When You Make a Pot of Chili......

What kind of meat do you use to make chili? I usually make it with ground beef, but sometimes in restaurants the meat is in nice little chunks, and it's not just ground hamburger. Does anyone here make it like that? (btw, I won't use ground turkey or anything 'wild' like venison)

I normally use lean ground beef or ground turkey in mine. Sometimes I get sweet italian turkey sausages and chop them up small and use them in there too- it tastes soo good that way (If you want to make it even more tasty you can cook up some bacon - i use turkey bacon but you could use regular if you like- and add that to it after you cook it seperate- it makes for a yummy chili!) I use lots of tomatos, onion, garlic, and spices in it too ....but if i'm making it just for me I leave out the beans (I hate beans ) I normally make it for DH too though so i put his favorite beans in it when I do.

We always serve our chili over jasmine rice DH's mom is from Vietnam and that's how she always fixes it- she fixed if for me once that way and now I love it! Try serving it over rice sometime- it makes it sooo much better and more filling (if you don't have jasmine you could use brown rice or others i'm sure)

Also good on top of angel hair pasta! I do that with the leftovers, which are always better the second day!
I use ground beef as well. I have used venison, a little stong tasting but good if you like a very meaty tasting chili.
Here on this lake they have a big chili party every year, in January! Everyone brings a pot of chili and it gets dumped into a giant cauldren over an open fire. there are bits of everything in it, lol, but it is a good, (though cold) time. alcohol is of course involved (got to keep warm you know) One of the people always brings a pot of white turkey chili, it is delish! That does not get dumped into the cauldren.

A very good friend of mine that I grew up with, who now owns a fantastic restaurant in New Orleans, always makes his with filet mignon and it is out of this world. He uses ground sirlon, too.

I usually use ground beef for mine. But you could also use stewing beef. Cut each chunk smaller than what you find in the package. And use that.

When I make chili I also use several kinds of beans: red kidney, white kidney, chick peas and black beans. Sometimes I even add pinto beans. It gives it some extra interest and texture.

At the end you can also stir in some frozen corn kernels and some chunks of cooked potatoes if you want a more south western style. If you opt to cook the potatoes in the actual chili I would suggest adding more water to the chili. But I tend to cook the potatoes separate because I don't want the added starch in my chili.

I love chili. Food is such a personal thing. No beans, ever. And chili on pasta or rice is just wrong. Frito pie, occassionally, but it is a kid's meal.

Beef (cubed sirloin, chili ground beef), pork, chicken. Usually a mix.
And the hotter the better.

I have a great recipe for chicken and bean chili and the chicken is cut into chunks.

My favorite chili, though, is a vegetarian chili.

Corn goes great with chili. If I still have leftovers I make a casserole, layering the chili, then corn, tortilla chips or leftover taco shells (fritos also work well, I use the red hot ones) chedder cheese, than repeat that till the dish is full.

I make mine with sirloin steak cut into small chunks. If I am going to simmer it for hours, I'll sometimes use chuck steak.

Filet mignon in chili? That's a waste of a good steak!!

I make mine with the least expensive cut of boneless beef I can find. Then I trim all the fat and cut it into chunks and toss it in the slow cooker. Adding my beans during the last 30 minutes. Its soooo tender and yummy : )

I like to buy a nice sirloin steak and cut it in to bite sized cubes. It always tastes great! Hamburger meat seems to get lost in the chili, but you're safe with some sirloin

Why do I get the feeling that if I checked on the "Whats for dinner tonight" thread a lot of people are going to be saying chili? lol I know I have a taste for it now, and I have all the ingriedents here, I think, must do pantry investigation. No ground beef I know, but there are some frozen steaks....

I use ground beef. I'd like to get ahold of some deer meat for chili though.

Unfortunately, DH is very picky about his food. I couldn't get away with serving chili over rice or pasta, or mixing corn with it, etc. He loves my chili the way it is, but I think those chunks of meat once in awhile would be a nice change. I think I'll try it with the stew meat one time and the sirloin steak the next.
Yeah, now I've got a taste for chili myself.

Beef and pork stew meat, usually.

I use venison that I harvested myself . At least I know it doesn't have any hormones in it and how the meat was treated prior to processing. It's also a lot leaner than beef so it's more healthy overall. I just need to find a good chili recipe though. I have found okay ones but never anything outstanding.

I also wanted to add that I hate beans in chili. I guess it's a Texan thing.

Originally Posted by luvmycat1

I use ground beef. I'd like to get ahold of some deer meat for chili though.

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It is very rich tasting. If you are not a game meat eater you would not like it, has a liver tasting undertone. Hunting season is just around the corner (I live in Wisconsin) so game will be available, though Im not sure they worked out the CWD issue.

Of course I use no meat -- just beans, partially mashed to give it more texture, and a whoooole lotta onions. So you carnivores might not appreciate it, but on the spiciness scale, I'll stack my chili up against anybody's!

IMO the only way to make chili is spicy! I am indeed a carnivore, but I do like a good veg chili.

Originally Posted by CarolPetunia

Of course I use no meat -- just beans, partially mashed to give it more texture, and a whoooole lotta onions. So you carnivores might not appreciate it, but on the spiciness scale, I'll stack my chili up against anybody's!

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Want some home grown habanero peppers to spice yours up? I've got bags of them.