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RCP: Chili

PostPosted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 1:02 pm
by Robert J.
All right damnit! Here it is, my revered chili recipe. Now get off my back and go read post # 2 in the chili thread.

Brown:

2 1/2 # Meat (I used Bison for this one as it looked really good. But I usually dice up some beef sirloin.)

1 large onion, diced

4 large garlic cloves, diced

Begin browning the meat and then add onions and garlic. Drain some of the fat off. I put a little bacon fat in the dutch oven as the bison is kind of lean.

When the meat is browned and onions are translucent add:

3-4 bottles of Shiner 98 Amber Beer or Shiner Bock.

4 Medium tomatoes, diced

Simmer this for a bit while the tomatoes soften. Then add:

3 tsp. ground dried oregano
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. paprika
4-6 Tbsp. Ground Chiles (I used Aji Amarillo, 6 Tbsp. I also wanted more heat so I put in a Tbsp. of some hot-as-all-get-out chipotle near the end.)

Simmer 30 minutes, don't rush. Go longer if you want. I was making cookies and simmered for about an hour or so.

I tasted (no salt yet) and wanted more red color and tomato flavor. I added 1 Tbsp Tomato Paste.

Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper to taste. ( I used 1 1/2 Tbsp salt and "30 second" pepper from the pepper mill; grind for 30 seconds.)

Now here is the shocker: I love love love mole; real mole. So I have, over the years experimented with flavoring to enhance the chiles and deepen the complexity. I add at the end:

1 oz. Best quality unsweetened chocolate (Callebaut).
1 Tbsp. Fresh Ground Almond Butter

The almond butter also acts as a thickener. If you like your chili thicker then make a slurry of masa and water. If you don't have masa then use a little cornstarch slurry.

Taste again for salt and chile heat. Add more of what you need. I think that I put a little more cumin in too. Simmer for another 30 minutes, at least. Don't rush. I started my chili at 8:00 this morning and it is now 12:00 noon. Let the chili sit so its flavors can blend.

Don't you dare put beans in this recipe. Use somebody else's recipe if you want to add beans. Serve with fresh diced onions and grated cheese.

rwj

The simmer:

Image

Finished:


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Re: RCP: Chili

PostPosted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 2:21 pm
by Cynthia Wenslow
Looks great, Robert.

I hope the chocolate and almond butter don't violate CP #2. I'll have to go read it. :roll:

Re: RCP: Chili

PostPosted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 2:38 pm
by Redwinger
Thanks for posting. Add some beans and it should be just about perrrrfect.

Re: RCP: Chili

PostPosted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 5:01 pm
by Robert J.
Robert J. wrote:
Don't you dare put beans in this recipe. Use somebody else's recipe if you want to add beans. Serve with fresh diced onions and grated cheese.


Can't you read, Redwinger? Sheesh! :roll:

rwj

Re: RCP: Chili

PostPosted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 8:13 pm
by Robert Reynolds
Bet it would be perfect with some coarse-ground venison.

With or without beans. :wink:

Re: RCP: Chili

PostPosted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 11:54 pm
by Mike Filigenzi
Cool! Thanks, Robert.


But which post was that, again?

Re: RCP: Chili

PostPosted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 8:00 am
by Carrie L.
Robert - It looks incredible.
That is ground bison in there? When you say you usually dice up some beef sirloin do you add any ground meat with that, or just the diced?
Love your chili pot. I think I need one of those.

Re: RCP: Chili

PostPosted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 9:26 am
by Robert J.
Thanks for the comments all!

Carrie, when I use the diced sirloin I don't add any ground beef. But I make a very small dice. If the sirloin doesn't look good or the ground beef/bison looks better then I go with that.

Also, I forgot to mention that, when using beer as the liquid, some foam may rise to the top. Wait to see if this happens, skim the foam, and then add the spices.

Cynthia, this recipe does not violate any rules! You, of all people, should know that one has to know the rules before they can be broken. :wink:

As for the chocolate and almond butter, well those were my secret ingredients. They don't violate any rules because I experimented for years before settling on them. And now the whole world knows.

I can't believe I let you people talk me into sharing this. :roll:

rwj

Re: RCP: Chili

PostPosted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 10:40 pm
by Celia
Wow, RJ, just think how good it would be with some coconut milk and a little kaffir lime zest...

...oh, sorry, chili. Not curry. :)

Seriously now, give me a headsup on the beer. Do I use a stout, or an ale, or a lager ? It won't be the same, I know, but then again, I can't get bison or unsweetened chocolate here either. So I might as well toss in some beans. Oh, no, not beans. Maybe chick peas or lentils instead ?

Hehehe...

Deep breath now...

Celia

Re: RCP: Chili

PostPosted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 9:54 pm
by Robert J.
Celia, try and find a brown ale like Newcastle. You could also use James Boags Premium Lager (from Tasmania). Cooper's Ales (Australia) may make a brown ale too. A pale ale would be too hoppy so try and find a good amber or brown ale.

And that's enough with the lentil and chick pea talk, little lady.

Oh, and they don't have unsweetened chocolate in Australia!!?? WTF?

rwj

Re: RCP: Chili

PostPosted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 10:01 pm
by Cynthia Wenslow
Celia is in chat talking about this recipe as I type. I'll tell her to come look at your rec, Cowboy.

Re: RCP: Chili

PostPosted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 10:06 pm
by Robert J.
Thank 'ee little lady.

rwj

Re: RCP: Chili

PostPosted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 5:36 am
by Celia
Oh, this really IS a nice recipe, Cowboy. Although you might be cranky with me by the end of this post for messing with your recipe...

Excused myself from the chat room at 1pm to start cooking. Used diced gravy beef instead of bison, and a large 750ml bottle of Toohey's Old Black Ale instead of the Shiner. Cut the chilli powder back (hey, it seemed so much !) and used four tsp of kashmiri chilli powder (my favourite) and 2 tsp of chipotle chilli powder (purchased from the wonderful Herbie's Spices in Rozelle). Added some tomato passata (puree) for colour. Then just let it cook cook cook gently for a few hours. Popped back into the chat room while it was cooking, and found it was still full, two hours after I'd logged out ! :)

After cooking for a while, I added some Callebaut 70% Cuba callets, and some almond meal (can't get almond butter), which seemed to thicken the whole dish beautifully. At this time I tasted the chili, and was astounded to find that the chilli powder had all mellowed out, so I threw in four dried Kashmiri chillis, and a bit more chilli powder for good measure. The Kashmiris are a beautifully sweet chilli, which I think balanced out the black ale very nicely.

The resulting concoction was a gorgeously tender, smoky (probably from the chipotles) darkly flavoured dish, which I ate, in a bowl, with a dollop of homemade yoghurt and a plate of lettuce. I finished eating about 20 minutes ago, and the stomach cramps are just starting now... :)

I'm thinking next time I'm going to use ground beef. And I resisted the urge (and it was a strong one !) to thicken the dish with red lentils, for fear of being shot !

Thanks RJ !

Cheers, Celia

Re: RCP: Chili

PostPosted: Fri Oct 05, 2007 11:02 am
by Robert J.
Sounds great Celia! And I'm glad you refrained from adding lentils. Had you put them in I would have been on your doorstep with a bible, a bottle of bourbon, and a shotgun. Good thinking, girl.

rwj

Re: RCP: Chili

PostPosted: Wed Nov 06, 2013 3:24 pm
by Howie Hart
I just re-discovered this. Has anyone tried this recipe?

Re: RCP: Chili

PostPosted: Wed Nov 06, 2013 3:51 pm
by Karen/NoCA
All right damnit! Here it is, my revered chili recipe. Now get off my back and go read post # 2 in the chili thread
.

You must be giving us a bad time here, joshing? This recipe has been on your website for 4 years. I have made it and it is delicious...however I did add beans because for me,,,,I just gotta have 'em! :wink:

Re: RCP: Chili

PostPosted: Wed Nov 06, 2013 7:04 pm
by Howie Hart
Thanks, Karen. Actually, it was posted 6 years ago and it looked like something I should try. I actually may have been traveling (probably in Maine) at the time of the original post and missed it altogether.

Re: RCP: Chili

PostPosted: Thu Nov 07, 2013 12:03 am
by Mike Filigenzi
Great to see this one surface! It was the inspiration for the chili I made a couple of weeks ago for our neighborhood Oktoberfest (and very similar, except for the tomatoes and the almond butter). I didn't get around to looking up the original post, though. Had I done so and included the almond butter, I might have won the contest!