Chili con Carne

[sladeums]

im making a new chili recipe for the michigan/michigan state game this saturday.  the recipe calls  for 4 mulato chilies and 3 ancho chilies.  i can't seem to find either of them at the local grocers.  my question is, can i just use pasilla chilies?  if not what would good substitutes?  or, if you live in portland oregon, where can i get the mulato's.

also, to get greedy, any additional chili tips would be appreciated.  this is only my second batch.

thanks

hollis brown

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It seems strange that you would be able to find pasillas and not anchos.

Are you sure they are actually pasillas and not anchos?

In some areas the ancho and poblano are called pasilla.

The pasilla is about 6-inches long and uniformly narrow.

The ancho is about 4-inches long, wide at top and somewhat heart shaped.

I tend to think that the pasilla has a much earthier flavor than the ancho...I'd just use standard New Mexico Reds if anchos are not available.

[hwilson41]

Allow me (native Texan) to disagree with some of the above. First of all, anchos are dried poblanos (not pasillas, which are different shape and color). Second, white onions are very common in Tex Mex cooking. Here's a useful link about chile peppers. Follow the link to anchos.

If you can locate a Mexican mercado, you can almost certainly find anchos both whole (green), whole (dried), and ground. Can also find them whole green these days (here in Virginia) in most super markets. You'll need more heat than those will supply if you're making "real" chili, but I'll leave that up to your taste. To jack up the heat, you can use jalapenos, or if you're really after some heat, try a habanero or two (wear rubber gloves when handling). Good luck.

THW

[sladeums]

8<

Allow me (native Texan) to disagree with some of the above.  First of all, anchos are dried poblanos (not pasillas, which are different shape and color).  Second, white onions are very common in Tex Mex cooking.  Here's a useful link about chile peppers.  Follow the link to anchos.

>8

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Yes, but unfortunately in many areas of the country both poblanos and anchos are labeled as 'pasilla'.

In these areas (and others, as well) you will find the pasilla labeled as 'chile negro'.

It can become quite confusing unless you are able to identify the chiles by sight.

[chefrodrigo]

or, if you live in portland oregon, where can i get the mulato's.

Is this going to be in Portland? Or am I missing something here?

Becerras, DeLeon Tortillaria, there are several others.

[jsolomon]

I'm just jumping in here because I'm making chili today also. I have some pasillo and some jalapeno chiles, but I'm curious as to whether I ought to roast them off and remove the skins first or not.

[fifi]

I'm just jumping in here because I'm making chili today also.  I have some pasillo and some jalapeno chiles, but I'm curious as to whether I ought to roast them off and remove the skins first or not.

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I have to say that I have done it both ways. My chili usually depends upon a base of ground ancho, with other chiles added to tweak flavor and heat profile. Being basically lazy, I would have to say that when I have used roasted and peeled peppers it is because I ran into a big bunch of peppers for a real deal, brought them home and roasted the whole batch for the freezer, and happen to have them on hand. I have also just used minced the fresh peppers as is. It is all good.

[zpzjessica]

can anyone recommend a yummy - and fairly easy - chili recipe?

[Bill Miller]

Go to Recipe Gullet and look at my Longhorn Ancho Chili.

[zpzjessica]

thank you!

[jayt90]

When I was a student, living in N.Y. I had a wonderful chili recipe from Esquire. Lost it over the years, but the best part of the method was (1) chunks of beef shoulder;

(2) spices including at least three types of dried chiles, poblano, seranno. chipotle, masa harina, and others. I think poblano was the key.

(3) light beer as a braising liquid.

There would be tomatoes , garlic, and possibly cilantro, but beans were a no-no.

I still do it this way, from memory.

[snowangel]

Don't forget to check out the Chili Cook-Off!

[gruntermen]

Okay how bout this:

Brown:

1 lbs chili grind beef or chopped cube steak

1 lb ground pork

along with a chopped medium onion and a lot of chopped garlic (I use 7 or 8 cloves at least)

mix in

2 or 3 tablespoons of ground ancho chile pepper

1 tablespoon (or more) ground chipotle peppers

1 tablespoon or more of ground new mexico chile peppers

1 or 2 tablespoons mexican oregano

1.5 to 2 tablespoons cumin

a couple of teaspoons of epazote

a teaspoon or so of cocoa powder

a bit of turmeric

1/2 or more of a 14 oz can of diced tomatoes (pureed if possible)

salt to taste

3 or 4 cups of beef stock

a few cups of water

let it simmer and sit overnight... if needed I thicken with crushed saltines...

don;t let it simmer too long though or the onion will disappear and the chili will be a bit grainy.. still good though

I add canned beans in the last 30 minutes or so of cooking

[JohnRichardson]

I thought about starting a new thread but decided not to.

Here is what I made last night to go with the MU/OU game. I haven't tried to make a chili in ages because to be honest, I'm a bit intimidated by working with hot peppers. I make a mean jerk paste that uses 6 or 7 habs, but I feel like I know what I'm doing there. Dried chiles, not so much. The last time I tried to make a "real" chili 3 or 4 years ago it turned out bitter and nasty becuase I burned the chiles while toasting, and this kind of turned me off of messing with them, although since then I think my skills have improved immensely, so I was ready to tackle it again. Plus, I'm motivated because every friday in the winter at work we have a chili potluck, and my turn is coming up and frankly most of the dishes brought in so far suck, although another developer has been talking his up, and since he's a big fan of the "blazing" heat level at the thai place around the block, I'm moderately excited to try his next week. Otoh, he used fresh habaneros which to me seems like the wrong flavor for chili. So far all I've brought in is southern cornbread.

Anyway, recipe and thoughts follow. This was basically a combination of a bunch of different recipes that I've been reading and thinking about, based on what sounded good and what sounded bad. This was amazing, although I'm boosting the number of peppers next time because it wasn't as hot as I'd like. I'm hoping for something around the level of hot but not insane thai food. By the time you're done your scalp should be tingling and you might be sweating a bit, but you shouldn't feel sick or anything. This is a very greasy recipe, but I intentionally loaded up on the grease, knowing from braising experience that it would separate and be easy to remove and I figured the thick grease layer on top while it's braising is a good thing.

I'm sure there's a way to write this more briefly and simply, but here goes:

active prep time: about an hour. Total cooking time: 4 hours.

2 lbs chuck, 1/2-3/4" dice, moderately trimmed of fat (imprecisely diced on purpose, for range of textures)

1.5 lbs ground beef, 80/20.

1/2 lb bacon, chopped into 1/2 x 1/4 pieces (ideally, if not just get the thickest strips you can find and cut into 1/2" pieces. I got a packet of what was labled as "for seasoning" it looked like scraps but was thick enough)

extra bacon fat, just in case things are leaner than you expect.

3 medium onions, medium dice

6 cloves garlic, 3 minced, 3 smashed and roughly chopped.

5 fresh jalapeno chiles

2 poblano chiles

7 dried de arbol chiles

3 chipotles en adobo + 1 tbs adobo sauce

1 dried new mexico chile

1 dried ancho chile

2 tsp mexican oregano leaves

1 1/2 Tbs tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp cocoa powder

1 tsp Medaglia D'Oro instant espresso (I'm not convinced these last two do anything, but I figured that they might be nice in the background and I don't detect anything off, and a chili recipe has to have a secret, so here is mine)

1 packet Sazon sin Annato (I used Knorr brand. It has msg. I don't care, so do most things you eat that aren't prepared at home from staples. You could probably leave it out and just add extra salt, and I might try it just to see how it turns out)

3 bay leaves

salt & pepper to taste

1/4 cup super-concentrated beef or chicken stock (I used 3 frozen cubes of about a 8:1 reduction of homeade stock). You could probably use 1 cup of broth or 2-3 bouillon cubes if you must. If you use bouillon, I'd probably leave out the sazon packet.

2 cans rotel

3 cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed

3 bottles good dark beer, not too hoppy. I used Boulevard Bully Porter. If using broth, I'd probably reduce to 2, because the thickness level was really good

1 quart tomato juice.

Method:

stem and seed and halve lengthwise fresh peppers, and blister under broiler until charred, then put in bowl w/ plastic wrap for 10 minutes to soften. Peel, and dice into approx 1/4".

Stem and seed and halve lengthwise dried peppers, and toast briefly in dry cast iron skillet, moving continuously. Chop roughly then add to food processor with a bit of tomato juice and the chipotles and adobo. Let sit 10 minutes then puree until smooth. I suppose one could make a big batch of this and freeze it. I probably used 3/4 cup of paste?

toast cumin, add mexican oregano, and grind fine.

In a large heavy dutch oven, brown bacon, and remove and drain, reserving fat. Brown chuck in fat, adding additional fat or peanut oil if necessary. Remove and drain. Brown ground beef (I just put it on high, stirred it around for a bit until it was grey, then let it go until the drippings went clear and the water cooked off and it was nice and brown/sticky on the bottom, then stirred a bit to brown the rest. I crumbled it up pretty fine because I wanted it to sort of disappear into the background). Remove and drain. Reserve 2-3 tbs of fat, and sweat onions with cumin, oregano, and sazon for 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add chili paste, cocoa, and instant espresso and cook 1 minute over high heat, stirring continuously. Add beer and deglaze, scraping up any brown bits, and bring to boil, simmer 5 minutes, then add remaining ingredients ECXEPT THE BEANS. Simmer 3 hours, covered, in 250 degree oven. Remove from oven, degrease (I had about a cup of angry red grease. Tempting to fry potatoes in it or something, but I'm guessing it's not super high quality) as desired, add drained and rinsed beans, adjust salt to taste, and return to a simmer, then rest for at least 3 hours, or cool and refrigerate. Reheat for service, optionally thickening with a few tbs of masa harina.

This was fabulous. Meaty, rich, deep, spicy but not super hot (next time I'm doing 10 de arbol, 3 new mex, and 2 ancho. I want it to be hot enough that I don't reach for the tabasco).

This morning's breakfast was a 3 farm-fresh-egg sweet potato and cheddar omelette covered with chili and topped with crumbled cotija and sour cream. I'm still really full and contemplating a nap.

When I make this again for the potluck in 2 weeks I might take pictures of the mise and the prep.

[MSRadell]

Well at least everyone here makes chili that fits my definition, which is the chili has to be red and it can't contain spaghetti noodles (or pasta of any kind for that matter). I know there are variations from region to region but I believe almost everybody can agree that my definition fits every dish that people normally call chili.

I know it sounds strange but when I moved to Louisville Kentucky I found that their chili (actually called Cincinnati chili) contains spaghetti noodles! Now by my definition this may be called spicy spaghetti or something like that but it certainly is not chili. Also what people call white chili is sometimes very good to eat but it certainly is not chili. I personally prefer chili that has beans in it but I know Texas chili and a lot of chili made in competition doesn't contain them and is also very good.

[Jamie Lee]

To the OP, here's yesterday's - and today's - effort.

Not a beauty pic, but I'll explain...

I will "purty it up" with a plated pic soon.

I have no recipe, but I do know this:

1. I like a variety of meat, a variety of textures, and lots of it. I use, at a minimum, cubed beef, ground beef and cubed pork. I once won a chili contest at work, and added sausage to the mix.

2. I don't do beans. The afore-mentioned chili contest was held in Oklahoma, and while I know I didn't meet strict ICS guidelines, I knew beans were controversial at best!

2. Spices (chili powder - Gebhardt's is my fav, cumin, coriander) need to be added in "waves" - once during sweating of the veggies, another after every addition of "big" ingredients (toms, stock, every reheat). I use part kosher salt and part soy sauce for salty. I also love Tiger Sauce, and if necessary, Worchester (sp?).

3. Reheating and retasting is key. Make it one day, cook, low and slow, and then cool and refrigerate. (It's okay to sneak a bowl at this point.) Next day, reheat, re-season, re-assess. Dump more spice and liquid goodness. Continue reducing chili liquid so you can avoid "thickeners" - i.e. corn starch, flour, masa harina.

(Sneak another bowl if you must.)

4. Day three: Gently reheat, adjust hot seasonings... more jalapeno, but better yet, sambal or chili/garlic thai seasoning.

By now the meat is tender beyond compare.

To try to capture my "non-recipe", this time I used:

1 large yellow onion, medium dice

1 green bell pepper, medium dice

5-7 large garlic cloves, medium dice (I like big bits after a long, slow bubble)

1 large poblano chili, medium dice (for the mild heat)

3 big jalapeno chilis, seeded and chopped fine

1-1/2 lbs. beef roast - whatever's on sale, cubed small

1/2 ground beef (I usually go for chili grind, but only had hamb-style on hand)

3/4 lb. boneless pork chops, cubed to mimick the size of the beef cubes

1 very lg. can diced toms, San Marzano if possible

1 reg. size can of Fire Roasted diced toms (Muir Glen Organics are a good choice)

Sambal or Garlic/Chili paste to taste

ground chili pepper

cumin

coriander

salt

soy sauce

Tiger Sauce

All to taste, added in "waves" - once as the veggies are sweated, once after the meat has been browned, everyday during the "re-heat".

Serve with grated sharp cheddar (or other cheese as your pocketbook can handle), oyster crackers, chopped raw onion, and sour cream if you need to control the heat (wuss) .

Yum-City.

ETA: Tried to fix typos

Edited December 8, 2007 by Jamie Lee (log)

[Jaymes]

This is probably not the best chili you'll ever taste. It's not even the best chili I've ever made.

But it's the chili I made year after year to feed my family of five. The chili that I could run by the store and pick up the stuff and then go home and sling together. The chili that now all three of my children are making in their homes.

Not fancy, and not the recipe to enter into the big chili cookoff, but if you're looking for a good, easy, basic, all-purpose family weeknight chili, give this one a try.

Chili

2 pounds ground meat. You can use regular ol' ground round, a mixture of meats, or ask your butcher for "chili grind" beef

6 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and minced

2 small green bell peppers, chopped (about 1 cup)

4 small white or yellow onions, chopped (about 2 cups)

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

2 bay leaves

2 15-oz cans tomato sauce

2 15-oz cans stewed or diced tomatoes, not drained

1 T chili powder, or to taste (if you don't want to use commercial chili powder, then blend your own mixture using chile powder, cumin, etc.; sometimes I add just a pinch of curry powder)

1/2 of a tablet of Abuelita or other Mexican-style chocolate

1 15-oz can original Ranch Style Beans, not drained (optional)

salt, pepper, hot sauce, etc., to taste

In a Dutch oven or large stew pot put the meat, garlic, bell peppers, onions, basil, oregano, and bay leaves. Saute until onions are clear and meat is browning. Add all other ingredients except beans and final seasonings.

Simmer about 30 minutes or so until flavors are melded. Add your can of Ranch Style Beans (Most recipes that include beans add about about twice as many as I do. My family always liked chili with a few beans, but not so much that they dominate the flavor profile. If you're a real "beans in chili person," add two cans of RSB instead of one) and heat through. Add final seasonings to taste.

Edited December 8, 2007 by Jaymes (log)

[Katie Meadow]

Well at least everyone here makes chili that fits my definition, which is the chili has to be red and it can't contain spaghetti noodles (or pasta of any kind for that matter).  I know there are variations from region to region but I believe almost everybody can agree that my definition fits every dish that people normally call chili.

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Perhaps "chili" as made in Texas or most of California is defined as red, but in the beautiful state of New Mexico they would disagree. You can order a bowl of verde or rojo and they are both "chile." A bowl of green uses fresh (or, if out of season, frozen) roasted and peeled green chiles chopped (with salt and garlic) and added with no tomato products. A bowl of red uses dried red chile pods that are rehydrated and strained and blended to become a sauce that is the basis for a bowl of chile or enchiladas or a variety of other dishes. New Mexico bowls of chile, both red and green, are often made with pork rather than beef, cubed or shredded rather than ground, and commonly with potatoes rather than beans.

And speaking of eggs upthread, the most typical way to eat eggs with red chile is to have them fried. For breakfast there's huevos rancheros: pinto beans with a coupla fried eggs sitting in a pool of chile served with hot flour tortillas. Also it's not uncommon to ask for enchiladas with an egg, and that would be fried as well. When the runny yolk blends into that red sauce it's transcendent. Fresh roasted green chiles however are a no-brainer in scrambled eggs.

[steakas]

Hey guys:

I don't know if this is the correct place for this posting but I'm desperate and looking for a chili recipe. My wife made it about 3 years ago. All I remember was that it had the following characteristics:

1. Pork AND stew beef (I think 1.5 lb of each)

2. Three types of beans

3. Cooked in a slow cooker (crock pot)

This recipe was printed from an online site. I’m certain it had the other chili basic ingredients. I cannot find that recipe anywhere. Can somebody help me?

Thanks, Dave

[Anna N]

Hey guys:

I don't know if this is the correct place for this posting but I'm desperate and looking for a chili recipe.  My wife made it about 3 years ago. All I remember was that it had the following characteristics:

1. Pork AND stew beef (I think 1.5 lb of each)

2. Three types of beans

3. Cooked in a slow cooker (crock pot)

This recipe was printed from an online site.  I’m certain it had the other chili basic ingredients.  I cannot find that recipe anywhere.  Can somebody help me?

Thanks, Dave

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Would this be it?

[djyee100]

In the ballpark, but not quite what you describe. Here are a couple recipes anyway.

http://www.pepperfool.com/recipes/chili/th...bean_chili.html

http://www.cookingwithsean.com/2007/04/thr...oker-chili.html

[Batard]

1. Pork AND stew beef (I think 1.5 lb of each)

2. Three types of beans

3. Cooked in a slow cooker (crock pot)

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Dave, not to be glib, but I think about 3 million chile recipes match that description.

Chile is like Gumbo or Soon-Du-Boo ... everyone has their own best recipe.

[helenjp]

Why don't you take a look at the eGullet Chili Cook-off - lots of variations, with discussions on personal preferences.

If you don't find something to jog your memory, you should find something to fire your imagination, anyway!

[steakas]

I'm probing again to see if anyone knows of a 3-bean chili, with both Pork (Shoulder I think) & Stew Beef. I recall the beans requiring pre-soaking.

Thanks

[stephen129]

Has anyone got any good recipes for chilli? I'm particularly interested in ones with any interesting ingredients. Not fussed about 'authenticity', anything goes, as long as the final result is delicious.

[liuzhou]

You could have a look at the Chili Cook off, where there are over 300 comments discussing chili.