Chili Recipe?

[PIE!]

I have lots of ground beef, and the weather is begging me to make chili. But whenever I make it it tastes very bland and without a great consistency. If you have a great, no fail, traditional chili recipe could you please share?

 

It'd be even better if it was a crock-pot recipe :)

And simplicity is my friend. ;)

 

And even though I want to make traditional chili for now, I'm open to things like chicken chili for the future.

 

Thank you!

[justLisa]

:bigear:

[KatieJ]

You know, I am great cook, and a lover of recipes and cook books. I find seasonings to be my downfall, even tho I have a cupboard full of spices.

 

So..I buy a good quality chili bean with spices. Good quality meaning, Aldi's store brands can be iffy. I go for Bush's chili beans usually, but try out what's available in your local store.

 

Brown the burger, add in some onion and celery. (Half a cup of each at least per pound of burger. Cook til the celery and onions are done. Add in several cans of chili beans and several cans of tomatoes. (When my kiddoes were little, I used just tomatoe sauce as they didn't like the chunks.)

 

It is always better the next day, but an hour or so simmering on the burner and it's good to go.

If you wanted to put it in the crockpot, I would brown the burger first and then just throw it all in.

[Caitilin]

We're having this chili later this week:

 

White Chili

 

1 lb. large white beans, soaked overnight and drained

6 c. chicken broth

2 cloves minced garlic

1 medium onion, chopped (divided)

2 T. oil

1 4oz. can chopped green chilies (or 1-2 serrano peppers, chopped)

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 1/4 tsp. oregano

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

4 cups diced cooked chicken

 

Cook beans, broth, garlic, and half the onions in a large soup pot. Bring to boil and reduce heat. Simmer 2 hours. Saute remaining onions in oil in a skillet until tender. Add chilies and seasonings, then mix thoroughly. Add this mixture and the chicken to the beans, then simmer another 1/2 hour. Serve topped with grated cheese and cornbread on side. Other possible toppings: ripe olives, sour cream, crumbled tortilla chips, chopped tomatoes, etc.

[momto2Cs]

Here's my recipe:

 

1-1.5 pounds ground turkey (or sirloin)

1 can each black beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans, drained & rinsed*

1 large can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes (if you can find the "fire roasted" ones, they are awesome!)

1 small can (about 14 oz) petite diced tomatoes

1-2 large yellow onions, roughly chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp ground cumin

2-8 Tbsp. chili powder, depending on how hot you want it

1/2 tsp ground oregano

1 Tbsp. cocoa powder (NOT sweetened!)

 

Saute the onions in olive oil until goldeny-brown. Add the meat, and stir frequently until well browned. Put in crockpot, along with any pan juices, and all remaining ingredients. Cook on low for about 4 hours (6-7 if using dried, soaked beans).

 

Top with diced avocado, fresh cilantro, and chopped fresh tomatoes. My kids love this with a few tortillas or tortilla chips on the side.

 

*You can easily use dry beans too, maybe 1/2 cup of each kind. Soak overnight first, then rinse well.

[dirty ethel rackham]

Here is our favorite chili: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/showthread.php?t=432001&highlight=chili

[TN Mama]

Here is my no-fail recipe:

 

2 lb ground beef (or 1 lb ground beef, 1 lb sausage)

1 onion

2 cans tomato soup

1 can kidney beans

1 can black beans

1 T cumin

1 T chili powder (usually add more, to taste)

1 T sugar

 

brown meat w/diced onion

add remaining ingredients and simmer

 

You could certainly add browned meat & onion to crockpot w/other ingredients.

 

That's my favorite way, although some days I add corn, or add chili beans instead of kidney beans, or do 2 cans of kidney beans instead of 1 of black beans, or add can of diced tomatoes, or add cilantro or... lots of ideas.

 

Also, Ree has a good recipe, too. But the above is my mom's recipe, so I'm partial to it. :001_smile:

[Ellie]

My recipe (although "recipe" might be too strong a word, lol):

 

Ground beef

1 onion, chopped (yellow or white will have more flavor than red)

1 clove (or 2 or 3; I'm not fussy about that), finely chopped

1 TBS (or so) of ground cumin

1 TBS (or so) of chili powder

3 cans of beans, assorted (black beans, red beans, white beans; I usually don't use kidney beans), and their liquid

1 *large* can of crushed tomatoes and their liquid (we like the flavor, but not the chunks of tomato. Go figure.)

1 can beef broth

 

Saute onions, garlic *and seasonings* in fry pan in oil (your choice) until onions are soft. Add ground beef and brown. Dump everything into the crock pot and cook for as long as you want. :)

 

Adding the seasonings with the onions and garlic and sauteing them together makes a world of difference in the flavor. Also, it's the cumin that gives the chili its distinctive flavor, not the chili powder.

 

You can add canned ortega chilis just before you serve the chili. They're pretty mild but add nice flavor.

 

We like to serve the chili over rice, and add toppings like shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, and chopped onions. Well, ok, Mr. Ellie doesn't like the cilantro or the raw onions, lol.

 

Oh, and you can serve this without the ground beef, because the beef broth adds beefy flavor.

[dhudson]

This is Baked Beans rather than chili but it is really good and I put it in my crock pot.

 

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Old-Settlers--Baked-Beans

[Spryte]

Mmmmmm... chili.

 

I love this one: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/flatlander-chili/ It's got a ton of good reviews (1200+), and my family loves it.

 

Now I'm off to see if we have all the ingredients for baked beans! Yum.

[athena1277]

This is my picky-eaters chili recipe. Very easy and does taste good.

 

1lb ground beef, browned with garlic powder

1 can petite diced tomatoes

1 can chili beans

garlic powder

chili powder

 

Put everything in the crockpot. Put some garlic powder on it and about double the chili powder. Add water to desired consistency. Cook on low about 4 hours. You may want to taste test after an hour or so to see if it needs more chili powder.

[blessed3x]

:bigear:

 

making me hungry for chili.....

[OK Family]

1lb ground beef

1 can light red kidney beans

1 can dark red kidney beans

1 can pinto beans

1 can mild rotel

1 large can of tomato juice

Garlic salt

Onion powder

Chili powder

Diced onion

 

Start by frying diced onion in skillet, then add ground beef. While browning beef, I sprinkle some garlic salt, onion powder, and chili powder. ( salt and pepper too) Drain all cans of beans and rinse. Place in crockpot. Add in can of title. When beef is finished browning, place in crockpot. Pour in tomato juice to cover, not too soupy. I then put about a tablespoon of chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon both garlic salt and onion powder. Dash salt and pepper again. Stir really good. I cook on low at least six hours. Enjoy!

[WistfulRidge]

Boneless skinless chicken (Amount is up to you. I tend to use very little, just enough to convince my DH that there is actually meat in there, lol!)

20 oz of your favorite salsa

1 cup frozen corn

1 TSBP chili powder

2 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

 

Toss chicken, salsa, chili powder, and corn into the crockpot and cook on high for 3-5 hours (time will vary according to amount and frozen/thawed state of chicken). After it is cooked shred the chicken and return to the crockpot. Add beans. If the chili is thicker than you'd like thin out with a little bit of water (I almost always end up adding about 1/2 a cup). Stir to combine and cook for another 2 hours on high.

[MrsMommy]

This is our favorite chili recipe.

 

Any chili is made better by adding a bottle of beer to it!

[Donna]

I throw different stuff in my chili depending on my mood and rarely measure anything but I'll give it a try...

 

2lb. ground beef browned with a large onion chopped, 1 small green pepper chopped, and 2-3 cloves garlic minced.

 

Add 2 cans chopped tomatoes, 1 can tomato sauce, 2 small cans chopped green chili peppers, 1 can kidney beans, 1 can black beans, and a small package of frozen corn. Add a jar of salsa. Take one of the empty cans and fill it halfway with water to add.

 

Then add in chili powder (about 2 tbsp), paprika (1 tbsp), 1 tbsp cumin, a tiny bit of cayenne pepper, 1 tbsp brown sugar or molasses or both, salt, pepper, 1/2 tsp dried mustard, dried or fresh cilantro, a few drops of hot pepper sauce, and 1 tbsp worchestershire sauce.

 

I have cooked it anywhere from 30 min if in a hurry to hours if I have time to let it simmer.

[Cinder]

Here's my standard recipe:

 

1 lb ground chuck, browned & fat drained

1 can red beans (not kidney), rinsed and drained

1 can petite diced tomatoes

1-2 cups (or 1 can) beef broth

2-3 Tbs chili powder (the dc complain it's too spicy with 3 Tbs so I use 2 now)

1 tsp cumin

3/4 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1-2 tsp brown sugar

 

You can use a flour/water mixture to thicken the sauce if you prefer it that way. My recipe has a thin sauce.

 

When dh makes chili he sautes bellpeppers, onions and garlic (and leaves out the garlic powder). He also adds a small can of tomato sauce.

[PIE!]

THANK YOU ALL!!!!! We are going to have some yummy chili now!

[whitestavern]

I saute a pound of ground beef (can use chicken or turkey too) and a chopped onion in a bit of oil. Once the beef is browned I add 2 cans of dk red kidney beans, 2 cans of diced tomatoes (the ones w/jalapenos are awesome), 1 tbs chili powder and 2 tbs cumin. I cook it for about an hour covered, stirring once in a while and then take the cover off and cook for another hour or so. Taste to see if it needs more seasoning. I usually add a dash or two of hot sauce at the end, but we like our chili on the spicy side. My kids like to add a bit of sour cream or shredded cheddar on top of their chili. Now I'm getting hungry for chili...think I'll make some this week!!

[KungFuPanda]

I generally cheat and use the McCormicks seasonings and follow their directions by adding kidney beans and a can of tomatoes. I get med or hot because the mild is too mild for us. I also add onions, peppers, garlic, and more cumin because everything always NEEDS more cumin.

 

I have a friend that swears a bottle of good ale is the secret to adding some depth of flavor to your chili, but I haven't tried it yet.

[kalanamak]

I use Penzey's Chili Con Carne seasoning and their Mexican oregano to make the flavor come out, and I let one dried chipotle cook in with it. Don't forget enough garlic.

[chepyl]

I used to make my mom's recipe....then I found this one:

 

Brown the meat, add garlic and a little salt amd pepper of you want

 

Put in crock pot with rotel tomatoes and bush's chilling beans

 

I leave it on low for 3-4 hours.

 

 

For one pound of meat I use 2 cans of rotel and one can of beans.

 

It is super easy and quite flavorful.

[LibraryLover]

That sounds similar to mine.

 

Obviously, we are not from Texas. :D

 

Here's my recipe:

 

1-1.5 pounds ground turkey (or sirloin)

1 can each black beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans, drained & rinsed*

1 large can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes (if you can find the "fire roasted" ones, they are awesome!)

1 small can (about 14 oz) petite diced tomatoes

1-2 large yellow onions, roughly chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp ground cumin

2-8 Tbsp. chili powder, depending on how hot you want it

1/2 tsp ground oregano

1 Tbsp. cocoa powder (NOT sweetened!)

 

Saute the onions in olive oil until goldeny-brown. Add the meat, and stir frequently until well browned. Put in crockpot, along with any pan juices, and all remaining ingredients. Cook on low for about 4 hours (6-7 if using dried, soaked beans).

 

Top with diced avocado, fresh cilantro, and chopped fresh tomatoes. My kids love this with a few tortillas or tortilla chips on the side.

 

*You can easily use dry beans too, maybe 1/2 cup of each kind. Soak overnight first, then rinse well.

[MrsBanjoClown]

This recipe came from dh's aunt. It makes a lot!

2 lb. ground beef

3 med. onions, diced

1 med. bell pepper, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 28 oz. can tomatoes

1 6 oz. can tomato paste

1/4 cup chili powder

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon oregano leaves

2 (15-16 oz.) cans red kidney beans (optional - we don't add these)

 

In 5 qt. dutch oven or saucepan cook ground beef, onions, green pepper, and garlic about 15 min. (until juices evaporate and meat is browned). Stir in tomatoes with their liquid, tomato paste, chili powder, sugar, salt, and oregano. Heat to boiling and stir to break up tomatoes. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 45 min. Stir in kidney beans with their liquid and heat through.

[momto2Cs]

That sounds similar to mine.

 

Obviously, we are not from Texas. :D

 

:lol: Obviously. :D

[k2bdeutmeyer]

I love, love, LOVE my DH's chilli:

 

1lb ground beef

5 strips bacon

2T minced garlic (I'm guessing on this one)

1 pkg sliced fresh mushrooms

1 sweet onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

2 cans red kidney beans

2 cans black beans (drained)

2 cans chili beans

2 cans diced tomatoes

1 can tomato sauce

1 can corn (drained)

Salt & pepper to taste

 

Brown ground beef & bacon. Add green pepper, onion, and garlic. Sautee until onions & green peppers are soft. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 20 min or so.

 

It definitely isn't your traditional chili, but it is so, so yummy :)

[TGHEALTHYMOM]

I make all kinds of chili every year.

One mix we all love is called : Darn Good Chili

It is sold in many chain stores, and is a little expensive, but I just use it as a base and add meat, tomatoes, noodles, etc...

 

My picky dd 12 who hates chili, loves this!

[Seasider]

Up front I will say that one of these days I am going to come up with my own spice mix, but in the meantime, this suffices. This makes a good sized batch.

 

1# lean ground turkey

1# lean ground beef

1 medium to large onion, chopped

1 can crushed tomatoes (15 or 28 oz, depending on how much you like tomatoes)*

1 can (11 oz) yellow or shoepeg corn, drained

2 different can beans, most commonly 1 pinto and 1 black bean

(you can use large or small kidney beans, any combination, just 2 15-oz cans, I do not use any preseasoned/"seasoned for chili" beans)

1 pkg mild chili seasoning

1 pkg fajita seasoning

1 can beer

 

*For a beefy chili I skip the tomatoes and stir in a glob of beef Better-Than-Bouillon.

You can also substitute a jar of salsa for the tomatoes and add chopped celery if you like it. The celery flavor tends to disappear in the chili.

 

Toppings - shredded cheddar, sour cream, chopped green onion, fresh cilantro if I have it on hand

 

 

Brown meats in skillet (salt & pepper to taste) with chopped onion and a little water to help make the meat crumbly. Transfer to crock pot. Add tomatoes and corn. Drain and rinse beans and add. Open beer and pour about half the can into the crock pot. Properly dispose of remaining beer. ;) Stir in seasoning packets and add enough water so that the level of liquid is equal to the level of solid ingredients. Cook for a while, until you are sure the flavors are melded and the beef cooked through. I will often assemble all in the crock pot early in the morning and just take it out and turn it on mid to late afternoon (on high or low temp depending on how early in the afternoon I remembered to take it out of the fridge).

Edited October 25, 2012 by Seasider

[PIE!]

Thanks to all you wonderful people I just made the best chili I've ever made. It was delicious! And we've got enough to last us a couple more meals too. I actually didn't follow any 1 recipe, but combined several of your favorites. I've never been more excited for leftovers! :drool5:

[KungFuPanda]

Thanks to all you wonderful people I just made the best chili I've ever made. It was delicious! And we've got enough to last us a couple more meals too. I actually didn't follow any 1 recipe, but combined several of your favorites. I've never been more excited for leftovers! :drool5:

 

 

I'm sorry, but you Ahave To tell us what you did. This is important, Woman!

[jenn-]

Thanks to all you wonderful people I just made the best chili I've ever made. It was delicious! And we've got enough to last us a couple more meals too. I actually didn't follow any 1 recipe, but combined several of your favorites. I've never been more excited for leftovers! :drool5:

 

I am glad you had a successful batch of chili. My seasoning recipe is

 

2 TBS of Chili Powder

1 TBS Cumin

1 Tsp Salt, Pepper, Paprika, Oregano, Ground Mustard (or a good squeeze from the mustard container)

a smidgen of ground chipolte pepper (cayenne would work, more if you like hot stuff)

a scoop of minced garlic

 

add all that to meat, beans, onions and you've got chili. Mine is always done in the crockpot so the meat is browned first.

[Lab1]

The best chili I've ever had is http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2009/10/my-moms-classic-chili.html Even my DH that hates chili (&was raised in Texas!) Will eat several bowls full! It is fast to make. Basically the time to brown the hamburger and then let it simmer for an hr. You could throw it in a crockpot.

[PIE!]

I'm sorry, but you Ahave To tell us what you did. This is important, Woman!

 

Haha!

It was the best I'VE ever made, but I doubt it'd win a contest. All those other recipes would probably serve people better. :)

Anyway - here is what I did.

 

I sauteed an onion and a whole lot of garlic. Then browned ground beef (2 lbs I think). Then I added a couple cans of diced tomatoes, a can of tomato sauce, a can of kidney beans and two cans of chili beans. I had some bell peppers in the freezer from my garden surplus, so I chopped those up and added them. Then I noticed a bag of frozen chilies in adobo (I used part of a can a couple of months ago and froze the rest) so I chopped some of those and put them in. I think they added a great flavor.

 

The part that made this better than any other chili I've ever made was I did not skimp on the seasonings. I put in several spoonfuls of chili powder, and also some cumin. I added a spoonful of cocoa powder like someone said, but with all that chili powder I think its subtleties were lost. I added a few beef bullion cubes too. Oh - and a few dashes of Franks Sauce (that stuff makes anything better). I think I might have added other seasoning too, but I can't remember.

 

Then I let it cook until dinner time. We grated cheddar on top. YUM!

 

Again - thanks for all the input that made tonight's dinner possible!

[KungFuPanda]

What ARE chili beans?

[Cinder]

What ARE chili beans?

 

I always thought they were just pinto beans with flavored sauce. I don't know; I've never bought them.

[TN Mama]

Thanks to all you wonderful people I just made the best chili I've ever made. It was delicious! And we've got enough to last us a couple more meals too. I actually didn't follow any 1 recipe, but combined several of your favorites. I've never been more excited for leftovers! :drool5:

 

Chili is one of my favorite leftovers! It always tastes better the next day, imo.

[PIE!]

What ARE chili beans?

 

I think they're pinto beans with sauce. I don't really know. Canned beans were on sale for a great deal a few months ago so I got a whole lot of different kinds. I've used most of them, but the chili beans were still on my shelf. They sounded appropriate to use in chili :)

[momto2Cs]

I'm sorry, but you Ahave To tell us what you did. This is important, Woman!

 

:iagree:

[KatieJ]

What ARE chili beans?

 

Red pinto beans that have been "flavored" for chili.