Pre Preparation
1 bag of cooked red beans
1 large can or 2 regular cans of kidney beans or you can cook these as well
2-3 Lbs Steak
Generally, I start with about 2-3 lbs of round steak, but you can use either a better steak which will cost you more or you can use a very lean ground beef. I have had very good results with round steak as it’s fairly lean and is usually less that a ½” thick so it’s easy to cut into ½”-3/8” cubes. I prefer to throw it on a grill for a smoky tasting chili, but that’s merely a matter of preference. Which is kind of the point of chili…there’s no right way or wrong way, merely the way you like to make it. I encourage experimentation until you find the combination that makes you want chili on a regular basis. My family has gotten to the point of begging for my chili. It’s not hot, but it is very spicy. And it’s guaranteed to warm you up on a cold winter’s night!
One final point, I’m not from Texas so I have nothing to prove. I make my chili they way I make my chili. No apologies offered.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
I usually put enough EVOO to form a 6” pool, maybe a little more depending upon how much meat I’m cooking, in a large deep skillet. I usually throw in a tablespoon of minced garlic. The fire’s hot enough when the garlic starts to sizzle.
1 Large finely chopped onion
Just as the garlic begins to sizzle, toss in about ¾ of the chopped onion and set the rest aside for later. Cook the garlic and onion until the garlic begins to brown. And then add in the chopped meat and stir until the meat, onions and garlic are well mixed. A meat broth will naturally form. Sometimes, I add a few drops of liquid smoke to the broth if I did not grill the meat. BTW, if I do grill the meat, I still add it to the skillet of garlic and onions, I just don’t cook it very long…
While the meat’s browning, get the other ingredients ready. Remember to stir the meat occasionally as you continue your preparations.
3 cans of diced tomatoes with green chilies
I prefer to use Del Monte Diced Tomatoes, With Zesty Mild Green Chilies, 14.5 oz cans. I dump two of these into my blender and blend to almost a puréed state. I have a very nice food processor and I could use it but it’s a 12-cup red Kitchen Aid which we bought on sale big time I think because of the color. As a result, we don’t keep it out on the counter, so I don’t drag it out as it weighs a ton for jobs the blender can handle… I then add the third can of tomatoes and blend it lightly in order to have some chucks of tomatoes and chilies. Not wanting to waste anything, quite often I trickle water into the cans and pour the couple of ounces into the meat skillet.
2 Carroll Shelby's Original Texas Brand Chili Kits
Basically, I calculate kits by the lbs of meat. Spice equation: 1 kit per 2 lbs of meat. I have considered making my own blend of spices, but then I read warnings about the dust created by blending red pepper, chilies, etc, and have opted for Carroll Shelby’s mix instead. Inside this mix, you find 3 cellophane packets, 1 large spice packet, a cayenne pepper packet and a salt packet. I only use the spice packet and the salt packets. If you dig really hot chili, you can experiment with the cayenne pepper, just remember a little goes a long way.
BTW, eating this chili will not make you as fast as Carroll Shelby's legendary Shelby GT's.
At this point, I get out a large pot and pour the tomato sauce in it and heat it to the same temperature as the skillet of meat. I dump the full spice packet into the pot with the sauce and stir it in evenly. Whatever portion of the spice equation that’s left I put into the skillet of meat. If this is close to a full packet, you may need to add some water to the skillet in order to avoid creating chili concrete… You want a soupy broth as the meat cooks. When the meat is ready, add it to the pot of sauce and mix it in evenly. I usually cook the combined ingredient for at least a half hour on reduced heat in order to blend the flavors.
Add the beans and the remaining onions. I do not add the bean juice as I like a thick chili. I mix this up evenly and turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for like an hour stirring occasionally.
Chili Powder
Cumin
Salt
Paprika
Mrs. Dash
Red Pepper
Cayenne Pepper (optional)
At this point, you have a fairly tasty chili, especially for those of you who prefer no heat and a mildly spicy chili. This is where I begin to taste the chili and add salt and spices based on taste. I tend to add about a tablespoon or two of chili powder, some cumin (at the most a teaspoon, but usually less), at least a teaspoon of salt from the packets, a dash of red pepper, usually a little Mrs. Dash, and a little paprika. Make sure to add a little at a time, stir it in thoroughly, let it sit a bit before tasting again. If you are the adventuresome type, this is when you should add the cayenne pepper as well.
I like my chili to be colorful. Visual appeal is very important in the consumption of food IMHO. As a result, I have experimented with chopping up small pieces of carrots, or jalapeños or even added yellow corn or various colors of mild peppers to my chili in small amounts merely for the color as the taste is lost in the spices. It keeps people guessing as they consume their food, which makes it interesting and a topic for conversation during the meal.
I also have eaten my chili with crackers, shredded cheddar cheese or rice, which all tend to take a little of the bite out of the chili. I’ve never tried it with spaghetti noodles, but my mom likes it that way. I think she calls it chili mac?
The thing I like about it the most, is that I can put the whole pot into the fridge and heat it up for several days. Each day you let it sit, the tastes blend and it seems to get better with age. I think it has something to do with the acid in tomatoes breaking down the other ingredients.
Enjoy!
P.S. Does any one have a good white/yellow/green chili recipe?