Friday, October 10, 2008

Guest Blogger Shares His Chili Recipe


My husband Rob is our guest blogger for the day. He is going to share his chili recipe with us. It is delish, as is all of his cooking. Just Thursday evening he was out smoking a 12 pound bit of pork for a BBQ at his office. He makes his own sauce, and let just say, it smells divine for all the many hours that it smokes and it makes one very hungry. I did get some of the leftovers last night. Thanks dear!

Take it away Rob:


Even though daytime temps here near Atlanta have been pretty warm recently, it’s chili season. Ok, at my house it’s always chili season, but that’s beside the point. My chili is award winning and internationally acclaimed (meaning there were missionaries at the church chili cook-off I won), so I figured it’s a good time to post about it. I have never really used a recipe. I come from a large family, so chili was a good way for mom to stretch her meat budget. My recipe is similar to hers, but I’ve made a few changes. If you’re looking for an “all homegrown ingredients” recipe, you’ll have to look somewhere else, but if you want a nice, simple, filling bowl, you’ve come to the right place. So, here is what I call “Simple Chili.”

1lb ground beef

1 med onion, diced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

2-4 rounded Tbs chili powder

1-2 rounded Tbs ground cumin

2-4 cans kidney beans, drain half of the liquid (I like the look of half dark red and half light red)

2-4 cans diced tomatoes, drain half of the liquid (I like petite diced)

Brown the ground beef with the onions and garlic together till the ground beef is no longer pink; drain (and rinse if you’re worried about fat). Stir in the beans and tomatoes, bring the chili to a boil, and turn the heat down to a simmer. Add 1 Tbs chili powder and ½ Tbs cumin. Let the chili simmer (stirring occasionally) till it is nearly the consistency you want and add another Tbs chili powder and ½ Tbs cumin. Stir the spices in and taste. Depending on your preferences, the spices you use and the salt content of your canned goods, you may need to add salt or pepper or increase the amount of chili powder or cumin. Given a choice, I will use almost all the bean and tomato liquid and simmer my chili for a few hours (till it’s nearly the consistency of canned). If I don’t have much time, I’ll use less liquid and simmer for less time, but it won't taste as good. The longer this cooks, the better it tastes.

This chili tolerates variations well. I have used(and did for the chili above) black beans (rinse them very well – trust me, use none of the liquid from the can), pinto beans, and a mix of just whatever we had in the pantry at the time. I’ve used Italian tomatoes with basil, tomatoes with green chilies, and all crushed tomatoes at different times. I’ve (again, at different times) added unsweetened cocoa powder, star anise (remove before serving), cayenne, ground chipotles, beer, and red wine. I usually don’t add any kind of hot peppers unless I’m going to be the only one eating it. I’d rather make my chili well seasoned but mild, and let folks add Tabasco, salsa, or sliced jalapeƱos at the table.

Most of the time I used ground beef, but lately we have had a freezer full of ground venison (thanks to my hunter brother-in-law), so that has been my meat of choice for the past few batches. I’ve used ground turkey, diced chicken, and cheap steak that I cut up pretty small.

For a vegetarian version, I’ll cut three or four carrots into about a half inch dice and brown them with the onions and garlic. The carrots do make for a sweeter chili, but give the mouth feel of meat.
I buy all my spices at "Your DeKalb Farmer's Market" in Decatur, GA. They are always fresher than what I find at the grocery store and cost a whole lot less, too. At the in-laws, I have made this with grocery store spices, and I had to use more chili powder and cumin than usual. If you have a good source for high quality spices, pay a little extra if you must; they're worth it. If you live in the metro-Atlanta area, go to YDFM.


Rob (Christina's husband)

34 comments:

Georgia Girl said...

Oh cool...yours sounds just like I do mine minus the cumin...so maybe that is what is missing in mine...I have heard of cumin but just never have used it before...so gotta add to my grocery list....

So I see your a big time cooker too.My hubby is also one..we are doing a pig pickin the weekend of Halloween and gosh you guys are in Atlanta...we are in the Dublin area. Ya ought to head on down...it's a family thing. My hubby made his grill a few years back...You two need to get together and cook up some good ole vittles...Ok not the kind granny does..lol

Thanks for the recipe...will try the cumin out and tell you what I think.
Beth

M.L. @ The House of Whimsy said...

You have a great Site! Guess what I saw in a shop just today? One of your paperback pumpkins WITH one of those single eyeglass thingies that always has a cord or ribbon attached. So, the eyeglass covered one pumpkin eye, then the black velvet ribbon went from eyeglass to the side (where ear would be) and then they dangled a little crystal-drop from the end of the ribbon. Cute stuff. : )

Essential Oil Premier University said...

Here in Michigan it's chili season too. That and my bread machine going. . . perfect combo!!

Blessings and thanks for sharing hubby's recipe with us all,

Sher

Tausha said...

my hubby loves homemade chili-I do not. He would be in heaven if I made this one! Thanks for sharing such a "manly" yummy recipe!

Joy said...

My mouth is watering! It sounds delicious.
Your home looks lovely all dressed in it's fall and Halloween decorations. Those book jack-o-lanters are so simple, but oh so cute!
Have a wonderful week!

Empty Nest Full Life said...

That sounds wonderful, and haven't tried the cumin so that will be the version I try next time. Jackie

Victoria said...

I can say that I have tried Rob's chili and it is wonderful! Hmmmm...wonder how I could talk him into making his SIL a pot o'chili?!?! ;)

Empty Nest Full Life said...

I have tried the paperback pumpkin and mine is not fanning out well, what do you think I am doing wrong? Jackie

Shannon said...

Sounds so delicious!! I want some now and it is only 9:40am!

Darlene said...

That recipe sounds delicious....the colder it gets here the more I want some chili and cornbread!!!! We are supposed to drop down pretty cold by Wednesday!!!!

Anonymous said...

MMM your chili looks and sounds so good - I have been wanting to make some for weeks and just haven't gotten around to it yet!

Meg said...

Chili just happens to be one of my favorite foods! I can't wait to try this. Anything Rob makes is superb!

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