Best canned chili?

March 23, 2020, 03:52 PM

flashguy

This is the best I've ever had. Unfortunately, it isn't available in local stores:

DSC_6570 by David Casteel, on Flickr

I don't care for either Hormel or Wolf brand chili. Lately I've been buying "Signature" brand (Albertson's store brand, I think) and it's not bad. I buy both the normal and the hot versions, but I do spice both of them up a little with Cayenne pepper.

None of the canned chilis come close to my mom's, but she's dead and I don't have her recipe (even if I cooked, which I don't).

I just checked for Nalley chili. Some Target stores have carried it, but none here do now. Amazon does not currently have it for on-line sale, and Nalley itself says it cannot deliver to my ZIP Code. Bummer!

flashguy

March 23, 2020, 04:15 PM

flashguy

quote:
Originally posted by cne32507:
Well good god, man. Can't you thaw out a # of ground beef and brown it? If not, turn in your man card.

I'm not the OP, but no, I can't. I can scorch water while heating it.

flashguy

March 23, 2020, 04:18 PM

1s1k

quote:
Originally posted by Modern Day Savage:
Although I'm sure I could probably learn how, I just never got around to learning how to make chili...or many other dishes...so, while I LOVE a good bowl of homemade chili I depend on family and friends for those. Otherwise, it's the canned stuff for me.

Stagg and Wolf brands are my favorite, but also a little more on the expensive side...so Hormel, as a cheaper alternative is what I have eaten the most of. Bean, No Bean, Chunky, Turkey, had 'em all and enjoyed them all.

I usually save them for chili cheese dogs during ball games...especially this time of year in Post Season play.

Other than cheese, onions, and hot sauce I don't do anything to jazz them up.

Start simple and you will get inspired.

Start off buying 3 different cans of beans, 2 cans of tomato sauce, 1 packet of chili seasoning and some hamburger. Then brown the hamburger while stirring in the chili seasoning. Once the hamburger is browned put in in a big enough sauce pan to put in the 3 cans of beans and two cans of tomato sauce. Let is simmer on the stove and you will have some chili that is ten times better than store bought.

From there you can go 100 different ways.

March 23, 2020, 04:35 PM

jigray3

Best canned I've had is Clyde's. They are a restaurant icon in N.VA/DC area known for their chili, so they decided to can it. It's good in the restaurant and translates very well to the can, but it is expensive if it's still available.

They even publish the recipe:::
Clyde's Recipe

March 23, 2020, 04:55 PM

pilot99

Campbells Chunky with beans

March 23, 2020, 04:58 PM

slabsides45

When I was a boy the local Jitney Jungle grocery chain carried a store brand called Food Club. The Food Club Chili with beans was as good as any I've had out of a can, bar none.

If they were still sold locally in any chains, I'd get some right now. And maybe some TP.

March 23, 2020, 05:21 PM

rat2306

quote:
Originally posted by jigray3:
Best canned I've had is Clyde's. They are a restaurant icon in N.VA/DC area known for their chili, so they decided to can it. It's good in the restaurant and translates very well to the can, but it is expensive if it's still available.

They even publish the recipe:::
Clyde's Recipe

I'm in Alexandria, haven't seen it in a while. Will look for it, the pantry has a few cans of Hormel and Stagg in it, a couple more won't hurt.

March 23, 2020, 05:32 PM

sig229-SAS

Three words that don't go in the same sentence:

Chili, Canned & Good....

It's not hard to make and way better than anything in a can...

March 23, 2020, 05:34 PM

parabellum

quote:
Originally posted by sig229-SAS:
It's not hard to make and way better than anything in a can...

The difference being that I'll have chili sitting in the back of my pantry for the next time that the planet loses its collective mind.

How long does your fresh batch last? Well you can freeze some, I suppose, assuming that you still have electricity when it comes down to breaking out the reserves.

Canned food = long-term convenience

March 23, 2020, 05:52 PM

urbanwarrior238

Trader Joe's - Organic Vegetarian Chili. The best I've had. thick, spicy, beans and Tofu as the "meat". Don't knock it till you've tried it.

You would never know it's not regular old meat and bean chili. Just ask my mom. We sneak it to her, she likes this chili and hates Tofu. We don't let her see the can!

March 23, 2020, 05:58 PM

az4783054

Just came back from the grocery store...absolutely no canned beans or canned tomatoes of any kind, no canned vegetables and no cheese. Still no TP. Today there was no fresh beef, chicken or pork. The good news was that the produce section was looking almost normal.

I would have liked a big bowl of chili tonight...

March 23, 2020, 06:31 PM

bronicabill

quote:
Originally posted by Georgeair:
Notes from an inexperienced Chili taster named Frank, who was visiting Texas from the East Coast:

Recently I was honoured to be selected as an outstanding famous celebrity in Texas, to be a judge at a Chili cook-off, because no one else wanted to do it. Also the original person called in sick at the last moment, and I happened to be standing there at the judge's table asking for directions to the beer wagon when the call came. I was assured by the other two judges (Native Texans) that the chili wouldn't be all that spicy, and besides, they told me that I could have free beer during the tasting. So I accepted.

Here are the scorecards from the event:

CHILI # 1: MIKE'S MANIC MONSTER CHILI

JUDGE ONE: A little to heavy on tomato. Amusing kick.

JUDGE TWO: Nice, smooth tomato flavour. Very mild.

FRANK: Holy Shit, what the hell is this stuff? You could remove dried paint from your driveway with this stuff. I needed two beers to put the flames out. Hope that's the worst one. Those Texans are crazy.

CHILI # 2: ARTHUR'S AFTERBURNER CHILI

<<snipped lengthy quote>>

I just laughed so hard at reading this that I literally couldn't breathe! My wife had to check to see if I was okay or not... LOL

March 23, 2020, 06:42 PM

jigray3

quote:
Originally posted by rat2306:
quote:
Originally posted by jigray3:
Best canned I've had is Clyde's. They are a restaurant icon in N.VA/DC area known for their chili, so they decided to can it. It's good in the restaurant and translates very well to the can, but it is expensive if it's still available.

They even publish the recipe:::
Clyde's Recipe

I'm in Alexandria, haven't seen it in a while. Will look for it, the pantry has a few cans of Hormel and Stagg in it, a couple more won't hurt.

I take it you've had Clyde's, though being from Alexandria, I'd wager you've had Hard Time's for sure.

March 23, 2020, 07:51 PM

1s1k

quote:
Originally posted by parabellum:
quote:
Originally posted by sig229-SAS:
It's not hard to make and way better than anything in a can...
The difference being that I'll have chili sitting in the back of my pantry for the next time that the planet loses its collective mind.

How long does your fresh batch last? Well you can freeze some, I suppose, assuming that you still have electricity when it comes down to breaking out the reserves.

Canned food = long-term convenience

But then how much TP do you need.

March 23, 2020, 08:24 PM

rat2306

I take it you've had Clyde's, though being from Alexandria, I'd wager you've had Hard Time's for sure.[/QUOTE]

Last stop there (Hard Times) was two weeks ago. Clyde's chili is no longer canned per the link in your earlier post, and a little Google searching.

March 23, 2020, 08:26 PM

alreadydead

I am gonna have to break out a Pepcid after reading this thread.

March 23, 2020, 08:33 PM

tatortodd

quote:
Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:
Campbells Thick and Chunky is the most edible for me.

WTH - just saw I answered this 2 years ago. At least I was consistent, although I tend to go with regular over the firehouse version now.

Me too except my consistency is having a dozen cans of Wolf w/o beans in my pantry.