Do you use toppings on your chili?

[chef k-dude]

Love all the responses Y'all!

We make ours with hamburger, chili beans, onion, tomato juice, seasonings. Sometimes we top with sour cream and cheese but not always. I really like fresh baked bread to dip in my bowl but don't have it often... my wife would prefer a cinnamon roll. Also my wife will dip saltine crackers in her chili... my saltines get crushed up on top of my chili... always!

Ryan

Buttered bread is good with anything! Cinnamon roll...that is a new one for me. Maybe its a Midwest thing? You and BigW are both out that way. That reminds me, I do like a touch of cinnamon in the background of my standard chili and its not on my reminder recipe. I always made chili with no recipe, just instinct, but started forgetting things, so I made a loose "reminder recipe/list" so I didn't forget anything. Still no measurements on the spices, all by eye and years of making chili. I DO use a bit of cocoa powder in my chili sometimes when I want it dark and rich and thats on my recipe/list. It's still laying in its plastic page protector on the table near the kitchen from making it last night, thanks for the reminder, I'll add that note!

I keep it simple much like you do. I do like diced white onion occasionally and sometimes don’t mind a spoonful of cottage cheese, otherwise just pretty straightforward.

Wow, I love cottage cheese but haven't had it for a while. That is also a new one for me! My wife thinks I'm weird because I like salt and pepper on my cottage cheese (I think thats a hillbilly thing I got from my parents) and I think its totally weird to eat cottage cheese with fruit! I like cottage cheese, I like pineapple...but together?

Avocado is a new one to me. Usually I dip saltines and buttered bread into my chili. Not opposed to Fritos on occasion. I'm also in a area where cinnamon rolls are often served along with chili.

There are people out there taking a medium bag of Fritos, topping them with chili, onions etc and eating it with a fork or spoon right out of the bag. Always wanted to try that...for some reason...

I'm in the camp of "whatever grabs my attention in the fridge"

Never been a fan of cornbread with chili. Corn chips, that's a whole different story.

'Merican Cheese has become my preferred chili cheese. Not Kraft singles. Kraft deluxe is ok, but Food Lion white American has long been my go to for many things. Queso? Yep. I often make queso and give my chili a healthy shot of it right on top.

I'm one of the weird people that dont really care that much for cornbread generally. I can eat it, but only make it because everyone else loves it.

Are you talking sliced cheese?

Would have never thought of queso, but man, some queso with chili does seem like a great corn chip dipper!

I just made an amazing White Chicken Chili a few days ago. It was not my first try but definitely the best I have made so far. The only thing I topped it with was fresh cilantro. If I had fresh saltine crackers they would have been a good addition.

PS it has Mozzarella cheese melted into the base.

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That does look very good. Cheese as a thickener was something I didn't really learn until going low carb for a while. I have a Buffalo chicken soup recipe that uses jack cheese.

I love saltines. Got in the habit of not keeping them around while low carbing. They become a target for those 10PM salty munchie cravings...another reason I do not buy Doritos, still today even though we are allowing more carbs. Those things are like crack...like the cigarette companies, I swear they put something addictive in those things!

It all depends on what kind of chili it is. If it's a ground beef chili. Then I don't top it off with anything. It gets used as a topping for a hot dog. If it's a cubed beef chili then I like some freshly grated cheddar, or hot habenero cheese on top. Also can't forget that few extra drops of hot sauce.

Chris

Absolutely on board with the hot sauce. I DO add hot sauce during the cook, but there is something about that freshly added hot sauce. We prefer Texas Pete...made in North Carolina!

Yep! Deer chili n Fritos scoops!!!

Chili just dont taste right unless its deer for me. "Standard chili" that is. I am not looking forward to my dad passing. He's my deer supply. He harvests right out back here in the woods (I had them build a house next door to me (hundred yards or so away) and we skin and quarter under his shelter/carport and bring in my garage to the stainless work table for butchering. I mostly grind the meat these days except the tenderloins and backstrap. I'm not much of a hunter. Not because the blood and guts bother me, I just hate getting up early and sitting in silence out in the cold for hours and days on-end! We know the deer we butcher are well fed beforehand...dad make's sure of it!

He has a sign out there that says something like "feeding deer during hunting season is illegal, any deer caught violating the law and eating this corn will shot on sight".

We are almost 100% smoked chuck chili and it fits over an Idaho baked russet…..a little Mexican melting cheese (no stringy) then some caramelized red onions, chopped GO and fresh chopped herbs, sour cream is optional, as is some red beans. Oh and a side of corn bread and honey butter
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Looks outstanding and reads real nice too! Great pic, should have made the spinner if it didn't. Yea the cheese type can make a real difference on its stringiness. I haven't had a Mexican cheese that has any flavor to it. Probably just haven't had the good stuff.

Would have never thought about caramelized onions, thats a real gourmet combo there!

Start with some elbow macaroni at the bottom of the bowl. Definitely fresh chopped onions. Saltines, oyster crackers. My mom would make mashed potatoes with chili.

Yum

RG

You and civilsmoker reminded me I have that 5lb bag of potatoes and now a batch of leftover chili. Russet is usually the potato of choice when we do that, but no reason I cant roast some of those redskins I mention in my other recent thread and have with chili. Instead of a chili topper, a chili potato topper!

As I mentioned before about saltines, oyster crackers are dangerous for me to have around too! Just love the texture and shape. I especially love them with New England style clam chowder.

 

[BigW.]

"Walking Taco's" are fairly common here. You can usually find them at any ballgames. Doritos or Fritos are the usual chips. Filling is either taco or chili along with whatever topping floats your boat.

 

[jcam222]

I just made an amazing White Chicken Chili a few days ago. It was not my first try but definitely the best I have made so far. The only thing I topped it with was fresh cilantro. If I had fresh saltine crackers they would have been a good addition.

PS it has Mozzarella cheese melted into the base.

View attachment 705997

Good call on cilantro! I love that on white or red chili.

 

[jcam222]

A lot of folks around my area swear by eating their chili with a peanut butter sandwich.

 

[texomakid]

Sour cream, cheese, onions, & Fritos is the most common toppings used in our circle.

Sometimes, I just enjoy a bowl of red and some saltines (Now, I'm craving chili lol)

 

[BigW.]

A lot of folks around my area swear by eating their chili with a peanut butter sandwich.

Oh....I almost forgot about either grilled cheese or a quesadilla to go with a bowl.

 

[JLinza]

My wife will do cheese & sour cream. I like mine strait up. Put a homemade cinnamon roll on the side and I'm a happy camper.

 

[chef k-dude]

A lot of folks around my area swear by eating their chili with a peanut butter sandwich.

Ha ha!...wait, are you serious? Seems like something Elvis would have done

Oh....I almost forgot about either grilled cheese or a quesadilla to go with a bowl.

Never thought of that pairing either.

My wife will do cheese & sour cream. I like mine strait up. Put a homemade cinnamon roll on the side and I'm a happy camper.

ANOTHER vote for the cinnamon roll! I have clearly been living under a rock...

 

[Brokenhandle]

"Walking Taco's" are fairly common here. You can usually find them at any ballgames. Doritos or Fritos are the usual chips. Filling is either taco or chili along with whatever topping floats your boat.

Ya beat me to it... a tasty treat on occasion!

A lot of folks around my area swear by eating their chili with a peanut butter sandwich.

Was just told by some friends that they spread peanut butter on saltines and put in their chili... haven't tried it yet!

Ryan

 

[chef k-dude]

This why I love threads like this. So interesting to see how different people are. It's like going to someones house and you see the stuff they own, that they chose to have, how they organize and keep stuff. No two households are alike. Yes, I've been in some wealthy people's homes, and some of them have a common similarity...a sense of sterility, but even the homes of the wealthy are very different from each other, as well as what they eat.

 

[Inscrutable]

Usually nothing. Sometimes cheddar or smoked Gouda, occasionally red onion, cornbread or crusty baguette on side.

But I will consume it in mass quantities regardless how served

 

[chopsaw]

Start with some elbow macaroni at the bottom of the bowl.

That's a must . Elbows or shells .

peanut butter sandwich.

Worked with a guy that put peanut butter on hot dogs . Swore by it .

 

[gmc2003]

That's a must . Elbows or shells .

Really pasta with chili - Hmmmm never seen or hear of that one.

Worked with a guy that put peanut butter on hot dogs . Swore by it .

I love peanut butter on American cheese, and have since I was a wee little one. On a hot dog, me thinks not.

Chris

 

[jcam222]

That's a must . Elbows or shells .
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Worked with a guy that put peanut butter on hot dogs . Swore by it .

Some places serve peanut butter cheese burgers

 

[SmokinEdge]

I wouldn’t call it a topping per se but good Mac and cheese in a bowl mixed with Chile is a thing for us it’s delicious.

Growing up I used to eat peanut butter spread on bologna rolled up for a protein snack and believe or not it is delicious, sweet and salty it works very well. Never did it with dogs but basically the same thing. Seriously try it.

 

[chopsaw]

Really pasta with chili - Hmmmm never seen or hear of that one.

Yup . St. Louis and Cincinnati . Chili mac , Chili 3 ways , Chili 5 ways around here . I think Cincy has even more " ways " . I can buy the frozen Skyline chili here . Different , but it grows on you for sure .

Some places serve peanut butter cheese burgers

I saw that on Triple D . I couldn't do it myself .

 

[DougE]

I dont use sour cream anymore...it doesn't taste bad but turns it in to "cream of chili".

I actually prefer sour cream and use tortilla chips as a filler. I do make my chili with stew meat, not ground beef. I make it hot so the sour cream cools things off a bit.

 

[DougE]

Growing up I used to eat peanut butter spread on

A slice of bread slathered with peanut butter, dipped into a bowl of chili is also delicious.

 

[DougE]

A slice of bread slathered with peanut butter, dipped into a bowl of chili is also delicious.

Wife is involved with a yearly chili supper and auction fund raiser that benefits Special Olympics of KY. Various people make the chili (I usually send a pot), and they usually have a chili cookoff between the local police and fire departments. They sell the heck out of peanut butter sammies to go with the chili.

 

[Brokenhandle]

Wife is involved with a yearly chili supper and auction fund raiser that benefits Special Olympics of KY. Various people make the chili (I usually send a pot), and they usually have a chili cookoff between the local police and fire departments. They sell the heck out of peanut butter sammies to go with the chili.

Either way... it's for a great cause!

Ryan