I won't try to give you a recipe because as you mentioned, everyone has their own idea of the perfect chili. I mean, I've heard some people actually put beans in their chili!!!
If you're familiar and comfortable with green chili, I say just make that.
The single most important thing you can do, no matter what kind of chili you're making, is
MAKE YOUR OWN CHILI POWDER!!!!
I can't stress this enough. The difference is incredible. Store bought chili powder simply cannot hold a candle to chili powder that has been toasted, ground and mixed within minutes of being put in the chili. The flavors and aromas in cumin seeds and the various other ingredients dissipate extremely quickly.
I was completely blown away the first time I tried it.
Another tip is to divide your spices in half, and add half at the beginning, then the other half at three quarters of the way through the cooking process. For example, if you're simmering for an hour, add the 2nd half at the 45 minute mark. The simmering will mute the flavors and make them more earthy and mellow. The second addition will allow the brighter notes of the spices to come through, and you'll have a more complex, layered flavor.
Here's Alton Brown's recipe for chili powder. I usually don't use the dried peppers, just use dried pepper flakes, and it's still really good. I also don't use smoked paprika because I can never find it. I do make sure the paprika I use is as fresh as possible, as well as all the other ingredients.
Ingredients
* 3 ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded and sliced
* 3 cascabel chiles, stemmed, seeded and sliced
* 3 dried arbol chiles, stemmed, seeded and sliced
* 2 tablespoons whole cumin seeds
* 2 tablespoons garlic powder
* 1 tablespoon dried oregano
* 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Directions
Place all of the chiles and the cumin into a medium nonstick saute pan or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, moving the pan around constantly, until you begin to smell the cumin toasting, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside and cool completely.
Once cool, place the chiles and cumin into the carafe of a blender along with the garlic powder, oregano, and paprika. Process until a fine powder is formed. Allow the powder to settle for at least a minute before removing the lid of the carafe. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
