DIY Recipe: Chili

If you look for a Chili recipe online, you're going to come up with about 1 million variations on what people claim to be the "Best Chili EVER". Nobody provides you with a structure that you can modify to your own liking. Here is a new segment known as DIY Recipe, kind of like choose your own adventure:

1. Meat. In batches in a large pot, season and brown 2-4 lbs of:
1. Ground beef
2. Veal
3. Stew beef (Top round, bottom round, chuck)
4. Pork
5. Sausage (try not to use too much. no need to season)
2. Remove meat when just browned.
3. Aromatic Veggies. Add some oil and add some garlic along with 2 cups of:
1. Onions/Shallots
2. Celery
3. Carrots
4. Bell pepper
4. Deglaze with:
1. 1 bottle of beer
2. 1/2 cup of wine
3. 1/4 cup of vodka
5. Extra veggies. Add in 2-4 cups of:
1. Red beans
2. Corn
3. Bacon (seriously, it's a veggie to some people)
4. Chopped tomatoes (or canned, or tomato sauce)
   
6. Thicken. 2 tablespoons of:
1. Corn meal
2. Corn flour
3. All purpose flour
4. 2 cups crushed tortilla chips
7. Add back the meat
8. Season with any combination of:
1. Chili powder
2. Garlic powder
3. Onion powder
4. Cumin
5. Oregano
6. Black pepper
   
7. Canned chilies
   
8. Chocolate or cacao (unsweetened)
   
9. Thin to your desired consistency:
   
1. Water
2. Chicken broth
3. Veggie broth
10. Simmer for:
1. 1 hour
2. 4 hours
3. 12 hours
4. 4 hours the day before, store in fridge, then resimmer for 1 hour prior to serving
11. Serve with:
1. Tortilla Chips
2. Shredded cheddar
3. Sour cream
4. Sliced scallions
5. Cilantro
6. Cornbread

I used top round, onions, celery, wine, red beans, tomato sauce, corn meal, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, a touch of water, simmered for 4 hours and served with shredded cheddar and jack with some multigrain tortilla chips.