Am I the only person who never makes the same chili twice?

[abandonedbrain]

"I made chili, hon."

"Hm. What's it like THIS time?"

"Well, remember that one chili I made for that party a few months ago?"

"Yes, I remember it well. I dumped it out of my bowl. Everyone else liked it..."

"Well, it's not like that." I scramble for the vinegar and sugar and garlic powder to hopefully whip the chili into something resembling what my wife thinks she wants in a chili...

I don't think I've made the same chili more than once in my life. I have ingredientitis. I use the same five or six basic ingredients for 80% of the cook, and then something snaps in my head and I start staring at the spice/herb cabinet. "It just needs a little bit of this... and maybe this other thing, just a touch, for complexity of flavor..." and on and on.

Call it a disease. I love to taste new flavors (of the things I like). I usually have no less than 15 different beers in my mini-fridge, about 70 different dried herbs and spices, 12 different hot sauces... I'm even staring at a rack of no less than eight different root beers right now (my 14-year-old daughter shakes her head as she reaches for her A&W swill).

My last showcase chili was amazing, a Texas red (which I had NO BUSINESS making, as I had only ever tasted that style once, in Houston... does that count?) with a background consisting of four or five different tomato sauces and a mole as a base for some beautiful sirlion. It was probably one of the most expensive soups or stews I've ever made. It won first place at the cookoff, but really, I was going up against about 20 different chilis from people who looked at my (approximation of a) recipe and scratched their heads. "35 different ingredients, Dan? Come on, you're making stuff up now! Three different beers in a chili?! Sheeeeit."

What, don't judge me! Sam's Boston Lager for the base, Founders Dirty Bastard for the sweetness, and Bells Kalamazoo Stout because... well, because I wanted one to drink at that moment. Depth of color, yes, that's what I was going for!

So I've been tapped to bring a dish-to-pass Friday to work for a potluck. I offered up chili. Lord help me.

Am I the only one with this affliction? Sound off!

[Abom]

I started a thread similar to this a while ago. I make it off the cuff every time, so every time is an adventure! I might as well add that it always starts with 10 lbs. of meat, and I go from there.

[abandonedbrain]

I'm trying to envision what size stockpot you'd use with 10 lbs. of meat... yum!
Also, it drives me nuts when a forum section is empty. Thought I'd have some fun with it! I like to sit in the lesser sections of forums and explore the fringes of interest at a site!

[boftx]

I so the same, for almost everything, but especially chili and stew.

[RonB]

My parents taught me to cook, and neither of them used a recipe very often. So I cook the same way, but nothing tastes exactly the same way twice - unless by accident. I just dump stuff in until it tastes good.

On the other hand, if I see a recipe I want to try I'm OC about getting it right.

[abandonedbrain]

Oh yes, I am so like that. Ridiculous!

[Northside Brian]

First time I try an new recipe I follow the directions 100%. After that is when I start getting creative.

[lemayp]

I use the same basic ingredients. The peppers vary based on what I have at the time. My wife will not eat it so I load it up with heat. My last several have all included smoked pork and or chucks. Never going back on that part...

[abandonedbrain]

I have about four pounds of smoked shredded pork butt left from my last session... maybe I'll splurge! I've never played around with peppers, though. It's always jalapeños for me, but I could be coerced into trying something new. As longs as it's available in Michigan in the winter...

[lemayp]

I try to grow jalapeños and habanero, so those are my staples. There is a Thai restaurant near me that grows Carolina reapers and Thai chilies in the summer and will sell the peppers or a diced mix she calls "tears of joy". A little of that goes a long way.

[abandonedbrain]

I used 2# of smoked pulled pork, and some chipotle morita and puya rehydrated peppers, with ancho chili powder. WAY smokey, but a large crock was empty in 20 min. A huge hit, thanks!

[AZRedneck]

YEARS ago... I decided I was going to take a shot at making chili with my brand spanking new crock pot. I browned the meat, drained it, dumped it in and started adding stuff. One thing I decided to use was tomato paste, for thickness. Anyhow, as any respectable chili cook knows, you gotta taste as you go. So, first taste I knew something was off. Then it hit me, I dug in the garbage can and found what I did wrong. I used Italian spiced tomato paste. That was by far the spiciest damned spaghetti sauce I have ever had in my life! We live and learn.

[Mr. Bones]

I do the same.
It often depends on what I have the most of, what needs to be cooked off from the fridge, what's on sale, or was previously. What needs to be cleared out of the freezer. What did some kind person give me a bunch of?
Then, add what sounds good...Many variables.
We have chili cookoffs at work, few times a year. Alla the guys brag up my chili to the rest of the Organization, even though it's somewhat different every time. Go figure.
Ma and Granma could feed 11 kids +4-8 adults, making delicious, wholesome food from anything, or more often, almost nothing, and have some leftover in case a neighbor was in need. Recipe? Pah!!!
That's where I learned my cooking skills.
And yeah, when I try someone else's recipe, I'm very OC as well, at least the first time!

[ecowper]

My chili has three things consistent to it, everything else is variable based on what I have and how it is tasting.

1. After much experimenting, I have found that smoked chuck roast is my absolute preference for the meat. But if I need more meat, I just add chunked up chicken breast.
2. I use the chili powder sold in the ethnic foods section of my local Safeway. Best flavor and heat, in my opinion.
3. I always use some cheap, rustic red wine (chianti, generally). I never use beer, it gives a bitter taste in my opinion.

Oh, and no beans. Ever.

Other than that, all's fair in love and war. Carrots, bell peppers, onion, leeks, celery, maybe some lentils or barley? Yup, if it tastes good, why not.

[CaptainMike]

Unless you're selling it, that is how it should be!

[FireMan]

YES! CaptainMike, Yes!

I added some chorizo I get from a local Mexicano mkt. this last time. It drove people nuts trying to figure out what I did. I start with an idea of what I'm doing, than get wild & crazy with who knows what.

[tbob4]

Don't know if this is any help but it's how it used to work with my mom's chili and seems to be the same with me. Chili in the winter is heartier - more meat because it's a main dish. In the summer it is a side dish and is spicier. Oh - sandwiches like grilled cheese served in the winter. Chili in the summer goes with the meat that is served on the BBQ.

[abandonedbrain]

I like that idea, adjusting spiciness to the season. Around here, if I have leftovers which don't make it to the freezer, it turns into chili-mac by way of added ridged elbow macaroni and increasing the liquid levels. That usually "softens" the chili, and then my kids will eat it without whining!

[Lowjiber]

Many moons ago (back in the 80's) my son was attending one of those "progressive" schools that thought that girls had to take shop and guys had to take home-economics. Being the attentive soul that he was, he was paying attention.

So, one weekend I was cooking up a large pot of chili, and he asked if he could watch me. "Sure", I said. About half-way thru the cook he asked, "Where is your recipe?"... Obviously, something they "taught" him in school.

I replied, "Son, making chili is exactly like making sloppy joes (his favorite). You start throwing stuff in a pot, and when it looks, smells, and tastes like chili... it is done."

[Abom]

I was the only male in my high school typing class. I loved the attention it got me. For the record, I also had the highest typing score at the end. LOL

[Potkettleblack]

Mid 80's. We all took typing. On manual typewriters. Everyone comments how loud I type on the computer.

[abandonedbrain]

Potkettleblack Same here, they call me Thunderfingers (though that's really John Entwistle RIP)! My son has a new keyboard, almost as loud as me on my laptop.

[JPGators17]

I chuckle each time my wife asks me to make "my" chilli that she loves so much, because it's different every time. I still don't know if she just can't tell or just doesn't care as long as she gets some homemade chilli...hmmm.

[rat88]

I use chilli as an excuse to clean out the fridge. Last batch involved 4 almost empty jars of sliced jalapeno peppers, juice and all. Spice is usually add in what ever is handy in unmeasured amounts. Also I never drain the grease from the meat, I dump the skillet directly in the crockpot

[Gator Lau]

I used to make it the same every time when I entered Texas Chili cooking contests. I kept winning the (unofficial) popular vote, but only ever came in second in the official. Of course, it must have been the judges. But now that I don't do that any more, each batch is different. I even use beans now, where under the old rules, "anybody knows beans about chili, knows child don't got no beans" I have been working on a standardization of spices to be able for anyone to make a great chili. Getting close.

Kit Carson's purported last words: "I wish I had time for one more bowl of chili"

[abandonedbrain]

Great idea, like a seasoning packet for chili! Just don't make it like Knolls or the like...