Tennessee style Chili?

[Guest carbonarcher]

Being new to this wonderful state,

Is there a style that this state leans towards for good old fashion chili?

Ground beef?

Chuck cubes?

Short ribs?

Outside of the normal chili spices, is there one that is regional to this state?

I am asking, went to a couple of "gatherings" and the chili was very loose and was made with ground beef. I know in Texas they use beef stew meat, same here?

Do you all prefer thick or thin

[TGO David]

My wife and I make it with ground beef but it's a very thick chili as well. And very hot.

[KahrMan]

My wife and I make it with ground beef but it's a very thick chili as well. And very hot.

+1 You also find a lot people use venison instead of ground beef. Generally it is a coarse ground meat instead of a fine grind. It seems to hold up better.

[Guest carbonarcher]

I am making a vat right now!LOL! I seem to lean towards Chipolte, I love the smokey flavor it lends to the chili, not to mention the scotch bonnets for the added heat! I usually go very thick! What kind of beans do you all go with?

[Guest carbonarcher]

So I am gathering the norm is to go with a coarse ground style meat? Do alot of people go with a mix? I love venison my self. Do you go 50/50 or what is the ratio?

[KahrMan]

I use a mixture of light kidney beans and pintos. If I am feeling kinda wild I will throw in some black beans.

[KahrMan]

If I am using venison, I go with 3/4 venison and 1/4 ground pork. The ground pork gives you the added fat that the venison needs.

[enfield]

I generally prefer to make mine with diced stew meat or a 50/50 mix stew meat/ground round. The batch I have simmering now is 100% ground round, as I have 1/2 a freezer full of ground round.

It's thick and hot.

[Guest db99wj]

I love all kinds of chili! Wife made some this week. Yum!

We use ground and make it mild, the kids can't handle the hot. I'll ad some heat to mine.

[Guest carbonarcher]

Wow! Thanks for the great info! What about spices? I know we can all say "HOT" smokeyhot, 5alarm hot, suttle hot?

So what knind of hot peppers you use? I would like to hear about your spices too!

Thanks

[Guest carbonarcher]

Kahrman,

HUMMMM-----Black beans. Okay, that is different.

[TGO David]

My wife doesn't like her chili as hot as I like mine, so I add a small dose of Dave's Insanity Sauce to my bowl to liven it up a bit. Still, the chili she makes is hotter than my kids prefer. They'll toughen up or go hungry.

[Guest carbonarcher]

WoW! that's funny David! LOL

[Jasongar8]

I usually use ground chuck and pinto and kidney beans. I like mine hot as well but not to the point where I don't taste anything but hot.

[enfield]

Mine is just hot enough to leave an afterglow. I add 2 tsp Cayenne pepper to 4 lbs meat.

[sigmtnman]

Jimmie dean patty sausage along with ground round or cubed meat of some sort.

Dark red kidney beans, pinto beans and black beans.

Lots of other stuff. hot, hot, hot

[Guest carbonarcher]

Crying going down and scream when coming out? LOL

[Guest db99wj]

Crying going down and scream when coming out? LOL

Ugh, on the "back" end of that right now, but not from Chili, from the Krystals with cheese I had last night at around midnight! LOL!

[Guest carbonarcher]

LOL!! Good luck with that!! Thank your lucky stars that you did not eat any ghost chilies! Thats a 2-3 day ordeal!!! lol!

[Guest Carryin Counselor]

I use venison (less greasy than beef), pintos, and black beans in mine. As well as the usual tomatoes and chilies (if u like hot). I also like to add a small can of beer. I think it really helps strengthen the flavor of the chilli as it cooks.

[Handsome Rob]

't ain't a proper Tennessee chilli without possum, coon or both.

[Guest spoolie]

Children...chili should be hot.

[LagerHead]

My wife doesn't like her chili as hot as I like mine, so I add a small dose of Dave's Insanity Sauce to my bowl to liven it up a bit. Still, the chili she makes is hotter than my kids prefer. They'll toughen up or go hungry.

Love me some Dave's. I have 12 different flavors of Dave's sauces in the fridge right now. Unfortunately Temporary Insanity is the hottest. Ran out of Insanity.

[Guest carbonarcher]

So..... spoolie, how many spirits have you seen after eating that chili? I sent a few to the E.R. cause of them! LOL

[Guest carbonarcher]

I can even tell you how it happens, first you eat, then mouth is on fire, then the crying, drooling, then you turn pale! LOL! People don't realize that people die from these chilies, not from the heat. They die, and have a heart attack due to the shock setting in! Spoolie, I am sure that you know, these things are NO JOKE! They will hurt you real BAD!

I know