Chilli Con Carne - your best recipe please!
Discussion
The jailhouse recipe is great, but I've adapted it slightly, by adding kidney beans and leaving out the stewing steak if I'm only cooking for myself and the other half. It isn't authentic, but we both love it. The extra flavour from the bacon and the combination of spices is spot on.
Rhodr1 said:
I was given a lovely chilli recipe a couple of years back by a colleague of mine:
Here’s my chilli recipe. The only thing that is important to get the right brand of is the Knorr stock cubes. The chillis, garlic and ginger are a better if they’re really fresh, but Barts do jars of each of them which taste pretty much as good as using fresh and also means you don’t have to keep lots of fresh ingredients around...
Made this the other day. Very good. Got the thumbs up from my 8 year old boy but was too hot for my 12 year old boy even after halving the bird's eyes and the chilli powder.Here’s my chilli recipe. The only thing that is important to get the right brand of is the Knorr stock cubes. The chillis, garlic and ginger are a better if they’re really fresh, but Barts do jars of each of them which taste pretty much as good as using fresh and also means you don’t have to keep lots of fresh ingredients around...
Got two days worth out of it too. Thanks.
Craikeybaby said:
The jailhouse recipe is great, but I've adapted it slightly, by adding kidney beans and leaving out the stewing steak if I'm only cooking for myself and the other half. It isn't authentic, but we both love it. The extra flavour from the bacon and the combination of spices is spot on.
Agreed, I made it last week and it was great. I also added kidney beans. Hot, but just right. We also have three pots-worth in the freezer!Right, well I made some more chilli again on Saturday, but I drank a bottle of Costieres du Nimes in about an hour and can't really remember an awful lot...
What I do remember, ingredients wise is this...
Smokey bacon
Lots of red onions and shallots
Lots of garlic
Seven jalepenoes
Three scotch bonnets
A tablespoon of smoked paprika
A tablespoon of cayenne pepper
Two or three tablespoons of cumin
Some thyme, coriander and parsley stalks, oregano and a handfull of dried chipotle peppers that were rehydrated with hot water
That was sweated down while I browned all the meat, which consisted of...
Eight oxtails
Two racks of pork ribs
600g of pork mince
a 1.3kg pork shoulder, de-skinned and cubed (I saved the skin to make crackling later on)
These were simply seasoned with salt and pepper before browning in a frying pan and adding to the onion mixture.
Deglase the frying pan with bourbon and water, and add it all to the meat and onions.
Add in about a litre of pasata or tomatoes, some water, turn down the heat, put the lid on and sit down and finish your bottle of wine and bourbon chaser that you poured for yourself.
After an hour, take out the ribs and pull off the meat, then return the meat to the pan.
After a further three hours, do the same with the oxtails.
Add in four tins of mixed beans and a big jar of grilled peppers. I used to grill and peel them myself, but life's too short when the jarred ones are so good.
Let it go until the beans are done, which is about an hour.
Check it for seasoning. It'll take more salt than you expect, and I found that it needed some brown sugar to balance the spice.
This made enough to fill 14 plastic tubs from the Chinese takeaway. I think it's best to let it 'mature' in the fridge for a day or two before eating, and it's also good to freeze. Which is just as well, because there's still 13 plastic tubs left
What I do remember, ingredients wise is this...
Smokey bacon
Lots of red onions and shallots
Lots of garlic
Seven jalepenoes
Three scotch bonnets
A tablespoon of smoked paprika
A tablespoon of cayenne pepper
Two or three tablespoons of cumin
Some thyme, coriander and parsley stalks, oregano and a handfull of dried chipotle peppers that were rehydrated with hot water
That was sweated down while I browned all the meat, which consisted of...
Eight oxtails
Two racks of pork ribs
600g of pork mince
a 1.3kg pork shoulder, de-skinned and cubed (I saved the skin to make crackling later on)
These were simply seasoned with salt and pepper before browning in a frying pan and adding to the onion mixture.
Deglase the frying pan with bourbon and water, and add it all to the meat and onions.
Add in about a litre of pasata or tomatoes, some water, turn down the heat, put the lid on and sit down and finish your bottle of wine and bourbon chaser that you poured for yourself.
After an hour, take out the ribs and pull off the meat, then return the meat to the pan.
After a further three hours, do the same with the oxtails.
Add in four tins of mixed beans and a big jar of grilled peppers. I used to grill and peel them myself, but life's too short when the jarred ones are so good.
Let it go until the beans are done, which is about an hour.
Check it for seasoning. It'll take more salt than you expect, and I found that it needed some brown sugar to balance the spice.
This made enough to fill 14 plastic tubs from the Chinese takeaway. I think it's best to let it 'mature' in the fridge for a day or two before eating, and it's also good to freeze. Which is just as well, because there's still 13 plastic tubs left
HarryFlatters said:
Right, well I made some more chilli again on Saturday, but I drank a bottle of Costieres du Nimes in about an hour and can't really remember an awful lot...
What I do remember, ingredients wise is this...
Smokey bacon
Lots of red onions and shallots
Lots of garlic
Seven jalepenoes
Three scotch bonnets
A tablespoon of smoked paprika
A tablespoon of cayenne pepper
Two or three tablespoons of cumin
Some thyme, coriander and parsley stalks, oregano and a handfull of dried chipotle peppers that were rehydrated with hot water
That was sweated down while I browned all the meat, which consisted of...
Eight oxtails
Two racks of pork ribs
600g of pork mince
a 1.3kg pork shoulder, de-skinned and cubed (I saved the skin to make crackling later on)
These were simply seasoned with salt and pepper before browning in a frying pan and adding to the onion mixture.
Deglase the frying pan with bourbon and water, and add it all to the meat and onions.
Add in about a litre of pasata or tomatoes, some water, turn down the heat, put the lid on and sit down and finish your bottle of wine and bourbon chaser that you poured for yourself.
After an hour, take out the ribs and pull off the meat, then return the meat to the pan.
After a further three hours, do the same with the oxtails.
Add in four tins of mixed beans and a big jar of grilled peppers. I used to grill and peel them myself, but life's too short when the jarred ones are so good.
Let it go until the beans are done, which is about an hour.
Check it for seasoning. It'll take more salt than you expect, and I found that it needed some brown sugar to balance the spice.
This made enough to fill 14 plastic tubs from the Chinese takeaway. I think it's best to let it 'mature' in the fridge for a day or two before eating, and it's also good to freeze. Which is just as well, because there's still 13 plastic tubs left
I don't think I've got a pan big enough, but I want to give it a go, might just buy a metal dustbin and cook it in that!What I do remember, ingredients wise is this...
Smokey bacon
Lots of red onions and shallots
Lots of garlic
Seven jalepenoes
Three scotch bonnets
A tablespoon of smoked paprika
A tablespoon of cayenne pepper
Two or three tablespoons of cumin
Some thyme, coriander and parsley stalks, oregano and a handfull of dried chipotle peppers that were rehydrated with hot water
That was sweated down while I browned all the meat, which consisted of...
Eight oxtails
Two racks of pork ribs
600g of pork mince
a 1.3kg pork shoulder, de-skinned and cubed (I saved the skin to make crackling later on)
These were simply seasoned with salt and pepper before browning in a frying pan and adding to the onion mixture.
Deglase the frying pan with bourbon and water, and add it all to the meat and onions.
Add in about a litre of pasata or tomatoes, some water, turn down the heat, put the lid on and sit down and finish your bottle of wine and bourbon chaser that you poured for yourself.
After an hour, take out the ribs and pull off the meat, then return the meat to the pan.
After a further three hours, do the same with the oxtails.
Add in four tins of mixed beans and a big jar of grilled peppers. I used to grill and peel them myself, but life's too short when the jarred ones are so good.
Let it go until the beans are done, which is about an hour.
Check it for seasoning. It'll take more salt than you expect, and I found that it needed some brown sugar to balance the spice.
This made enough to fill 14 plastic tubs from the Chinese takeaway. I think it's best to let it 'mature' in the fridge for a day or two before eating, and it's also good to freeze. Which is just as well, because there's still 13 plastic tubs left
I made the Jailhouse a few days back. Cutting back the quantities by half, I put them all in the slow cooker. Seven hours later.... O/H reckoned it was my best chilli yet. It improved by day two and was even better on the third day - yummy!
Edited by Riley Blue on Wednesday 10th December 21:00
croyde said:
Made this the other day. Very good. Got the thumbs up from my 8 year old boy but was too hot for my 12 year old boy even after halving the bird's eyes and the chilli powder.
Got two days worth out of it too. Thanks.
Glad to hear that you enjoyed. Got two days worth out of it too. Thanks.
Regarding halving the chillies and chilli powder. I found when making for people who aren't very keen on spicy food, I tried using regular chillies as opposed to bird's eye chillies (still halving the amount of regular ones). This seemed to do the trick.
Right jailhouse is in the oven however a had to adapt. Went for 50% reduction but cocked up a little. Left out the steak and gone for around 600g of mince. Think I went OTT on the bacon to as I bought a pack of smokey pancetta and lumped it all in to save going to waste. Couldn't get jalapeños so bought the only chilli's asda stocked and added a pepper. The onion was friggin huge I used.
Went 50% on the spices but think I should have added more as it was a a little more than 50% in the end and I drained the mince as I hate greasy mince but the liquid looked so good that was draining off. Mince still smelt good and the second batch of herbs was added so fingers crossed.
Went 50% on the spices but think I should have added more as it was a a little more than 50% in the end and I drained the mince as I hate greasy mince but the liquid looked so good that was draining off. Mince still smelt good and the second batch of herbs was added so fingers crossed.
Made one the other week. Really tried to go to town on it.
Day 1.
Bought 4 Ox cheeks & rack of ribs. But the Ox Cheek is marinade of Bourbon over night.
Day 2.
Fire up the smoker early doors and smoke the meat (Ox & Rib) 3 hours later remove & chop up.
Whilst doing g this heat the Bourbon and cook off the alcohol.
Chop up the meat, add to the pan using the Bourbon as stock and slow cook for rest of day.
Let it rest over night in fridge. Whilst soaking kidney beans
Day 3
Remove congealed fat from top & start to re heat. Couple of hours in break down meat... Cook through a bit more then start to add chilli ingredients.
(roasted & ground cumin seeds)
(make a nice chilli puree/powder from Chilies you like)
Personally like to add a bit of dark chocolate & some chopped tomatoes. Add the beans late in the day so they spilt.
Was an effort but result was lovely rich smokey chilli.
Day 1.
Bought 4 Ox cheeks & rack of ribs. But the Ox Cheek is marinade of Bourbon over night.
Day 2.
Fire up the smoker early doors and smoke the meat (Ox & Rib) 3 hours later remove & chop up.
Whilst doing g this heat the Bourbon and cook off the alcohol.
Chop up the meat, add to the pan using the Bourbon as stock and slow cook for rest of day.
Let it rest over night in fridge. Whilst soaking kidney beans
Day 3
Remove congealed fat from top & start to re heat. Couple of hours in break down meat... Cook through a bit more then start to add chilli ingredients.
(roasted & ground cumin seeds)
(make a nice chilli puree/powder from Chilies you like)
Personally like to add a bit of dark chocolate & some chopped tomatoes. Add the beans late in the day so they spilt.
Was an effort but result was lovely rich smokey chilli.
Flipatron said:
Bugger!
Made a pot full yesterday evening, left it bubbling away for 6 hours then divided it into plastic lidded containers. I then forgot to put it in the freezer
It's been in a coldish kitchen for 9 hours, okay to freeze and re-heat?
Absolutely fine. Made a pot full yesterday evening, left it bubbling away for 6 hours then divided it into plastic lidded containers. I then forgot to put it in the freezer
It's been in a coldish kitchen for 9 hours, okay to freeze and re-heat?
Edited by Flipatron on Sunday 15th March 08:01
This is a little bit of a vague recipe as I don't really measure as I go, made it too many times so do it from memory. I'm making it tonight for about 6 people, so this is approximately what I'll use. Can't remember where I first saw the recipe (might have been PH), but have tweaked it a bit.
1 courgette, grated
1 leek, finely chopped
2 peppers, sliced
2-3 medium onions, sliced
1 can of kidney beans
2 cans chopped tomatoes
400g mince (usually 5% fat)
400g stewing steak chunks
1 teaspoon of dried oregano or 2 teaspoons of chopped fresh oregano
1 heaped teaspoon of a mix of chipotle and ancho chilli powder (bought the chillies whole and put them through a coffee grinder)
Teaspoon of smoked paprika
finely chopped clove of garlic
600ml chicken or beef stock
400ml coke/pepsi (non diet)
table spoon of tomato puree
teaspoon of cocoa powder
Fry the courgette and leek at a medium heat until lightly browned, then empty into a casserole dish, then repeat with the onions. Brown the mince and steak, then add to the veg in the dish.
Drain the kidney beans and add those and the tomatoes to the casserole dish.
Add the chilli, paprika, garlic, cocoa, tomato puree, oregano and peppers to the dish, followed by the coke and stock and some salt and pepper, then give it a good mix.
Cover the dish and put in the oven at about 150C for 5-6 hours, checking on it and mixing every hour or two.
My recipe isn't a very hot chilli, my wife loves chilli, just not the heat, so I make it pretty mild, but adding more of the chilli powder or a couple of fresh chillies will suit other people
1 courgette, grated
1 leek, finely chopped
2 peppers, sliced
2-3 medium onions, sliced
1 can of kidney beans
2 cans chopped tomatoes
400g mince (usually 5% fat)
400g stewing steak chunks
1 teaspoon of dried oregano or 2 teaspoons of chopped fresh oregano
1 heaped teaspoon of a mix of chipotle and ancho chilli powder (bought the chillies whole and put them through a coffee grinder)
Teaspoon of smoked paprika
finely chopped clove of garlic
600ml chicken or beef stock
400ml coke/pepsi (non diet)
table spoon of tomato puree
teaspoon of cocoa powder
Fry the courgette and leek at a medium heat until lightly browned, then empty into a casserole dish, then repeat with the onions. Brown the mince and steak, then add to the veg in the dish.
Drain the kidney beans and add those and the tomatoes to the casserole dish.
Add the chilli, paprika, garlic, cocoa, tomato puree, oregano and peppers to the dish, followed by the coke and stock and some salt and pepper, then give it a good mix.
Cover the dish and put in the oven at about 150C for 5-6 hours, checking on it and mixing every hour or two.
My recipe isn't a very hot chilli, my wife loves chilli, just not the heat, so I make it pretty mild, but adding more of the chilli powder or a couple of fresh chillies will suit other people
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