Real Chili on Food Network next week...

[wyoMUfan]

I've made it a few times and have it pretty close, I avoid the cloves and use unsweetened baking chocolate; the key is to cook a day or two in advance and then let it chill in the fridge until its ready to drop in the crock pot and warm up...

mmmm

[ChicosBailBonds]

I've made it a few times and have it pretty close, I avoid the cloves and use unsweetened baking chocolate; the key is to cook a day or two in advance and then let it chill in the fridge until its ready to drop in the crock pot and warm up...

mmmm

That's kind of my point....it's one thing to have the ingredients correct, quite another to have the process correct.  Both are needed.  What's been listed here could be the right ingredients...who knows.  Let's say for giggles that they are, but are people taking the tender loving care to follow the process correctly? 

[wyoMUfan]

what process?
Hire a stoned 19 year old from Tosa to scoop it into a bowl for you?

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

I absolutely love Real Chili. And a recipe I found on here from TomW1365 is the real deal...about as close as I've ever tasted. In fact, it's been awhile since I've had the real thing and I swear I thought I was in Milwaukee when I made it last week. It's that close. I don't know if it was the allspice, chipotle or what...but I was overjoyed with the similarity. Absolutely great. Thank you to TomW!

I've also made the first two from the Wiki (#3 is closer) and they're not even close. In fact, they shouldn't even be listed. Chocolate and cinnamon? No freaking way. That's Cincinnati chili!

Try this recipe...you won't be disappointed.

http://www.muscoop.com/index.php?topic=15752.0

[StillAWarrior]

hey guys...........................
    I love Real Chili, but I'd be hard-pressed to identify it as the best thing I've ever eaten in a bowl.  Perhaps if the episode was, "the best thing I've ever eaten on Wells Street in Milwaukee

That sound oddly familiar...

[Hards Alumni]

I absolutely love Real Chili. And a recipe I found on here from TomW1365 is the real deal...about as close as I've ever tasted. In fact, it's been awhile since I've had the real thing and I swear I thought I was in Milwaukee when I made it last week. It's that close. I don't know if it was the allspice, chipotle or what...but I was overjoyed with the similarity. Absolutely great. Thank you to TomW!

I've also made the first two from the Wiki (#3 is closer) and they're not even close. In fact, they shouldn't even be listed. Chocolate and cinnamon? No freaking way. That's Cincinnati chili!

Try this recipe...you won't be disappointed.

http://www.muscoop.com/index.php?topic=15752.0

fwiw I tried it (slight modifications, I put the beans in the chili bc I was going to eat them anyway), and it was amazing.  Not sure if it is 100% real chili tasting, but who cares, its great.

[TomW1365]

I absolutely love Real Chili. And a recipe I found on here from TomW1365 is the real deal...about as close as I've ever tasted. In fact, it's been awhile since I've had the real thing and I swear I thought I was in Milwaukee when I made it last week. It's that close. I don't know if it was the allspice, chipotle or what...but I was overjoyed with the similarity. Absolutely great. Thank you to TomW!

I've also made the first two from the Wiki (#3 is closer) and they're not even close. In fact, they shouldn't even be listed. Chocolate and cinnamon? No freaking way. That's Cincinnati chili!

Try this recipe...you won't be disappointed.

http://www.muscoop.com/index.php?topic=15752.0

Thanks for the compliment!  I actually did a comparison between the real thing and found that it comes out closer if you use unsweetened baking chocolate and cook it for a few hours...

[77ncaachamps]

Tom, you are HARDCORE.

I am unworthy...

[Lighthouse 84]

I've made this a few times as well.  My problem is I haven't found the Chipotle spice yet so I add a little more Cayenne and Chili powder.  It's outstanding whether it is the actual Real Chili recipe or not.

[Chili]

I've made this a few times as well.  My problem is I haven't found the Chipotle spice yet so I add a little more Cayenne and Chili powder.  It's outstanding whether it is the actual Real Chili recipe or not.

http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeyschipotle.html

Or go to any good grocer (or the latin part of your town) or spice shop.

[🏀]

I've made this a few times as well.  My problem is I haven't found the Chipotle spice yet so I add a little more Cayenne and Chili powder.  It's outstanding whether it is the actual Real Chili recipe or not.

My local Meijer has it.

[SaintPaulWarrior]

My local Meijer has it.

Also grind it fresh....found this at some local store but cannot remember the name, sorry.  Adds a real fresh flavor and I cannot wait to try it with the unsweetened chocolate.

http://www.spiceislands.com/Spices/SpiceDetails.aspx?Id=d05e91f5-fb6d-4622-b86d-d867928ffede

[NavinRJohnson]

I've also made the first two from the Wiki (#3 is closer) and they're not even close. In fact, they shouldn't even be listed. Chocolate and cinnamon? No freaking way. That's Cincinnati chili!

I agree. Save the chocolate for desert. I accidentally  found a way to get damn close, and make my life very easy. Chili 9000 from Penzy's that my wife picked up for me a while back works out pretty well. Its not exact, but I bet I could fool an awful lot of people with it. I brown the gr. beef and make sure it ends up pretty fine, use some tomato paste and water and/or beef stock. Cook it slowly, and it ends up damn close and is very easy. By the time you add the spaghetti, cheese, sour cream, and vinegar, you can't tell the difference.

http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeyschili9000.html

[TomW1365]

I agree. Save the chocolate for desert. I accidentally  found a way to get damn close, and make my life very easy. Chili 9000 from Penzy's that my wife picked up for me a while back works out pretty well. Its not exact, but I bet I could fool an awful lot of people with it. I brown the gr. beef and make sure it ends up pretty fine, use some tomato paste and water and/or beef stock. Cook it slowly, and it ends up damn close and is very easy. By the time you add the spaghetti, cheese, sour cream, and vinegar, you can't tell the difference.

http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeyschili9000.html

Unsweetened chocolate adds color and a tartness... it's not sweet at all.  But tinkering is what chili is all about!

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Bump.

Just wanted to give props to TomW for recipe #4 in the wiki.  Definitely the closest thing to Real Chili that I've made. 

Won me a bottle of booze in the office chili cook-off for best chili.

[StillAWarrior]

Bump.

Just wanted to give props to TomW for recipe #4 in the wiki.  Definitely the closest thing to Real Chili that I've made. 

Won me a bottle of booze in the office chili cook-off for best chili.

This may be sacrilege...

I preface this statement by saying, I love me some Real Chili.  That said, any chili cook-off that is won by a Real Chili knock-off is a little sad.  To me, at least.

[real chili 83]

This may be sacrilege...

I preface this statement by saying, I love me some Real Chili.  That said, any chili cook-off that is won by a Real Chili knock-off is a little sad.  To me, at least.

Why?

[Jay Bee]

This may be sacrilege...

I preface this statement by saying, I love me some Real Chili.  That said, any chili cook-off that is won by a Real Chili knock-off is a little sad.  To me, at least.

Keep in my where ZFB works... not the classiest joint ever, a1na? When he said 'office' he meant 'warehouse'.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Keep in my where ZFB works... not the classiest joint ever, a1na? When he said 'office' he meant 'warehouse'.

Ya caught me. All's i had to beat was 3 strippers and the meth head DJ.

[StillAWarrior]

Why?

Because Real Chili is not real chili. I love it, but I grew up in the Southwest. Chili means something a little different to me...I guess I’m a chili snob.  At least I’m a chili snob that enjoys a nice bowl of Real Chili...but I’m probably not voting for it in a chili cook off.  And if I am, that means there’s none of the stuff I really like there.

[real chili 83]

Because Real Chili is not real chili. I love it, but I grew up in the Southwest. Chili means something a little different to me...I guess I’m a chili snob.  At least I’m a chili snob that enjoys a nice bowl of Real Chili...but I’m probably not voting for it in a chili cook off.  And if I am, that means there’s none of the stuff I really like there.

Gotta good recipe to share?

[🏀]

Because Real Chili is not real chili. I love it, but I grew up in the Southwest. Chili means something a little different to me...I guess I’m a chili snob.  At least I’m a chili snob that enjoys a nice bowl of Real Chili...but I’m probably not voting for it in a chili cook off.  And if I am, that means there’s none of the stuff I really like there.

Yeah, let's see a real recipe, snob.

[4everwarriors]

Bottled water delivery dudes do chili cook offs, hey?

[StillAWarrior]

Gotta good recipe to share?

I honestly don't usually use a recipe, but I'll give it a shot.  My preference is green chili, so that's what I usually make (and this has caused me to decide to make some tonight).  Completely different beast, but I love it.

You can go with either beef or pork, but I prefer pork.  So, I'd start with a couple pounds of cubed pork (but you can easily go with a couple pounds of ground beef or a mixture of cubed pork and ground beef).  Brown it in a hot pan on the stove.  It's going to simmer for while later on, so it's going to get cooked through even if you don't cook it completely through while browning it.  If you're using pork, I'd remove it from the pan and then move to the next step (if you're using ground beef, you can just add the next ingredients with the drained beef).  Sweat 1-2 chopped onions in the pan that you cooked the meat in until they're getting soft.  If the pork was really lean, you might need a little fat (olive oil will work - if you used ground beef, you'll probably have plenty of fat already).  Near the end of that, add a couple cloves minced garlic.

Use a little bit of flour (maybe 1T or so) to make a simple roux.  Make sure the flour cooks - maybe a minute or so.

Now for the green chiles.  Like most other things, fresh is better.  If you can get them, roast 10-12 nice size green chiles.  If you can get Hatch,* those are the best.  If you can't, anaheims or poblanos will work just fine and are pretty widely available.    After you roast them peel and seed them and chop them up.**  If you can't get good fresh chiles or if you want an easier process, you can use canned green chiles - probably 3-4 cans.  I prefer to buy the whole ones and chop them roughly rather than the finely diced ones.  I'm going for about 1.5-2 cups of chopped green chiles.

Add the chiles and also 1-2 roasted/chopped jalapeno peppers (depending on heat preference) to the meat/onion/garlic.  Again, you can use canned jalapenos if you want.  Also add a couple of cans of whole tomatoes and mash them up.  Add a couple cups of chicken stock (store-bought works fine; you can also use water which works fine but won't be as rich tasting).  Add salt, pepper, garlic powder and cumin to taste.  I don't use chili powder - this is a different kind of chili with a different flavor and trust me, you'll have enough heat and don't need to add chili powder for heat.  Let it all cook together for a couple of hours.  Serve with warm flour tortillas.

This is my preference.  It's more from the SW/New Mexico style of chili.  It's not thick like a lot of chili, and there are no beans.  It's more of a broth-based chili than most people are accustomed to.  And, to repeat myself, it's not a "chili powder" flavor.  New Mexico-style mexican food (which I grew up on) is much more about the fresh green chile flavor than the chili powder flavor that is more common elsewhere.

I also make a more traditional red chili with beans (i.e., tomato-based and flavored with chili powder), which I also like (and my midwestern family prefers).  It's been a tradition at my house to make a pot of green and pot of red on Christmas eve.  But the green chili is my favorite and is what I would vote for at a chili cook-off.  I fully acknowledge that it's quite possible that I'd be the only one voting for it.

Remember that tomatoes will counteract heat.  If you end up with chili that is hotter than you or others want (which is quite possible if you're not accustomed to green chili), more tomatoes will tone it down.

If anyone tries this, I'd be interested to hear how it goes.



*A quick plug for Hatch chiles - when they're in season later summer/fall, you can buy them online and have them shipped if you can't get them where you are.  They are awesome.  Roast them and then freeze them and you have them all year round.

**Let me know if you have questions about how to roast/peel/seed green chiles.