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It's chili time! I would have been making it today, but since I was working didn't want to leave my ground beef out to thaw all day. I'm experimenting with my chili recipe, this year, and trusting that my knowledge and flavor instincts are right on point, to make a great pot of chili. The changes I'm incorporating are the use of a coarse, chili, grind of ground beef, chorizo (Mexican) sausage, red bell pepper, onions, tomato sauce, chili seasoning, hot taco seasoning, fire roasted diced tomatoes, a can of Wolf Brand Chili with beans, and a can of refried beans, for extra thickening and flavor. A quart of water also goes into the pot. The actual new additions are the chorizo and the refried beans; though it's also the first time I purposely bought coarse ground beef, which is more about texture than flavor. With the rain, and cooler temperatures, we've been having, it's the perfect time to make a pot of chili, and tomorrow I'll be throwing it all together. :-)
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 Comments
I'm curious how the refried beans work out. Please let us know. :~)
31 Oct 14 by member: Hipaagrammy
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I won't know until tomorrow, as I've never tried it before, but either way I'll say if it does what I think it will, both flavor wise, and as a thickener. All I know is, in my mind, it should work. :-)
31 Oct 14 by member: ShyGuy
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I made my chili and it turned out pretty good. However, the changes I made didn't have the desired effect. The refried beans didn't have the thickening effect, I'd hoped for, and the chorizo blended in so well that it was indistinguishable from the ground beef. I will use the coarse ground beef again, but the other changes are just a maybe.
02 Nov 14 by member: ShyGuy
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Thanks for the report. It seems like the refried beans should have added a good flavor even if it didn't thicken. I'm glad it was good.
03 Nov 14 by member: Hipaagrammy
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Are you cooking this in a pot on the stove, in a crockpot, or in the oven? I've found that the crockpot always results in a very wet chili and stopped making for it that way. On the stove (without a lid) helps to reduce the "gravy" for a thicker chili but you have to stir it often. I've started cooking my chili in the oven, in a dutch oven (without the lid). It reduces very well and produces a rather thick chili without any babysitting needed. Also, maybe adding the chorizo in bigger pieces will help it stand out better. Just a thought....
03 Nov 14 by member: DarleneW101
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Hipaagrammy; I'm sure the refried beans added to the flavor, overall, but it was well hidden within the chili seasonings. Darlene; I usually cook my chili in a pot on the stove. It's possible that because I kept the lid on, during the hour long cooking time, is the reason it didn't thicken like I'd hoped. Today, when I heat it back up, I'll make sure the lid is slightly ajar so that, as it starts to reduce, there won't be spatter all over the stove and floor. I've never considered cooking chili in the oven, so thanks for the suggestion. I will also use chorizo in links, the next time, so, as you said, the bigger pieces, even if cut up, will help it stand out better. Thanks ladies, as I don't mind tweaking my recipe to make it even better. :-)
03 Nov 14 by member: ShyGuy
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I also normally cook my chili for at least 2 or 3 hours. Low, slow and uncovered and there isn't splatter that way.
03 Nov 14 by member: DarleneW101
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Thanks Darlene. Though I don't have another 2 hours to let it simmer, tonight, as I have tonight's portion simmering right now, I may give that a try tomorrow. Tonight it's only going to have about thirty minutes. Regardless, as the flavors marry with time, it will keep getting better each day.
03 Nov 14 by member: ShyGuy
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WOW! An extra hour of simmer time, and a bit of re-seasoning with a few shakes of hot sauce, ketchup, and some black pepper; I've now got a killer batch of chili. That was spicy and tasty, without scorching my tongue, and I look forward to having more tomorrow. :-D
03 Nov 14 by member: ShyGuy
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