This is a tip I've never heard before. Why would this work? You'd sear the outside but cook the inside. Or sear the outside and leave it raw on the inside. Plus, you'd have chunks sticking together.

Honestly it sounds like an awful "tip."

It's a way of making sure not to overcrowd the pan. It allows you to get a sear on the beef, rather than just boil it in it's juices.
Once you get a nice browning, break it apart. It will break up totally by the time the chili is done simmering.

I offered it because every pot of ground beef in this thread looks grey and boiled. Go look at the crusts in the steak thread. crust is good!

The best way to not overcrowd the pan is to not overcrowd the pan though. Chili takes a long time to make anyway (at least for me) so the additional time it takes to brown in 2 or more batches is not that big, relatively speaking.

Just discovered Chipotle Tabasco Sauce mmmmmmmmmm me like!

So I read this thread and was inspired. I held a poker game on Saturday and made Chili for everyone.

Ingredients:

2 Lbs Top round steak
3 or 4 Japanese Red Chilies
2 Yellow Chilies
1 or 2 Jalapeno peppers
1 Habanero Pepper
1 Onion
6 Garlic cloves
Veg oil

1 Sweet corn can
1 Kidney Beans can
1 Black Beans can

Most of a Guinness
Splash of Jim Beam
12-16oz Beef Broth
6 oz Tomato Paste
1 28oz can Crushed Tomato


A lot of Cumin
A lot of Chili Powder
A little Paprika
Dash Cinnamon
A little Black Pepper
Splash Apple Cider Vinegar







Steps

1. Saute onions in veg oil for 10 min.



2. Brown meat while onions going, set aside. I made sure not to crowd pan and did in batches.



3. Added peppers, went for another 5-10. Also added lots of cumin and other spices per the advice that powdered spice dissolves well in veg oil.



4. Added Garlic and went for another 5.

5. Added meat, went for 5-10

6. Added broth, booze, tomato liquids went for another 90-120 min.



7. Added Beans and corn, went another hour



The chili bar contained:
Sour Cream
Tortilla rounds
Fritos
Mexican shredded cheese
Tapatillo
Franks Red Hot
Diced Onions
Diced Jalapenos

While the big pot was going, I made a side pot as a vegetarian option. I always have at least one veggie in the game and often more...LOL San Francisco.



Made exactly the same except the bean/corn ration was higher and I added frozen crinkle cut carots.

That is basically it. and after all that I forgot to take the money shot of the prepared bowl.

Results:

Spiciness was great, had one complaint that it was a bit spicy...and I told him that is what sour cream is for. Was pretty tomato-y, but I'm into that. Beef was tender. A success! I only got to have one medium-sized bowl, it went pretty quick...so I am eager to make another batch.

Hi EDF Chili Thread,

Made a big batch of superbowl chili and took lots of pictures. Really pleased with the results - a smoky, spicy chili with great consistency. Spice lingered for a long time, but wasn't over-powering. All in all, the best chili I've ever made. Thanks to all who posted in the thread for ideas.

And now...food pr0n:

The lineup:



Meats:
Beef short ribs
Stew Beef
Ground beef
Thick cut bacon

The Veg:
Red Peppers
Poblano Peppers
Yellow Onion
Garlic
Cilantro

The Heat:
Habenero (from my garden
Dried Chipotle
Dried mystery red peppers from my garden (Have no idea what kind of peppers these are, but I dried a bunch of them and they add nice heat and flavor. Often use them in tomato sauces)
Jalapeno
Serano

Spices:
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Cinnamon
Cayenne pepper
Smoked Paprika
Cumin
Kosher Salt
Black pepper

Tomato:
Crushed Tomato in can
Tomato Paste

Beans (I prefer no beans in chili, but my wife loves them...):
Black Beans
Kidney Beans
Pink Beans

Other:
100% coco Chocolate
Zest and juice of limes (Not pictured)
Molasses (Not pictured)
Bourbon
Beer (to steep the dried chipotle)
Brown Sugar (Not pictured)

First, let's do some prep work - Veg-e-ta-ble CHOP!



And prep the meats:



Bacon goes in the pot first, and then we sear the meats in batches in delicious pork fat:



Looking good:



And the stew beef:



Sit the meat aside in Big Bowl-o-Beef:



And give the spices a quick roast:



Now the Veg gets sauteed with the spice and a little olive oil:



Add tomato and liquid and bring to a boil:



And while we're adding bourbon, a little taste for the chef:



In go the beans, meat, cilantro, chocolate and lime....we're at maximum capacity! Time to start the long, slow simmer.



Short-ribs after two hours of simmering. Meat pulling back off the bone nicely, but not falling off yet. Back in the pot with you.



At the two hour mark I did a quick taste test and though things were a little too smoky (I was probably a bit heavy handed with smoked paprika). Added about 2 tsp of molasses and maybe a tbs of brown sugar along with another round of seasoning. We'll see how it turns out in another hour.

After ~3.5 hours in the pot, the short ribs are falling apart. Time to take the meat off the bone:



Here we are after about 5 hours of simmering...the finished product:



Too much sour cream and cheese, but still magically delicious. Chili protip - if you don't try Chili with sourdough bread, you're letting the terrorists win:



Finally, I will enjoy you with a Dogfish 90 minute:



The End.

foo,

Yum.

good stuff. i havent made chile in a long time.
dutch oven cast iron pot. meat stays in it from the beginning.
no canned products unless really pressed for time. real tomatoes and soak your beans.
beer added

Offtopic, but speaking of Dutch ovens - I love mine.

If you haven't tried already, highly recommend baking bread in your Dutch oven. I've made many variations of the basic NYT no-knead loaf with great success:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/081mrex.html

Requires a little planning ahead, but is incredibly simple and results in a delicious loaf of bread.

Even more offtopic. Anybody think a general cookware thread would get any love from the renaissance men of EDF?

Great post foobar. There's no such thing as too much sour cream and cheese.

I can echo your comments about the bread. Great recipe, never fails! And, I would love a general cookware thread. I don't as yet have a dutch oven, and make my bread in a large, heavy pot. I intend to go La Cruesset at some point, but that is a lot of coin.