106 Comments
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Ole Anderson's avatar

Why not

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Susan Niemann's avatar

The biggest question is why? Some things are meant to be what they are.🤷‍♀️

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JoJene Mills's avatar

I love this discussion. Sitting here in the middle of the Tohono O’odham Nation, the oldest continuously farmed area in North America, we view chili very differently, but IRL, the best chili I ever made was with leftover Xmas standing rib meat, BEANS and cumin, cocoa powder, chili powder and cayenne pepper. MMMM. P.S. your guy is so cool, I'd be willing to try the "chili" with carrots and celery.

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Henny Hiemenz's avatar

I don’t think I’ve ever met a chili I didn’t say “meh” to

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Susan Niemann's avatar

So chicken noodle for you!?? 😂😂

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Joanne Filipo's avatar

Hahahahaha, this was great! I’m quite fond of Cincinnati Chili myself! 🤭 I liked it bc it didn’t have beans in it. Now that I am older and refer to beans as medicinal, 🤣 I make a pot of beans on the side! 😋

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Susan Niemann's avatar

"Medicinal." 😂😂

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Joanne Filipo's avatar

😝

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Fernie's avatar

I make cornbread cookies to go with my chili. so yummy with butter and honey. I make enough to share with my neighbors. These are so good you don't need the chili.

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Joanne Filipo's avatar

😋🤣

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Susan Niemann's avatar

I have never heard of a cornbread cookie! What a great idea and perfect for chili!!. (I'm making brown butter chocolate chip cookies right now!)

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Peter Wills's avatar

Wow Susan what a great fun debate about chili who would have known 🤣🤣🤣🤣 but “ansl angst” seriously that’s a thing 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

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Peter Wills's avatar

Ha ha this is true I too like spice but as you say I do not want it hurting me either this was a fun read those sauces have piqued my interest 🤣🤣🤣🤣

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Susan Niemann's avatar

Hi Pete! The hot sauce thing could be a whole nuther topic. 🤣 The names on these sauces crack me up. I like spice, but I dont want the food I eat to hurt me. HAHA!!

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Linda Fairchild's avatar

I'm going on the record for picking the winner at the Sausalito Chili Cook-off. It's the guys with the whiskey distillery...bourbon! Creamy and chunky with just the right amount of heat. No way there's celery. I could write a short story about their chili. I am now in a chili-obsessed mood in my kitchen.

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Susan Niemann's avatar

How can anything with bourbon be bad! 😂😂

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Don Rudy's avatar

Hey Susan, great post! Just have to say my mom's family moved to Mexico after the Civil War and really authentic chili should have carrrots, celery, and potatoes as well. It was a way to stretch game meat and the small amounts of lesser cuts that the poor folks in Mexico had. Beans should always be on the side. I hope you will still give this guy a chance, although he should have been more diplomatic in his description of your chili.

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Susan Niemann's avatar

He stands firm in his choice, Don, and I will honor it! As you can tell, we have had some spirited conversations about it!

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Belinda Cullo's avatar

Now I’m gonna need some chili!

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Susan Niemann's avatar

Do it! It was very satisfying last night as it poured down rain here in Philly last night!!

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Noel's avatar

Strong coffee...it adds a certain earthiness. Beans in chili are perhaps the most contentious ingredient I've ever heard of. I personally like them for their added fiber and texture, especially red beans. Even more controversial than chili might be the holiday dressing, oh my....

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Susan Niemann's avatar

Coffee?? That's interesting...I havent heard of that ingredient yet! And the holiday dressing? I assume you are speaking of Stove Top? 😂😂😂

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Noel's avatar

Stove Top, ah no.... But nothing against folks who like it, to each his own. 😊

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Lisa59's avatar

You're brave to take on chili recipes. 😂 It's personal. 🤣 Mine is pretty traditional, spices, heavy on the spices, at least 2lbs of hamburger, black beans, navy beans, kidney beans, peppers, canned tomatoes, onions, garlic, and a few tricks my son in law showed me. He adds a bit of vinegar and a bit of high quality fish sauce to everything. It's thick. Served with warm corn bread. It works. But, can be a butt burner. My mother used to soak beans in baking soda to help with the farting effects.

I used to make a veal dish with carrots and celery. It was a lot of carrots and less celery cooked with one stick of butter, avocado oil, rosemary, and add a can of tomato paste with 1 cup of water. Add veal. Simmer that for at least 3 hours. I omit the veal now since my kids blew nut over that. You cannot believe the wonderful smell of the simmering rosemary.

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Susan Niemann's avatar

The Baking Soda trick is new to me...sounds like I would really like your concoction! Rosemary is FABULOUS. It's growing in his kitchen window. I LOVE the smell- I'll put that in my navy bean soup...and a sprig in gin cocktails! FANCY!!

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Lisa59's avatar

You are fancy! 🤣🤣 😉❤️

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Susan Niemann's avatar

LOL!!! I guess its too early for that now...or??????

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Don Rudy's avatar

That's awesome. My dad was a chemist and every pot of beans had to have a dash of baking soda to "neutralize" the gas.

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Jan Allison's avatar

I regularly finely dice a little Carrot and maybe even less finely chopped Celery into my Texas Chili. I think it sweetens it a bit but otherwise you don’t notice it once the chili cooks down.

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Susan Niemann's avatar

Interesting-minced up fine might be a better way. His had big chunks. Like beef stew!

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Lillian Holsworth's avatar

Don't forget the epozote! Just a little!

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Susan Niemann's avatar

I had to look that up, Lillian! Never heard of epozote! Helps digestion and flatulence! 😂 Then it's a must when you add beans! HAHA! Thanks!

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Lillian Holsworth's avatar

Excessively easy to grow- put in huge 15gal pot - spreads too easy.

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Susan Niemann's avatar

Thanks for the tip. I put mint in our garden and it took over! Smells nice tho!

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Laurel McIntosh's avatar

I am a traditionalist when it comes to chili. I despise ground turkey in Chili and beef is best however I once used a bit of chorizo and it was delicious! I also have to have beans in my chili!

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Susan Niemann's avatar

Then I'm a traditionalist too! I know I prefer good ground beef... but the chorizo...hmmmm.... I can see that!

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Charles Austin's avatar

Who puts celery and carrots in chili? 🤢 Go easy on Cincinnati chili.(I just got finished eating Skyline,four way with onions) I prefer mine without beans, with cheddar on top and Fritos. I can't handle super hot food anymore, so I prefer less peppers.

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Susan Niemann's avatar

I read that two restaurateurs created the Cincinnati chili recipe, reminiscent of Greece, their home country, hence all the spices.This even had its own Wikipedia page!! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cincinnati_chili

But I'm too much of a traditionalist!

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Charles Austin's avatar

Skyline is the original Cincy chili. There are several different Cincy chilis. You can do a tour of all the chili joints in town.

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Susan Niemann's avatar

Years ago, my rabbi friend who attended the rabbinical school there took me for Skyline and Graeters. What an experience!!

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Charles Austin's avatar

Graeter's is awesome.😀

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Susan Niemann's avatar

I remember that was the best part of the night!

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Carole Roseland's avatar

I once made the mistake of substituting cloves for chili powder when I was making chili, and I figured I had ruined the batch. As it cooked, I tasted it, and it wasn’t really bad, just different. I added more chili powder and garlic powder before I finished cooking the chili. It was very tasty, actually. I heard later that cinnamon goes into some chili, so I didn’t feel quite so bad about my mistake. I use celery in my chili, which isn’t weird and you hardly notice it because I dice it finely and then steam it with chopped onions, garlic powder. dried cilantro, cumin, red pepper flakes and a teaspoon of red pepper. When all of this has had a chance to mix and soften, I add 2 pounds of ground turkey, season it with chili powder and more garlic powder, and when it’s done, I add a can of Rotel tomatoes with green chiles, tomato paste, tomato sauce and a big can of diced tomatoes, plus more seasoning. Beans are optional, but I’ve learned to like them. Sometimes I season them on the stove and let them cook a bit before adding them to the mixture. I use 2 small cans, one pinto, one b@lack. I don’t use any salt—the celery is naturally salty, and it’s not at all necessary.

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Susan Niemann's avatar

Evidently the cinnamon and cloves were introduced by two restaurant guys in Cincinnati in the 1920's...so it's not uncommon, at least not in Cincy! I used a can of diced up tomatoes, too. And Tomato sauce because, like you, I like it on the thick side, not too soupy!

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Carole Roseland's avatar

Yes, it should be thick and hearty. After sitting refrigerated for a couple of days, it also gets much more flavorful, too!

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