Highly and historically contentious: what goes in your chili

Stew meat or hamburger
Penzeys 3000 chili mix
Rotel chili fixins
Hot chili beans

Ground beef
Onions
Rotel
Diced petite tomatoes
Chili beans
Tomato juice
Tomato paste
Chopped garlic
Chili base
Elbow macaroni
Cumin (lots!)
Chili powder
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Oregano
S&P
1/2 packet of taco mix

My favorite new chili recipe calls for instant coffee grounds!

Ground bison, ground grass fed beef, onions, garlic, bell peppers, chili seasoning, beer, canned petite diced tomatoes, canned tomato sauce, and canned mixed beans (pinto, red, and black).

When I make chili I do not add any kind of tomatoes. I use stew meat and cook the meat in broth and add all the usual spices to the broth but no tomatoes, tomato paste or sauce. Husband is used to chili that way that was cooked over fire all day long and never any beans.

I love, love, love elaine 's chili! It uses Rotel tomatoes/chiles, unsweetened baking cocoa and a Penzeys chili blend. Yum!


Elaine's Chili

2 pounds ground beef
1 onion chopped
2 teaspoons garlic powder
4 tablespoons Chili 3000 (Penzeys spice blend)
1 heaping tablespoon of baking Cocoa (must be unsweetened)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 small can tomato paste
1 29 oz can tomato sauce
1 can Rotel tomatoes + chile peppers
2 cans Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
1 40(?) oz can Red Kidney Beans (not sure of exact size - it is the large can)- drained
1 15 oz can Pinto Beans - drained
1 15 oz can Black Beans - drained
1 cup beef broth or dark beer

1. Brown the ground beef. When beef is no longer pink, add the chopped onion and sauté until tender.

2. Mix in the dry spices and sauté another minute to be sure the beef is well seasoned. Add the tomato paste and mix well.

3. Add the tomato sauce, and all the cans of tomatoes and beans. Stir. Add the beef broth.

4. Lock the lid and set for 30 minutes at high pressure. It will take a while to come to pressure, since there is so much in the pot. Give it 15 minutes of natural release and then use quick release. Add salt and pepper to taste.


**Above recipe uses an 8 quart Instant Pot. For a 6 quart, use 1.5 pounds of ground beef and 2x 15 oz cans of red kidney beans.

This is my favorite chili recipe ever and the one I keep coming back to.I usually only use 2 pounds beef and often add 1 can black beans. It cooks in my crockpot all day.

2 1/2 pounds ground beef, cooked
1 medium red onion, chopped and divided
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 large ribs of celery, diced
1/4 cup pickled jalapeno slices
6 ounce can tomato paste
14.5 ounce can tomatoes and green chilies
14.5 ounce can stewed tomatoes
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce or Coconut Aminos (I use this brand)
4 tablespoons chili powder (I use this brand)
2 tablespoons cumin, mounded
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne

I wing it when I make chili, and don't usually measure anything.

Ground beef, kidney beans, diced and crushed tomatoes, onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt & pepper. Usually topped with grated cheese & sour cream. I will add a can of Heinz baked beans if I have them.

But last time I made it in the Instant Pot and the recipe I used had cocoa powder in it. I didn't really notice a difference with it added. And of course, I didn't pin the recipe so I can't find it again!

Merge I am interested in your chili recipe -- my sister want to eat less red meat so I'd like to have an alternative. How do you do the sweet potato part -- just dice and let them cook in the mixture - or bake and mash and add ... or what? TIA!!

Well...beans definitely!

But that said....I take the easy way out since no one in my family is any kind of gourmet. My chili is:

-- 1 pound ground beef, sauteed
-- add two cans of kidney beans
-- one can of diced tomatoes
-- packet of chili seasoning (like McCormick or whatever brand is on sale)

Simmer for a bit, done.  

Sometimes I'll add a bit less meat and another can of beans. Sometimes I'll add an extra can of tomatoes. 

Top with cheese.

In fact I'm making it tonight. Doubling the whole thing because my son will be here for a couple of days and we'll eat it tomorrow also.

This is pretty much my recipe, but I add kidney beans....

For me, chili has to have beans. It’s incomprehensible otherwise. But I am not really a fan of ground meat so the beans are my favorite part. When I make it I either leave the meat out or I use small chunks of steak instead.

Ok, I guess I'm the total oddball, but I grew up on chili that has small diced potatoes in it, and to me, that's a necessity. Makes it a lovely completely meal

Usually. Sometimes I make it with dried beans in the instant pot, and then I’d probably roast the sweet potatoes and stir them in at the end.