Saturday (Started Friday) Chili

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I have simmered several types of beans in chili for well over an hour and they held their shape very well not turning into mush. I like to use dark red kidney beans, black beans and what they call chili beans that are canned with some chili gravy of some sorts. Sometimes I mix the beans sometimes I don't it depends on what is in the pantry and if I want to make a trip to the store or not. This is good chili, I usually put a little sugar in my chili and adding the chocolate gives me another option.

[UA2373]

Question- I'm about to make chili in a few minutes, cumin is in the recipe and I've got it- but what is it's effect?

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Question- I'm about to make chili in a few minutes, cumin is in the recipe and I've got it- but what is it's effect?

Cumin has an earthy, smoky taste and in my opinion a little goes a long way. I guess you either love it or hate it but to me chili has to have some cumin in it to get that taste right. Personally I use about half or 2/3 of what a recipe calls for, you can put more in but you can't take it out.

[alphaomega]

I use ground deer meat. I process my own and do not add any fat (like most processors do). I don't like deer burgers, so all I use it for is soups and casseroles, so i don't need the fat to hold the meat together. Venison is so lean there is NO grease in the pan. I have to spray pan with Pam before or it will stick.

Before anyone complains about the "gamey" taste of deer meat... This taste is (IMO) from the meat not being properly cared for. The most important thing about deer meat is to blood the meat before cutting it up. I use a 120qt cooler and will quarter deer up and put 20 pounds of ice and a whole can of salt in cooler and fill up with water. Keep in a cool place and replace ice if necessary to keep meat cold for 24 hours. Drain off water and cutup meat into whatever you want. Another important thing is to remove the white stringy membrane between the layers of muscle. I then use a vaccum sealer to keep meat fresh.

You would be amazed how much meat can be taken from an average sized deer.

[Jessica4Bama]

I use ground deer meat. I process my own and do not add any fat (like most processors do). I don't like deer burgers, so all I use it for is soups and casseroles, so i don't need the fat to hold the meat together. Venison is so lean there is NO grease in the pan. I have to spray pan with Pam before or it will stick.

Before anyone complains about the "gamey" taste of deer meat... This taste is (IMO) from the meat not being properly cared for. The most important thing about deer meat is to blood the meat before cutting it up. I use a 120qt cooler and will quarter deer up and put 20 pounds of ice and a whole can of salt in cooler and fill up with water. Keep in a cool place and replace ice if necessary to keep meat cold for 24 hours. Drain off water and cutup meat into whatever you want. Another important thing is to remove the white stringy membrane between the layers of muscle. I then use a vaccum sealer to keep meat fresh.

You would be amazed how much meat can be taken from an average sized deer.

I have eaten chili that was made with deer meat. I didn't know it beforehand or I probably wouldn't have eaten it, but it turned out good. I had pulled deer meat instead of pork meat once, and that was pretty nasty. It had a very strong taste to it, and I would never eat it again made like that.

[BAMAFAN IN NY]

I get a lot of use out of this recipe

[DzynKingRTR]

I am always looking for good chilli recipes. This one I will have to try sometime this winter. I once placed 5th in a chilli cookoff many years ago. I always thought mine was better than anyone's until I tried the 4 that beat mine (technically it is my uncle's). I learned real fast I am but an amatuer. I also always add cumin and black beans to mine. for a long time I thought I was the only one who did.

[DzynKingRTR]

made this for tonight. cannot wait to eat it.

[Major42fan]

Love Chili as well! I usually make mine with a 50/50 mix of ground chuck and Jimmy Dean sausage. I also add 1lb. of pork chorizo and 1lb. of beef chorizo. This gives it a nice thick, pasty consistency. I usually cook the chorizo separate and try to reduce as much of the fat as possible. I love cumin in recipes. I always use it in barbecue rub as well! Also instead of chocolate I use a tablespoon of cocoa. It is a great flavor blender and knocks the edge off if something was too hot or too strong tasting. I also agree that making it the day before gives the flavors more time to come together.

[KentuckianaBFan]

I always add masa flour at the end. Thickens the chili up and gives it some extra flavor.

I like thicker chili also, as well as soups and stews, so I keep a couple of packages of cut okra (not breaded, although I've never tried that) in the freezer...the okra goes in when the liquids are added in the beginning, and will eventually disintegrate and look like peppers...creamed corn works well for thickening, too...I'll try masa next time.

[Bama Reb]

If I may insert my opinion here, I never ever use canned beans. Once in a while I like to make a pot of red kidney beans (to be served with rice and cornbread). But I'll make some extra beans so that I'll have enough left over to use in a pot of chili. I like to put them in a bowl in the freezer overnight and then move them from the bowl to a vacuum sealed bag, label the bag and stick it in the freezer. They'll last for months with a zero chance of freezer burn. Besides, leftover 'dry' beans just taste better and are much healthier than those that have sat for weeks/months/years(?) in a can full of preservatives.
Next, I always brown the chuck in a separate skillet and drain off the grease before it goes into the chili pot. That completely eliminates the need for refrigeration to skim off the grease. Sometimes I'll add in some venison or sweet Italian sausage for taste variety.
I move the beans from the freezer to the refrigerator the day before I start the chili. The beans go into the pot along with the browned chuck when I first start the chili.
Lastly, I always use a slow cooker for my chili because it allows the chili to simmer all day long so that the spices get mixed well into the mix.
Jmho
One more thing: Leftover chili is fantastic when reheated and served on a plate of rice. Yum!

[DallasRTR]

Ok, I made this on Saturday for a Super bowl party on Sunday -
Recipe is very easy to do - but here are a few surprises for me.
Oh, and FYI, I cooked mine in the crock pot. After I browned the meat on the stove and cooked the veggies on the stove, I threw everything (no beans) into a crock pot and left it alone for about 6 hours that night.
Then, the next morning, I added the beans and cooked for another 3 hours on low in the crock pot and it came out great.


Do not use pickled jalapenos. I had some in the fridge, and thought I would use them -
Do not do this - use fresh raw ones. You will get a briny taste in the chili -
Mine cooked off, and the chili was great, but next time, I'll use raw fresh ones.

Too much fluid - I would start with about 2-3 cups of fluid, from water to beer. I used 1 1/2 cups of Shiner in mine and 3 cups of water. Way too much fluid for me. I would start with 1 cup of beer and 1 1/2 cups of water. You can always add more water later.

I came in tied for 1st place on the chili cook off during the super bowl party. This chili really tasted good!!

[Hymnolong]

I wanna try this coz I love spicy foods.Yum!