I make chili fairly often. I don't have a recipe, though I enjoy reading them to get ideas. I never make it quite the same way twice, varying by the mood I'm in, the ingredients available, the amount of time and effort I want to put into a particular batch and who will be eating it. I cook much like I play harmonicas, following some basic guidelines, but making it up as I go.

Most of my chilis begin with sauteed diced onions and bell peppers. Then I add garlic and a variety of seasonings, diced tomatoes and a beer or three. The meat may be ground beef, ground turkey or diced chicken if I'm making a quick and lazy batch, but if it is a serious effort, I use roasted meat cut into chunks about 1/4" to 1/2". I prefer venison, but will use beef if I can't get any. I also often add italian sausage, cooked whole and then cut up. I don't like the texture of ground meat in a serious batch of chili.

I'll use a small amount of prepared chili powder, but mostly I add the basic ingredients - garlic, peppers and cumin. Peppers usually include cayenne and jalapeno, but may include many others, whatever I can find. I put a lot of effort into crafting the heat characteristics of my chili. It depends a lot on the target diners, but for myself I like it pretty hot. I try to come up with a blend of heat sources that will make some heat on the tip of the tongue, adding more heat and flavors as it works through the mouth and coming in with a surprise hit as it works down the throat.

I simmer it for a long time, several hours if possible. I agree with others that chili tastes best after a day in the refrigerator. The flavors come together that way. I do usually add beans to my chili. That's the way I learned to like it. If the chili is to simmer for a long time, I usually add the beans in the last hour or so to avoid making them mushy. Dark red kidney beans is my go to bean, but I sometimes go with other varieties on a whim. I do also make beanless chili sometimes, but I care nothing about traditions. I make it to eat.