring. hmmmmm....
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zxcvbob

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Re: My "secrets" for a decent pot of chili...
« Reply #34 on: November 06, 2018, 05:06:54 PM »
How about leeks instead of onions?  I have a row of leeks in my garden.  If they are still good when I get back from Texas, (I don't know what mid-20's weather does to them) I will need to do something with them.  Chili seems like as good a use as any.  Except maybe potato soup...  Should be enough there for both.
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BlueStarLizzard

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Re: My "secrets" for a decent pot of chili...
« Reply #35 on: November 06, 2018, 05:09:52 PM »
How about leeks instead of onions?  I have a row of leeks in my garden.  If they are still good when I get back from Texas, (I don't know what mid-20's weather does to them) I will need to do something with them.  Chili seems like as good a use as any.  Except maybe potato soup...  Should be enough there for both.

That could be good too.
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K Frame

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Re: My "secrets" for a decent pot of chili...
« Reply #36 on: November 07, 2018, 07:21:15 AM »
"they are a stone cold bitch to chop up."

20 to 30 minutes in the freezer before chopping.

I'd think pearl onions would add a nice texture, but I'm not sure about the taste. They tend to be fairly mild.

How about shallots?
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Brad Johnson

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Re: My "secrets" for a decent pot of chili...
« Reply #37 on: November 07, 2018, 09:28:53 AM »


How about shallots?

Leeks will work in a pinch.

Brad
It's all about the pancakes, people.
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K Frame

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Re: My "secrets" for a decent pot of chili...
« Reply #38 on: November 07, 2018, 10:17:10 AM »
Leeks will work in a pinch.

Brad

I have tastier things to do with leeks...

Grill braised leeks in balsamic vinegar... Perfect accompaniment for a steak.
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MillCreek

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Re: My "secrets" for a decent pot of chili...
« Reply #39 on: November 07, 2018, 10:24:17 AM »
I cheat: I buy the frozen bags of chopped onion and use that. My wife insists on chopping fresh onions.
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K Frame

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Re: My "secrets" for a decent pot of chili...
« Reply #40 on: November 07, 2018, 12:58:38 PM »
I cheat: I buy the frozen bags of chopped onion and use that. My wife insists on chopping fresh onions.

Go standing in the corner and think about what you did!
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BlueStarLizzard

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Re: My "secrets" for a decent pot of chili...
« Reply #41 on: November 07, 2018, 05:36:10 PM »
I cheat: I buy the frozen bags of chopped onion and use that. My wife insists on chopping fresh onions.

I didn't even know there was such a thing.  :O I may be cheating next batch.  :laugh:
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MillCreek

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Re: My "secrets" for a decent pot of chili...
« Reply #42 on: November 07, 2018, 08:05:45 PM »
^^^With the frozen vegetables at my local Safeway and Walmart. Usually towards the top shelf.
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K Frame

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Re: My "secrets" for a decent pot of chili...
« Reply #43 on: November 19, 2018, 07:25:14 AM »
I made another pot of chili yesterday.

Mixed it up a bit and added mushrooms, as I saw a recipe for that. Meh.

Also made a larger batch to get me through lunches for the rest of this week.

But, I only had 2 seasoning packs. I should have used 3 because it's pretty bland.

Oh well, enough hot sauce and sour cream takes care of that.


I also managed to scorch the bottom as I was cooking it. Nothing terrible, but you can just taste it. I've not 100% gotten used to the nuances of cooking on a glass top stove. I think I may, in the future, start baking my chili.
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charby

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Re: My "secrets" for a decent pot of chili...
« Reply #44 on: November 19, 2018, 08:31:22 AM »
I think I may, in the future, start baking my chili.

When I was able to eat beef and field beans, I rocked he cockpot for chili.
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K Frame

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Re: My "secrets" for a decent pot of chili...
« Reply #45 on: November 19, 2018, 09:04:31 AM »
Yeah, I normally use the crockpot, but I had a bunch of other stuff to do yesterday and didn't get it made early enough to crock pot it.
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BobR

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Re: My "secrets" for a decent pot of chili...
« Reply #46 on: November 19, 2018, 01:57:24 PM »
I did a London Broil on the pellet grill a while back and this thread has me thinking about how good it would be chunked up in a pot of chili. With only two of us there is always at least half of the London Broil left over and this will give me a completely new use for the leftovers.

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K Frame

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Re: My "secrets" for a decent pot of chili...
« Reply #47 on: November 19, 2018, 06:09:32 PM »
Need to simmer it for a long time to break down the connective tissue in the London Broil.
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