How do I get smokey flavor in my Chile?


 
P

Peter O.

TVWBB Member
Mmmm, I love BBQ. Mmmm, I love chile. How can I get some smokey flavor in my chile? I guess the choices are using smokey meat or smoking my finished chile.

Anyone have some thoughts for wayward Connecticut Q'er?
 
I use smoked meat. Brisket point or chuck if I'm using beef and butt for pork-based chile. I also used roasted peppers which add a roasted flavor that adds to the smokiness and I use chipotles in a few different ones, either ground or whole.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> ...or smoking my finished chile... <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> that sounds like a great idea to me, throw it under a couple of pork butts perhaps, like baked beans in WSM
 
I like to take a disposable aluminum roasting pan and fill it with halved plum tomatoes (usually after I've cooked something else, but sometimes on the lower grate with something cooking above it) and let the go for a few hours. You can mash these through a china cap strainer to make BBQ sauce or chili.

morgan
 
I know this is heresy on this board....
icon_smile.gif
...but a few drops of liquid smoke will do the trick as well.

-Matt
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Matthew Appler:
I know this is heresy on this board....
icon_smile.gif
...but a few drops of liquid smoke will do the trick as well.

-Matt <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yep... I'd say that qualifies as heresy... get the rope boys...
 
True, a better solution is butt/brisket plus chipotles (which I did this weekend -- best chili I've ever made).

I wonder about putting the chili under butts, though. You have to leave the top open to allow the smoke flavor to get to the chili, and then all that fat drops into the pot. Not that I have anything against fat, but it might be too much (think of that layer you usually have to take off the pan when you're done!)

I could see putting the pot on top, though. Especially since it'll take less time than your butts, and you'll want to take it off earlier anyway.
 
I made some chili a few weeks ago.

Used "country style boneless ribs" (pork butt cut up) and a piece of brisket flat. I thought the cut up pork butt was a better way to go than a whole one; more surface to accept more smoke.

Smoked 'em for about 4 hours (partially cooked, chili would cook it the rest of the way), then cut 'em up into little chunks and tossed it in the chili that was simmering on the stove. Came out with a nice smokey flavor, not real heavy.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Art B:
...I wonder about putting the chili under butts, though. You have to leave the top open to allow the smoke flavor to get to the chili, and then all that fat drops into the pot. Not that I have anything against fat, but it might be too much ... <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Yeah Art, you're right it might be too much. I like the beans I have done that way, but then again I scalp my butts of external fat before cooking.

Edit: also, I have only had beans in for the last couple of hours of the butt cook so the amount of drippings didn't seem like too much
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>...wonder about putting the chili under butts, though. You have to leave the top open to allow the smoke flavor to get to the chili, and then all that fat drops into the pot. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Couple of alternatives: The fat will pool on the top. Lay a paper towel on the fat when you pull the pot and it will absorb some/most/all of it--your choice. If you're not planning on serving the chili right away you can stick the pot in the fridge once it's cooled and the fat will firm. Scape off as much or a little as you'd like.
 
Best chili I ever made was a green chili with the meat being a pork butt I had smoked, but put in the refrigerator. Get a ton of roasted Hatch green chilies, saute them in a skillet with onions and butter to get started. Slice up your smoked pork butt into cubes. Do the rest according to your preferences. Smokey. Awesome. Not like stuff people have had before.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Tyler Montague:
Best chili I ever made was a green chili with the meat being a pork butt I had smoked... <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yep. My favorite too. I like this simple recipe that Stogie posted. I up the stock a bit and add a cornmeal roux. Very tasty.
 
I just did this Tuesday night. Last weekend I smoked 2 chuck roasts 3 3/4 lbs. each. I froze one and chopped the other and substituted it for the meat in my chili. It had a delicious smoky taste, not to strong, not to lite. Still have a bit left for dinner tonight.
 
When I make chili, I get smoke flavor by using my kettle to grill everything that won't fall through the grates. I start by making hamburgers, then grilled tomatoes, celery, onions, peppers, etc. After that, I chop the veggies and combine everything with spices in a large pot and continue as normal. My chili always gets great reviews.

Mark
 
I read in another thread about using brisket in chili. That had not ever crossed my mind but did sound excellent.

I used some of the leftover brisket instead of hamburger in my chili. Wow it was excellent. Shortly after that I went out and bought a brisket just to smoke and freeze in single pot of chili portions. No more hamburger for me. I love that food saver I got for Christmas.
 
I save the fat and really dry bits off the brisket and make chili with that. You have to skim the fat off but it imparts a lot of flavour along the way. Also, the dry, leftover bits of brisket seem to come back to life in the chili. I've never put ground meat (or beans for that matter) in chili, my mum does and its too much like spaghetti bolognese with cumin in it.
 
I use the brisket point which I invariably freeze post-cook. I'll thaw it partially, cut it up a bit, and run some of the chunks briefly through the processor.
 
Another cheap short-cut if you don't have any left-over meat around (it doesn't stick around too long in my house) and you want to whip up a pot of chili with some smokey flavor is to use a couple of Chipotle in Adobo sauce chilis. These are smoked jalapeno's (chipotle) in a smokey sauce. They come in a can and are in the mexican section of the grocery store. They add a nice smokey heat to chili and are good for some wet rubs.
 
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