Chili is one of my favorite foods of all time. I never had a single recipe that I could say was my favorite, as I like to experiment with various ingredients to see what their effect is on the final product. However, in 2014 I started fresh with a new base recipe that I've been tweaking over the years. And I can say now, this is my favorite chili recipe. It has all the elements that chili needs. It has a bit of smoke from the meats. It has just the right level of heat, and is adjustable to your taste. A balancing sweetness from the veggies. And the variety of peppers makes it "Chili".
In the past I had a few requirements for my chili. These requirements no longer apply:
- Chili does not have beans
As you can see in the ingredients, this rule has been broken. The reasons are many.
- The veggies serve as a sweetening agent balancing out the heat and spice of the chili.
- The veggies are a cheap addition. Meat is expensive, and to rely on meat to add volume to your chili makes for a very expensive dish.
- I have caved to the desires of my family. They like veggies in their chili. I've learned to accept that.
- Chili must be hot
I've relaxed my chili requirements in this area, too.
- I still like hot chili, but I also like to share it with my family.
- I get more enjoyment from making chili my friends and family like to eat than I do from eating my chili alone.
So, here's the recipe. Ingredients are in the Ingredients.md file, and preparation steps are in the Preparation.md file. Keep in mind, if there are any edits made to the ingredients.md, they will also have to be reflected in the preparation.md.
Feel free to make suggestions. I'm open to any and all ideas.