Chili meat: beef, cut, smoked, sausage?

jjdbike

Hey all,
It’s definitely chili weather & I’m due to make a big ole’ batch.
Here’s my question, what type(s) of meat do you prefer in your chili?
What cuts of beef? Do you like smoked meats in chili? Do you ever add sausage & if so, what kind?

I’ve got a brisket and chuck roasts in the freezer intended for the stick burner smoker and for chili. I was going to pull the chuck and cube the sone of the brisket point. But the more I think about it, I may dice the point (as it needs to be long low & slow cooked to have any other uses. That’ll break down into the stew. Was considering pulling chuckie at 160 or so, resting it overnight and cubing, browning and long simmering it in the stew. That way it’ll maintain some of its steak-like qualities and still have a little bite integrity. Also considering adding some breakfast sausage.

Your thoughts?

What do you like chili wise?
JD

lkapigian

I use Chuck and will add sausage as well, watch your salt when adding things like sausage as you can easily wind up with salty chili…smoked brisket is also amazing , again watch adding salt on top of that … pro tip, chili goes in chili , don’t make it a stew   an adobo paste to make it a winner 

jjdbike

lkapigian said:

I use Chuck and will add sausage as well, watch your salt when adding things like sausage as you can easily wind up with salty chili…smoked brisket is also amazing , again watch adding salt on top of that … pro tip, chili goes in chili , don’t make it a stew   an adobo paste to make it a winner 

Thanks Ikapigan,
What kind of sausage do you like in chili?
Can you please elaborate on what you mean by “don’t make it a stew “?
Also, what is adobo paste?
Thanks again!
JD

lkapigian

@jjdbike my adobo paste https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1229113/adobo-paste-base-recipe

I’ll use whatever sausage I have in the freezer, I’d shy away from “ breakfast “ type, a good Italian works well … my chili is Texas “ Bowl of Red”  no tomatoes no beans , just chilis ( see the paste) and caramelized onions… No wrong way to make chili, whatever suits your fancy , this is just what I consider chili ….start adding other stuff it’s a stew

jjdbike

lkapigian said:

@jdMyers my adobo paste https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1229113/adobo-paste-base-recipe

I’ll use whatever sausage I have in the freezer, I’d shy away from “ breakfast “ type, a good Italian works well … my chili is Texas “ Bowl of Red”  no tomatoes no beans , just chilis ( see the paste) and caramelized onions… No wrong way to make chili, whatever suits your fancy , this is just what I consider chili ….start adding other stuff it’s a stew

Got it, thanks!
I like the idea of your paste, though I’m not sure I’d put in all that work.
Are there any commercially available Adobo pastes that are decent and not too spicy hot? My wife is sensitive to heat. I’m guessing you would use this paste in place of chili powder and other seasonings?
Also, great advice on watching the salt. It’s easy to over salt something like this.
Thanks again!
JD

lkapigian

jjdbike said:

lkapigian said:

@jdMyers my adobo paste https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1229113/adobo-paste-base-recipe

I’ll use whatever sausage I have in the freezer, I’d shy away from “ breakfast “ type, a good Italian works well … my chili is Texas “ Bowl of Red”  no tomatoes no beans , just chilis ( see the paste) and caramelized onions… No wrong way to make chili, whatever suits your fancy , this is just what I consider chili ….start adding other stuff it’s a stew

Got it, thanks!
I like the idea of your paste, though I’m not sure I’d put in all that work.
Are there any commercially available Adobo pastes that are decent and not too spicy hot? My wife is sensitive to heat. I’m guessing you would use this paste in place of chili powder and other seasonings?
Also, great advice on watching the salt. It’s easy to over salt something like this.
Thanks again!
JD

there are chipotle in adobo sauce , but thats a bit spicy, at its simplest for, just get dried chiles ( you dont really have to measure, I just broke that one down for ones that follow recipes) you can soak in water or a beef stock , blend....add your seasonings later.....yes that replaces powders and is not spicy at all, very earthy fruity 

fishlessman

lkapigian said:

jjdbike said:

lkapigian said:

@jdMyers my adobo paste https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1229113/adobo-paste-base-recipe

I’ll use whatever sausage I have in the freezer, I’d shy away from “ breakfast “ type, a good Italian works well … my chili is Texas “ Bowl of Red”  no tomatoes no beans , just chilis ( see the paste) and caramelized onions… No wrong way to make chili, whatever suits your fancy , this is just what I consider chili ….start adding other stuff it’s a stew

Got it, thanks!
I like the idea of your paste, though I’m not sure I’d put in all that work.
Are there any commercially available Adobo pastes that are decent and not too spicy hot? My wife is sensitive to heat. I’m guessing you would use this paste in place of chili powder and other seasonings?
Also, great advice on watching the salt. It’s easy to over salt something like this.
Thanks again!
JD

there are chipotle in adobo sauce , but thats a bit spicy, at its simplest for, just get dried chiles ( you dont really have to measure, I just broke that one down for ones that follow recipes) you can soak in water or a beef stock , blend....add your seasonings later.....yes that replaces powders and is not spicy at all, very earthy fruity 

add some dried ghost and scorpion peppers to that adobo and we are talking chili.

buzd504

jjdbike said:

lkapigian said:

@jdMyers my adobo paste https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1229113/adobo-paste-base-recipe

I’ll use whatever sausage I have in the freezer, I’d shy away from “ breakfast “ type, a good Italian works well … my chili is Texas “ Bowl of Red”  no tomatoes no beans , just chilis ( see the paste) and caramelized onions… No wrong way to make chili, whatever suits your fancy , this is just what I consider chili ….start adding other stuff it’s a stew

Got it, thanks!
I like the idea of your paste, though I’m not sure I’d put in all that work.
Are there any commercially available Adobo pastes that are decent and not too spicy hot? My wife is sensitive to heat. I’m guessing you would use this paste in place of chili powder and other seasonings?
Also, great advice on watching the salt. It’s easy to over salt something like this.
Thanks again!
JD

I get big bags of dried chiles from the Mexican markets - usually ancho, guajillos, and chiles de arbol (for heat).  I seed a blend of those (usually 2:2:3 per cup or 2 of stock).  Rehydrate in warm/hot chicken stock (or your stock of choice) and then throw in the blender.  I use that trick for anything that I would add "chili powder" to ( and I think @lkapigian was my inspiration for that, so you should listen to him).

I do add some tomatoes and fresh chiles to my chili - mostly just to bulk it up, and I like beans, sue me.

Also, I will usually get a packer brisket expressly for chili, smoke the point and  cube it and put it in the chili, and grind the flat and put some of that in the chili and freeze the rest for burgers or whatever later on.

jjdbike

buzd504 

jjdbike said:

lkapigian said:

@jdMyers my adobo paste https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1229113/adobo-paste-base-recipe

I’ll use whatever sausage I have in the freezer, I’d shy away from “ breakfast “ type, a good Italian works well … my chili is Texas “ Bowl of Red”  no tomatoes no beans , just chilis ( see the paste) and caramelized onions… No wrong way to make chili, whatever suits your fancy , this is just what I consider chili ….start adding other stuff it’s a stew

Got it, thanks!
I like the idea of your paste, though I’m not sure I’d put in all that work.
Are there any commercially available Adobo pastes that are decent and not too spicy hot? My wife is sensitive to heat. I’m guessing you would use this paste in place of chili powder and other seasonings?
Also, great advice on watching the salt. It’s easy to over salt something like this.
Thanks again!
JD

I get big bags of dried chiles from the Mexican markets - usually ancho, guajillos, and chiles de arbol (for heat).  I seed a blend of those (usually 2:2:3 per cup or 2 of stock).  Rehydrate in warm/hot chicken stock (or your stock of choice) and then throw in the blender.  I use that trick for anything that I would add "chili powder" to ( and I think @lkapigian was my inspiration for that, so you should listen to him).

I do add some tomatoes and fresh chiles to my chili - mostly just to bulk it up, and I like beans, sue me.

Also, I will usually get a packer brisket expressly for chili, smoke the point and  cube it and put it in the chili, and grind the flat and put some of that in the chili and freeze the rest for burgers or whatever later on.

Excellent!
Thanks!
JD