Alright, let’s talk about some damn good chili. You know, the kind that sticks to your ribs and warms you right up, especially when it’s cold outside. I ain’t no fancy chef or nothin’, just a regular person who likes good food, and this here chili, well, it’s somethin’ special.
First off, you gotta get yourself some good meat. I like to use ground beef, but you can use whatever you got. Some folks like to mix in some sausage or even chunks of beef, but I stick to the ground stuff mostly. Makes it easier to chew, you know? And don’t skimp on the meat neither. You want a hearty chili, you gotta have plenty of meat.
Then comes the onions. I chop up a whole bunch of ’em. Big ones, small ones, don’t matter much, just get a good pile of them chopped up and throw ‘em in the pot with the meat. Let them onions cook down real good, til they get all soft and see-through. That’s when they start to get sweet and add that real good flavor to your chili.
- Meat, lots of it!
- Onions, gotta have onions.
- Beans, the more the merrier!
Now, about them beans. I like to use a mix of beans. Kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans… sometimes I even throw in some of them white beans if I got ‘em. Beans are good for ya, fill you up and make the chili nice and thick. Don’t forget to rinse them beans good before you put them in the pot though. Gets rid of all that extra stuff they put in the cans.
Next up is the tomatoes. I use canned tomatoes, diced or crushed, whatever I got on hand. Some folks like to use fresh tomatoes, but that’s too much work for me. Canned tomatoes work just fine, and they’re cheaper too. And don’t go pourin’ out the juice from the can, you want all that tomatoey goodness in your chili.
Then comes the spices. This is where it gets tricky. You don’t want too much spice, but you don’t want it bland neither. I use chili powder, of course, lots of it. And then some cumin, some garlic powder, and a little bit of oregano. Salt and pepper too, gotta have salt and pepper. And if you like it a little spicy, you can add some cayenne pepper or some jalapenos. But be careful, a little bit goes a long way.
Secret Ingredient? Well, I wouldn’t say it’s a secret, but I like to add a little bit of cocoa powder to my chili. Just a spoonful or two. It gives it a little bit of richness and depth of flavor. Don’t worry, it don’t taste like chocolate, it just makes the chili taste better. You can also use a little bit of dark beer or even some coffee. Just a little bit, mind you, you don’t want to turn your chili into a coffee drink.
Now, once you got all your ingredients in the pot, you gotta let it simmer. Low and slow, that’s the key to good chili. I let it simmer for at least two hours, sometimes three or four, if I got the time. The longer it simmers, the better it tastes. And don’t forget to stir it every now and then, so it don’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
And that’s pretty much it. Damn good chili, just like I promised. It ain’t rocket science, just good ingredients and a little bit of patience. You can eat it by itself, or you can put it on hot dogs or hamburgers. I like to eat it with cornbread, but that’s just me. You can eat it however you like. Just make sure you got plenty of napkins, cause it can get messy.
Now, some folks like to add all sorts of fancy things to their chili. Bell peppers, corn, even pineapple! Can you believe that? Pineapple in chili? That ain’t right. I like to keep it simple. Meat, onions, beans, tomatoes, and spices. That’s all you need for a damn good chili. You don’t need all that fancy stuff. Just good, honest ingredients and a whole lotta love. And that’s the truth.
One last thing. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Maybe you like your chili spicier, or maybe you like it sweeter. Maybe you want to add more beans, or less meat. It’s your chili, you can do whatever you want with it. Just have fun with it and don’t be afraid to try new things. And who knows, maybe you’ll come up with your own damn good chili recipe.
So there you have it, my recipe for damn good chili. It ain’t the prettiest chili, and it ain’t the fanciest, but it’s damn good. And that’s all that matters. Now go on and make yourself a pot, you won’t regret it. And if you do make it, make sure you make enough to share, cause chili is always better when you share it with folks you care about.
