Weird things folks put in chili !^%$#@)

Not so normal things to add when cooking a pot of chili. Dont knock em till uve tried em! Not necessarily all at once. Every pot has it's own soul!!

Ranch dip mix, peanut butter, chocolate, celery, carrots.... anyone have more???
Joe

I've heard that there are people that put beans in chili. Hahahahahahaha!!!!

Vayo con Queso

I usually throw the last cup of coffee in the pot.

I used to work with someone who put bean sprouts in his chili... yuck!!! And he had the nerve to still call it chili.

Someone's probably covered this in the past, but peanut butter used to be added when a customer would complain chili was too hot. Some people then started adding it for richness, or bacuase they were just used to it.

BUT, several people with allergies have died from eating chili with peanut butter.

At a cook off last year in WVA one of the chilis that made it to the finals (10K first prize), contained a bottle of Killians Red beer and a cup of Captain Morgans. When we sampled finalists chilis that evening no one would touch that foul smelling brew, though we spent some time daring one another.

I've watched cooks throw in slices of cheese (muenster), supposedly to smooth out the chili, and I've heard of a guy throwing in a handful of red skittle to improve the color (that story may have been BS). And of course a lot of competition cooks swear by floating a prune in their chili, again for smoothness. Never had any luck with that myself.

Vayo con Queso

I once made a pot of chili using leftover turkey the week after Thanksgiving. On second thought, maybe that's not so weird. It actually turned out very tasty. Used the Tabasco green sauce in it for flavoring instead of the usual red or chipotle.

I've never heard of peanut butter or floating a prune to smooth out the chili. Heck, if I wanted it smooth, I wouldn't have dumped in all that hot sauce.

Ashphalt, thanks for the history on peanut butter in chili! And, good ro make sure no one is allergic!

Oh yes, coffee Bill.

Laststandchili, beer ive used. I like Shiner Back, it's real Texas! Rum?? haven't tried that. Ewww, cocanut rum @#$% Prune?? couldn't hurt. Thanks!
joe

I have heard some people tell me that they like to put green beans in their chili but I have not tried that. I also knew a guy that had to have a peanut butter sandwich with his chili as that is how he learned to eat it in an elementary schoool cafeteria.

quote:

Originally posted by laststandchili

I've heard that there are people that put beans in chili. Hahahahahahaha!!!!

Vayo con Queso

Beans? In chili? You must be kidding.

Oh, Shanghai Jimmy, famous for his chili rice in Dallas served lemonaid with the chili. Sounds weird but.....it made the chili good!

About the beans in chili controversy, it just makes it chili stew!!!!
Joe

in cincinnati, we put in cloves, cinnamon, and chocolate.

then again, I don't think most people outside cincinnati would call this chili

never add a finger or even half of a finger in chili. bad idea.

or if you do, don't sue the merchant you purchased it from for millions in "damages"

i add a hint of cinnamon...also good chuck, onions, habeneros, onions, tomato paste...spices. spicy kick and than a little kindness from the cinnamon

Kidney beans.

I lived in Wisconsin for a couple of years and nearly every bowl of chili I had there, whether at the home of a friend or in a restaurant, had macaroni in it. 'Twas fine with me. I also like a little whole kernel corn in my chili.

I haven't tried it but I did read a recipe called "Kenny Roger's Fire and Ice Chili" that listed a can of pineapple chunks for one of the ingredients... suppose to tame the hot peppers..

a little Jack Daniels always helps

Every vegetable on hand goes in my veggie or my turkey chili.

OK, Adjudicator...
Dark red kidney beans and cinnamon sugar, cuz, then it uh, goes, uh with that yellow stuff, mentioned on another thread that I wont mention.
LOL
La La La- "fingers in my ears here".. I cant hear yooooooo!

I never liked whole kernels of corn in chili.
It looks bad.
Whole kernels in brown mixture. Not a pleasant sight.

Not so sure its an odd addition but I use a can or 2 of "rotel"

Rotel is a good idea in my opinion.....I've often added that. In the absence of Rotel in my pantry, I add a couple small cans of diced green chilis. Love green chilis with lots of things and Rotel of course just adds more tomatoes plus the chilis.

I also add much more Cumin than called for as I love the taste, in addition to Chili powder. Had fresh chili powder (purely ground up chilis from NM) once and that was awesome chili.

Donna

quote:

Originally posted by Scorereader

I never liked whole kernels of corn in chili.
It looks bad.
Whole kernels in brown mixture. Not a pleasant sight.

I got the visual...

quote:

Originally posted by dreamzpainter

Not so sure its an odd addition but I use a can or 2 of "rotel"

Thats a standard in many peoples chili from what I hear, including mine.

The worst weird thing I have had the misfortune of eating in chili is pork and beans. I like pickles in mine.

I always put hot Italian sausage in mine, along with the beef........the family loves it that way.

Interesting posts all!

Greymo, the sausage sounds good. I have used regular breakfast sausage but not italian. I must try it.

Poppy, pickles, hmm? Dill or sweet?

Donna $ Dreamz, right... Rotel is always good in chili. And right Roossy, It's a standard for lotsa folks. And I like lotsa cuman also.

Kman, a little Jack never hurts anything!

Scarlett, the pineapple could be good?

TJ, cinci chili is great! Lotsa chili parlors there and for a reason.

I threw together a pot of chili stew once and put corn, green beans, ranch style beans, and mushrooms in it! I didn't look that pretty but my guests liked it. I stress... CHILI STEW!

This is fun, I love this site!
Joe

Green chilies are a must in my chili, along with coffee. I also love a bit of vinegar in my bowl of chili, but not cooked in.

No beans as they do unpleasant things to me but I always add hot breakfast sausage, onions, bell peppers, Jalapeno peppers, cumin, ground beef, cubed beef that is browned with flour and chili spices, salt and pepper.

i do it in the crock pot on low for about 8 hours. Smells really god and works well with Tennessee fried cornbread. I add some sugar to my corn bread. It is not cause i like it but it is cause the family does. I have to get along with the tribe

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

quote:

Originally posted by txtwister

Green chilies are a must in my chili, along with coffee. I also love a bit of vinegar in my bowl of chili, but not cooked in.

TT, in my neck of the Plains growing up, the usual accessories on the table were salt & pepper, ketchup, and Crystal peppers in vinegar shaker bottle. I still like to put ketchup and vinegar on top of the served bowl. I never use either in cooking chili, only after.

Bill, you'll still find those exact bottles on tables in every little restaurant and "cafe" around here. (I'm out sort of between Abilene and Lubbock.)

I usually add some chopped up dill pickles to my bowl of chili. It's pretty good.

Try a large spoon of grape jelly.

Yesterday when I was watching the morning news, they played this horrible commercial which looked like a cooking segment. It was from Williams Seasonings and it was for chili with chocolate in it. The "2 chili cooks" said to use between 2 and 6 Hershey's kisses. I don't think I'm brave enough to try it.

quote:

Originally posted by PapaJoe8

Not so normal things to add when cooking a pot of chili. Dont knock em till uve tried em! Not necessarily all at once. Every pot has it's own soul!!

Ranch dip mix, peanut butter, chocolate, celery, carrots.... anyone have more???
Joe

New Mexican green chile, along with the red, is excellent in chile con carne.

Green chile stew (which contains green chile, whatever kind of meat you like and potatoes and maybe tomatoes) is another dish entirely, and is another food of the gods.

has anyone mentioned carrots?
I just don't like carrots in chili. Carrots in stew, definately. But leave them out of Chili, please!

i will add cinnamon in mine to cut theheat of the habaneros. i had no idea they do this in cincinatti. Is all cincy chili made this way? do texans add sweetness to their chili?

quote:

Originally posted by Poopy

Yesterday when I was watching the morning news, they played this horrible commercial which looked like a cooking segment. It was from Williams Seasonings and it was for chili with chocolate in it. The "2 chili cooks" said to use between 2 and 6 Hershey's kisses. I don't think I'm brave enough to try it.

I've heard of this, and also adding a square of baker's chocolate or some cocoa powder.

I don't add chocolate myself, but keep in mind that Mexican mole' sauce contains chile plus chocolate or cocoa and other ingredients. Chocolate may not be something you'd want to put in chile con carne, but the flavors aren't as foreign to each other as you might think.

I had an original version of the Aztec chocolate drink. Oh sure, it has cocoa in it, with wine and chili peppers. It wasn't sweet, that's for sure. paoconnell, you're definately right about cocoa and chili not being so foreign!

I always put Merlot or beer in my chili, but cinnamon? Echhhh.......I don't like the Cincinnatti style chili. I don't like pasta in it either and would most definetely not put bean sprouts or corn in it!

Andrea

quote:

Originally posted by AndreaB

I always put Merlot or beer in my chili, but cinnamon? Echhhh.......I don't like the Cincinnatti style chili. I don't like pasta in it either and would most definetely not put bean sprouts or corn in it!

Andrea

Yes, beer or wine is good cooked in chili. Also good in spaghetti sauce.

When I was a kid in Indiana, the only chili I ever saw served had spaghetti in it. Later (70s) we could get Cincinatti 5 way chili, where you can have your pick of separately offerred ingredients in your bowl. I think the ingredients were spaghetti, chile con carne (probably with cinnamon and/or cocoa), onions, shredded cheese, and beans. Someone here will know.

I attained escape velocity to New Mexico in 1985, and learned how chile, in all its varieties, should be served.

Thanks yall!
Lots of great posts! About sweeteners in Texas chili, I found a recipe at a respected Texas cooking web site that called for a bit of sugar. I had a friend who was famous for his chili, would have big parties, cook a huge vat of chili, and it alwasy had carrots. Lots on comments from the guests but they also ate lots of chili.

Oh, one of my chili secrets, ranch dip mix!
Joe

PapaJoe8,
Every time I see your name, I think of Papa Joes restaurant and marina in Islamorada, FL.
Your name brings back fond memories of living in the keys!

I always add some chipotle pepper to my chili, as well as a tablespoon of sugar. And I use a can of tomato paste to make a rich broth. And a little garlic.
When we have chili, we always accompany it with a tall, cold glass of chocolate milk, with a lot of chocolate in it. It's a really tasty combination.
But I don't think I'll ever add chocolate to my chili, that sounds nasty. Whoever does that has to be thinking of the Mexican mole sauce, which is wonderful. But putting the two together, IMHO, screws up two good things.

quote:

Originally posted by shortchef

I always add some chipotle pepper to my chili, as well as a tablespoon of sugar. And I use a can of tomato paste to make a rich broth. And a little garlic.
When we have chili, we always accompany it with a tall, cold glass of chocolate milk, with a lot of chocolate in it. It's a really tasty combination.
But I don't think I'll ever add chocolate to my chili, that sounds nasty. Whoever does that has to be thinking of the Mexican mole sauce, which is wonderful. But putting the two together, IMHO, screws up two good things.

I add beef base, V-8 juice, a tablespoon, or a few, of Hershey's Chocolate Syrup(The dark-even better)and omit
the sugar. Don't forget the cup of coffee.

Coffee?!?

Poopy, coffee adds a wonderful depth to chili.

after a few days in the pot, and about the time the coffee begins to get some mold on the top, it can be used as a cleaning substance for my brass instrument. Works great.

Sorry, I can't stand to drink coffee or even the smell of coffee. I can't imagine putting it in my chili.

CHOCOLATE SYRUP???!!!

Only thing we ever put in chili at home was kidney beans and meat and chili seasoning.No peanutbutter,prunes,etc.To me those things are'nt chili,just a mismass of ingredients.
You can even leave out the beans if you want which they do at the cookoffs.

I had chili the other day that had chunks of beef, like you'd find in a stew.
I really didn't like it that way in chili.

Scorereader, I've always felt there's "home chili" and then there's competition chili. Chili around my house (and when I had my rest.) is ground beef - at least 80/20, if not fattier - or a mix of ground beef and "chili grind" which is a very coarse ground beef, Morton's chili blend, green chilies if I'm in the mood, coffee, jalapenos if I'm in the mood, etc. But I'd be laughed out of the serious chili world with that recipe.

Well it looks like we have covered every possible weird thing anyone could think of to put in a pot of chili. Actually, I like and have tried most of the things suggested, but there are a few I havent, but will.

Oh... I did a post about smoked oysters and have now been thinking eversince how they might add to the flavor of some chili???
Joe

cilantro brightens it up.

quote:

Originally posted by stevencarry

cilantro brightens it up.

I got chastised for mentioning that I put cliantro in chili on a post several months ago...
(psst--I still do!-don't tell anyone though[;)]-I also use cinammon sugar)

quote:

Well it looks like we have covered every possible weird thing anyone could think of to put in a pot of chili. Actually, I like and have tried most of the things suggested, but there are a few I havent, but will.

Really???

I've a friend that's a professional chef and for a lark at a chili cook off, she made what she called Spam "n Jam chili (grape jam, I believe) . Of course she won. She's won 3 first places plus several 2nd's making it. She uses a variety of fresh and dried chili's, the exact types are known to her alone.
I've a question to those that add pickles to theirs. I'd consider adding Szechuan minced pickles next time. I can't picture any pickles but I haven't tried it and having an open mind, I certainly would if offered a taste. Our local restaurant reviewer downgrades a restaurant when they call a dish by a name that doesn't match what he considers a classic preparation. Now how could a say, French chef, make authentic American chili? It seems that no two area's are the same and Cincinnati, Green Bay, Southwestern and Texas couldn't be more different, not to mention everyones unique concoction. When the meat and spices are in proper balance, they all can be good

In place of the Cinnamon I use a small amount of McCormick's Pumpkin pie Spice to my Cincinnati-style Chili. Not enough to drown the basic peppered flavor of the chili, but enough to let you know that there is something in there that isn't Hot pepper.

BTW the Layer'ed chili served in the Cincinnati stands usually isn't in a bowl. They use a small platter shaped dish and add the various ingredients in layers...not all mixed together in one bowl (3-way,4-way,or 5-way). It takes some getting used to, but can be quite good.