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Chilly Days Call for Chili
By Robert L. Haught
Chili is like sex. When it's good, it wonderful. When it's bad, it's still pretty good. - Anonymous
There are some people who say there is no such thing is bad chili. Well, they're wrong. Take Cincinnati chili -- please! It's served with pasta, of all things.
Chili heads - experts in the art of making and eating chili - go to great lengths to produce the best tasting, most satisfying bowl of red possible. They compete fiercely in chili cookoffs for envied championship titles.
You don't have to be a chili head to know how to make good chili. And in these times of economic uncertainty, chili is an ideal food to serve. It's a hearty dish that appeals to plain folks and presidents alike.
Basically, chili is ground meat simmered slowly with seasonings, often quite hot. There are many variations, however.
By Robert L. Haught
Chili is like sex. When it's good, it wonderful. When it's bad, it's still pretty good. - Anonymous
There are some people who say there is no such thing is bad chili. Well, they're wrong. Take Cincinnati chili -- please! It's served with pasta, of all things.
Chili heads - experts in the art of making and eating chili - go to great lengths to produce the best tasting, most satisfying bowl of red possible. They compete fiercely in chili cookoffs for envied championship titles.
You don't have to be a chili head to know how to make good chili. And in these times of economic uncertainty, chili is an ideal food to serve. It's a hearty dish that appeals to plain folks and presidents alike.
Basically, chili is ground meat simmered slowly with seasonings, often quite hot. There are many variations, however.
Some Cooking Tips
A heavy skillet or pot is ideal for cooking chili, but any receptacle large enough to permit stirring will do.
A heavy skillet or pot is ideal for cooking chili, but any receptacle large enough to permit stirring will do.
Speaking of stirring -- don’t overdo it. You don’t want to tear up the meat too much. But tasting is something else. Taste often.
MEAT - Opinions vary on what kind of meat is best, ranging from hamburger to ground round. (I use venison when I have it.) Don’t waste money on expensive cuts. They will just get mushy. Chili helps keep food costs down.
SEASONINGS - Chili powder, salt, oregano, cumin and cayenne pepper are fairly standard ingredients. Refrigerate spices to retain flavor.
CHILIES - Chili peppers lend authenticity, but don’t destroy your taste buds.
MASA HARINA - A flour-like Mexican corn meal used to "tighten" chili. Or use regular meal.
Chili purists don’t mix in beans but may serve them on the side, along with chopped onions, shredded cheese and chili peppers. Anyone caught adding ketchup to their chili might as well just eat the canned stuff.
Winter is a good time of the year to cook up a batch of chili. So if chilly days keep you indoors, fill your kitchen with the wonderful aromas of one of my favorite foods.
Classic and championship recipes
In the world of chili-making, some recipes are regarded as classics. One of these is:
Classic and championship recipes
In the world of chili-making, some recipes are regarded as classics. One of these is:
LBJ’s Pedernales River Chili
For chili lovers, one of the greatest legacies left by the late President Lyndon B. Johnson was his recipe for LBJ chili.
4 lb. coarsely ground chuck
1 large onion,
chopped
chopped
2 cloves garlic,
minced
minced
1 tsp. ground oregano
1 tsp. cumin seed
6 tsp. chili powder
1 ½ cups
tomatoes
tomatoes
2 - 6 dashes
Tabasco sauce
Tabasco sauce
2 cups hot water
Salt to taste
Brown meat and add onion and garlic and cook until tender.
Add oregano, chili powder, cumin, tomatoes, Tabasco sauce, salt and hot water.
Bring to a quick boil and simmer about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
The world’s greatest chili recipes include the classics, such as the one above, and championship dishes that won prizes in the numerous chili cook offs held around the country every year.
Joe Stewart’s "Reno Red" Chili
This recipe won a $15,000 first prize at the 1979 World’s Championship Chili Cookoff at Rosamond, Calif.
Rendered beef fat to coat skillet 1/8 inch deep
3 lb. round steak, coarsely ground or cut into small chunks
3 lb. chuck, coarsely ground
Black pepper
6 dried red chili peppers, stemmed & seeded & boiled 30 minutes in 3-4 cups of water
½ cup chili powder
3 T cumin seed, crushed
2 T MSG (optional)
6 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 T leaf oregano brewed in ½ cup beer (like tea)
3 medium onions, chopped
2 T paprika
2 T cider vinegar
2 cans beef broth (not condensed)
1 cup stewed, pureed tomatoes
2 T masa harina
Salt, powdered oregano & garlic powder (for extra seasoning)
Brown meat in fat, adding black pepper to taste. Drain meat. Add chili powder, cumin, MSG and garlic. Cook 30-45 minutes, using as little liquid as possible, adding cooking water from peppers as necessary.
Remove skins from boiled chilies (suggestion: wear rubber gloves), mash pulp and add to meat mixture.
Add chopped onions, oregano and beer mixture, paprika, vinegar, one can beef broth and pureed tomatoes. Simmer 45 minutes.
Dissolve masa harina in remaining beef broth, stir into chili and simmer 30 minutes.
Season to taste and simmer 15 minutes.
Panhandle Pete’s Favorite Chili
Wick Fowler’s famous "Two-Alarm Chili" inspired this hearty, tongue-burning delight, which is a standard in the kitchen of Haught Cuisine.
2 onions, chopped
2 onions, chopped
1 green pepper, diced
2 - 3 stalks celery, diced
2 lb. Ground beef (or venison)
1 8 oz. Can tomato sauce
2 cups water
6 ½ T chili powder
1 tsp. Cayenne
3 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Paprika
1 T cumin
Masa harina
Saute onions, green pepper and celery until soft. Set aside.
Brown meat. Stir in tomato sauce, water, chili powder, cayenne, salt, paprika and cumin. Add onion-pepper-celery mixture.
Cover and simmer 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Refrigerate overnight.
Reheat chili. Mix 1 ½ tablespoons masa harina with warm water into a thick paste. Stir into chili. Let simmer another 15-20 minutes, then taste for seasoning.
For more of "The World’s Greatest Chili Recipes", send a stamped, self-addressed #10 envelope and $1 to Robert L. Haught, PO Box 1582, Madison, VA 22727. Please allow 3 weeks for delivery. Include your e-mail address for notification of shipment.
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