Three Meat Chili - Aunt Bee's Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the best meat to put in chili? ›

The best meat for chili depends on the type you're making, but professionals generally use a combination of ground chuck, brisket, short ribs, or diced tri-tip sirloin mixed with bacon and sausage to layer multiple textures and flavors.

Ground beef is the most common meat for chili because it's fast and easy to prepare in large amounts. “Real chili”, as in competition chili, is made with cubed stewing beef, usually cut from the chuck, or shoulder of the animal.

The best beans for chili are pinto, kidney, and black beans, like in this easy and tasty recipe. This 3-bean chili freezes great for meals later in the week. If you prefer thinner chili, add an extra can of tomato sauce. The green chiles are not hot and add a wonderful flavor, so don't be afraid to use them.

Use lean beef, but not super lean meat. The best ground beef for chili has some fat, so 85% lean is ideal. Don't be tempted to use extra-lean beef or drain off the fat after browning the meat. The fat bastes the meat during cooking, which adds richness to the sauce and keeps the meat moist.

Only Add Flavorful Liquids

Instead of adding water to your chili, add some more flavor with chicken or beef broth, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, or even beet or wine. Each one of these options brings out different notes and levels of sweetness that will enhance your culinary creation.

If you want more of a smoky flavor, add cumin, Spanish paprika, ancho chili powder, or a combination. If you are looking for more heat, add cayenne, crushed red pepper, or Hungarian paprika. If it's too spicy add a little brown sugar and some sweet paprika.

Sweet onions are great for caramelizing due to their higher sugar content. You can cook them into your chili, serve them raw over top, or even elevate your chili with a sophisticated caramelized onion topping! Some of my favorite sweet onions are Walla, Walla, Maui, and Vidalia Onions.

Texas Chili - Chuck

Most chili lovers will tell you that this is the ideal cut of meat for stew and chili. Chuck is initially a very tough cut of beef, but when you consider the fact chuck is highly marbled, it turns out this is perfect for the low-and-slow way to cook the perfect Texas chili.

The most popular cheese to serve with a steaming bowl of chili is cheddar cheese, personal preference would dictate whether it be mild, medium or sharp cheddar. Monterey or pepper Jack cheese would be another good choice. And, then there are slices of American processed cheese that melts like no other cheese around.

If you're using canned tomatoes, look for San Marzano tomatoes canned without salt and sugar if you can find them. That way you can add your own seasonings. San Marzanos also have the best flavor for home made tomato sauce. What is a substitute for tomatoes in a chili recipe?

Does Gordon Ramsay put beans in chili? ›

Gordon Ramsay's recipe for chili con carne includes onion, a red chili pepper, fresh tomatoes, and kidney beans. Ramsay's chili recipe is lengthy — it includes everything from ground cumin and sweet paprika to a cinnamon stick, ground beef or beef mince, and garlic.

The beef will release a lot of fat and liquid — do not drain it; you'll skim the fat off at the end. Add the ancho chili powder, chipotle chili powder, cumin, oregano, coriander, smoked paprika, and cinnamon (if using).

Fat is definitely flavor, so you don't want to remove every trace of grease from the pan, but if the ground beef releases too much fat, it will float on top of the chili in an unsavory way.

According to Southern Living, kidney beans are probably the best chili option because they are large and can hold their own, texture-wise, alongside other chili ingredients such as diced tomatoes or other vegetables. Black and pinto beans, which are also substantial, are also good choices, according to the outlet.

A cup of strong, brewed coffee will work wonders for your pot of chili, imparting a deep, roasted flavor that will make the chili taste like it simmered away all day long. For maximum flavor, reduce the coffee along with a blend of tomato paste, aromatic veggies and spices like we do in our Spicy Vegetarian Chili.

Everette Lee DeGolyer, oil millionaire and occasional chili scholar, believed that the first chili was an early 19th-century form of trail food: dried beef, fat, and chile peppers pounded together and shaped into packable chili bricks that could be reconstituted in boiling water over a campfire.