Seriously Addictive Chili Soup

[drholly]

My wife and her family are Scandinavian, I don't see much chance of ever making "real" chili for the family. But, chili soup (as Ka Honu would say) can work here. This one is a winner in my house - a nice bite for me, but mild enough for the Scandihoovians...

No measurements are involved beyond the meat and canned stuff - the spices are adjusted to taste as it cooks. The cinnamon adds a wonderful warmth that would be missed if it is not used.

Basics:

1# Ground Beef (I used 80 / 20 stuff on the shelf)
1# Ground Pork
1 14oz can tomato sauce
1 14oz can crushed tomatoes
2 8oz cans diced tomatoes
1 6 oz can tomato paste
I use all Hunts tomatoes - I guess I've bought into their flash steam commercial... 
1 8 oz can Bush black chili beans
1 8oz can bush red chili beans
I love the dog in their commercials... 
2 small yellow onions chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
Regular olive oil

Heat the olive oil over medium / high heat and add onions - saute until soft and slightly brown. Then add garlic and continue to saute for a couple of minutes.
Add beef and pork and cook over medium heat until brown - break up as it cooks

Meanwhile add all tomato stuff to a large dutch oven, drain beans and add to tomato stuff.... start to heat over medium low

Add seasonings to meat / onion mix: No measures - just use by "feel":

Kosher Salt
Smoked Spanish Paprika - Hot
Piment (a powdered red pepper)
Chili Powder ( I use the one from the Spice House in Milwaukee)
Hot Chili Powder (again Spice House)
Chili Con Carne Seasoning (Spice House)
Ground Grains of Paradise
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Crushed Red Pepper
Ground Cumin
Hungarian Paprika
Ground New Mexico Chili Pepper
Diced/ Dried Jalapeno Pepper
Cinnamon

Add meat to tomato stuff and put over medium high heat - keep stirring...

Taste frequently and adjust spices to the taste you want. Be careful, the cinnamon can overwhelm everything, a light touch is best. Lots of tasting, testing adjusting... but it is worth it. Serve over hot rice. Offer cheese and sour cream, green onions - but I like the chili by itself. I would have included pictures of the homemade biscuits, butthe boyfriends got to them too quickly... 

The girls and their friends are laying on the floor of the tv room groaning from eating too much... A great night!


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[Pappymn]

I'm making chili tomorrow. I do much of what you do. Except your spice cabinet is bigger then mine. Can I swap some haggis for grains of paradise?

[drholly]

I'm making chili tomorrow. I do much of what you do. Except your spice cabinet is bigger then mine. Can I swap some haggis for grains of paradise?

Canned or home made? What the heck - sure, it's a deal.

[Jaxon]

I was with you till you got to the spices, etc.  I only have a few of them.  Some I've never heard of.

I'll bet it was fantastic.

[tomcrete1]

That looks like great chili,, it's funny you mention chili soup, my grandma made something similar in a pressure cooker with whole potatoes as a young man I thought thought that was chili until I ventured out onto the real world and discovered that it was not.  Great recipe! 

[drholly]

I was with you till you got to the spices, etc.  I only have a few of them.  Some I've never heard of.

I'll bet it was fantastic.

Jack,

I love playing with spices (my wife does NOT love the spice cabinet..  ) I like to make a chili that is warm vs. hot. I want something that makes the winter night comfortable - I don't want to beat it to death. So, I play with the spices to create a warm feeling in my mouth and tummy. Not sure all of these are needed... sometimes I have them, sometimes I don't. I just use what is on hand and taste and modify as I go. But, one of the most important - even used in very small amounts - is cinnamon... man does that add a nice warm feel to the chili. In my mind the best chili (soup) is one that warms you from the inside out - no matter what spices you use. Just have some fun.

[Hub]

I use the same approach you do, for much the same reason.  My wife is scared to death of any food that has much flavor or spiciness and if it has any degree of heat at all it is to be avoided like the plague.  Thus, I have to work very hard to make certain my chili is very bland and inoffensive.  Over the years I've perfected several chili recipes that can be "tweaked" so that the mild and inoffensive batch can be served separately from the rest. 

[muralboy]

Great looking Chili Doc.  Nice balance of savory and spice

[hikerman]

This looks and sounds great David!  I have a similar dilemma here as I love the spice cabinet much more than my wife. She of the German farmgirl-type. She's a good trooper tho except in the hot pepper arena! So for us I make a tame batch and for football games or camping with the guys, the chili has a bit more fire in it. Usually resulting in mimicry of the Blazing Saddles scene around the campfire! 
I will have to try this soon! Thanks for sharing buddy! 

[smokeasaurus]

Wendy is a "tender-foot" when it comes to heat in food. I have to crank mine up at the table.

Thanks for the recipe, gonna give it a whirl once I aquire the spices needed.............

[africanmeat]

Thanks for the recipe it looks yummy .
Bookmarked for the winter .

[HighOnSmoke]

My kind of chili David! Bookmarked!

[drholly]

Thanks All for the comments.

As I mentioned, my wife is not a fan of heat - Taco Bell is a bit spicy for her... 

So, over the years I have worked on ways to create "warmth" vs. heat. In that process I discovered cinnamon. I've found that I can add a bit of bite for the tongue with some peppers (I really like New Mexico Dried Peppers) and then follow with some warmth from the cinnamon. The other spices help keep the whole thing together so it is not a 2 trick pony. And, the "heat" is safe for my wife. Too much cinnamon can quickly overpower everything, so I start small and taste as it comes together. But, there is no mistaking the warmth that cinnamon adds - I don't miss the screaming hot chili I used to make - this just satisfies the taste buds and the stomach. I strongly suggest using some cinnamon in your next "hot" dish.

[Big Dawg]

Great tip, David.  Looking forward to trying it out.





BD

[spuds]

Looks good Dr. I agree,any product with a dog in the commercial has to be better.