Nice thread there @bbqboy !
I certainly love me some braised oxtails, short ribs, chile verde, stuff like that, but to me chili means ground meat.
much depends on what I have handy cuz it can be sorta odds and ends stuff in a good way…things i really like in my chili include
ground beef
ground venison/moose/boar/elk (stuff my hunter friends throw into my freezer or theirs)
breakfast sausage (not the links, the ground stuff from butcher or in a tube)
fish sauce/anchovies
vindaloo paste (from jar from supermarket)
ground dry chiles and related spices
cumin
szechuan pepper (corns) ground up
whole can or jar of pickled jalapeno rings and the juice
whatever hot peppers fresh and dry i have
left over little plastic things of salsa, hot sauces and chili paste from various takeouts can make their way in depending
beer (some for the pot)
tomato paste/canned tomato
sometimes beef stock if i have some
garlic/onion
on the side could include:
pinto beans, black beans – not everyone likes em, and they can get soggy in a huge batch that i want to reheat, save, etc.
green onions
shredded cheese
tortilla chips/fritos/tortillas
dave’s insanity sauce (or the like) to kick up the heat on a bowl by bowl basis. dipping a chopstick in usually gets the amount needed.
hotdogs/buns
cornbread
i really enjoy the process of a one pot meal, cooking it, drinking while i cook, watching the game, having leftovers cuz made so much
some great tips up there – squirt of hershey syrup i like that!
