It takes a long time to cook chili and develop the flavor to make it the best chili. So, the best chili for your tailgate party must be made ahead of time, in the kitchen and kept warm through game time. I shared my brick-solid secret for keeping foods warm earlier this week. Now, I want to share a few ideas on WHAT we’re keeping warm, my favorite chili recipe.

Your expression of chili shouldn’t have a recipe. Your best chili should be the chili recipe that comes from your imagination and favorite combination of ingredients. It’s a fantastic opportunity to use basic cooking methods and create something that has no rules.

I advise people who want to learn to cook to start with something like soup, stew, or chili. This is where there’s great freedom to explore different ingredients while using basic cooking methods.

A great chili recipe starts like a saute procedure, with a hot pan and some fat to conduct the heat. The protein product you choose doesn’t have to be ground beef. In today’s video, I create a filet mignon chili, using the scraps from a whole tenderloin we cleaned in a previous lesson at WebCookingClasses. Rather than beef, you can choose chicken, turkey, roasted vegetables, even shrimp or lobster chili.

The best savory flavors in chili are combined during the initial saute. Here’s where the rendered fat from your protein product combines with the onions, garlic, peppers, or dried herbs you choose. A deglazing liquid is needed then needed to add texture, only to evaporate most of it, leaving its flavors behind.

Your chili recipe is now ready for a long, low, and slow simmer to tenderize, reduce, and combine flavors. Here’s the time to let your chili breathe. Don’t cover your chili pot unless you want to steam rather than reduce.

To bean or not to bean? You can debate whether the best chili recipe contains beans or not. This divides all people in their expression of a personal best chili. The important part is to learn to cook with basic methods and instill your personal desires to make the best chili recipe you’ve ever had.