Mmmmm…green chili. Yeah, if you’re as far west as Colorado or New Mexico, that’s the stuff. My uncle who lives in Durango makes a killer green chili. Jeez, my mouth is watering even thinking about it, and it’s only 8:30 AM! I don’t know how I’m going to make it until lunch. Mmmm…delicious cubes of pork with those yummy chiles…
JRDelirious: Yeah, I know it’s called “chili con carne”, but trust me on this one. If you tried to compete in a chili cook-off with a beanified chili, you’d be disqualified. Real Texas chili is a transcendent carnivore’s dish. Meat, spices, and that’s about it. Beer does add a nice taste, and it doesn’t really matter much what kind of beer. I always use whatever I happen to have around the house anyway (which isn’t Bud, but this would be fine too; if I happened to have some hanging around for some reason, the first thing I’d do would be to make a big pot of chili. Or shrimp.).
Native Texan here - a ‘true’ Texas chili (whatever that is) is not supposed to have beans. However, there is a strong argument for beans being added by the cowboys as a cheap filler so there may be some historic merit to the whole beans thing. Then there is the meat/soup vs. thick argument and the argument over what color it should be - reddish or brown. Take a Texas history class with a bunch of Texans and you are likely to spend the better part of two classes discussing chili (that and another week on BBQ techniques but I digress). At any rate I make chili by taste so these measurements are approximate:
The Madness:
2 whole dried Habanero Peppers (not sure where you buy these – I grow / dry my own)
1 can Ranch Style Beans (w/ Jalapenos)
1 pkg or 2 tbs Williams Chili Seasoning (the best! - not too salty)
1 Lb Ground Beef
1 can Snap-e-Toms Tomoto Chili Coctail or
1 can diced Rotel Tomatoes (extra hot variety)
**extra heat as necessary, I like:
crushed red pepper
Cayenne (same thing only ground)
fresh Jalapeno peppers
fresh Habanero peppers (chopped very fine and stirred in a little at a time.)
and for a more persistent heat…. (prepared several months ahead of time) oil that has been flavored with dried peppers. The Method:
Combine ground beef and dried habaneros in pot.
Brown ground beef, while browning crumble up the beef as small as possible/practical.
Drain excess grease and return to pot.
Remove the habaneros and discard (they’ve done their part!).
Stir in beans and either of the tomato items and the chili seasoning.
Also add **extra heat as necessary
Keep stirring and cooking until it reduces to a nice thick homogenous mixture.
Serve with saltines and a wedge of sharp cheddar.
Total cooking time is less than 30 mins so it is quick!
The best resource for how hot chili should be it the Simpsons eposide on the subject. In summary, if you don’t hallucinate it is not hot enough!
I have to say LindyH is right about competition chili. No beans, no tomatoes! In Texas, adding beans is a hangin’ offense.
As a past Chili-Head,(CASI), I had a lot of fun, and met a lot of great folks, participating in chili cook-offs. The team I was a member of won two state championships, (Arkansas and Louisiana), and went to the world finals in Terlingua, Texas. I still enter once in a while. Even placed, (people’s choice award), the last time.
Personally, I don’t believe you can make good chili without beer in it. But then, I think most things are better with beer.
The meat ratio I use in my recipe, is 3/4 beef, 1/4 pork. I also add, cooked and crumbled, about 1/2lb of Jimmy Dean (or equiv.) sausage. Beacause I use serloin, there isn’t much fat. If there isn’t enough, I will ask the butcher for some extra, render it down, remove the cracklings, and then brown the meat in the grease. Remeber, it’s chili, not health food!
To make it hotter you can add “hot” chili powder, but I would recommend adding some hot fresh chilies. I think New Mexico Hatch Chilies are the best, but any kind are good. If you don’t fry and peel them, remove the seeds and run them through the processor. You don’t want seeds and pieces of the skin floating around in your chili.
I’m no “authentic chili” expert (I use both tomatoes and beans, and I’m a native Texan!), but if you want to retain all the heat, keep the seeds. If you don’t, remove the seeds. I usually just slice the peppers with the seeds intact. Not even particularly fine slices.
I may have to offer to cook some chili as another dish at Thanksgiving.
i’m getting in a little bit late on this topic, and it’s interesting to read that beans do not belong in texas-style chili. anyhow, my points of wisdom:
cumin is absolutely essential for that chili flavor, IMO. i think it’s probably the most distinctive flavor associated with the chili most of us are acquainted with. a big thumbs-up on the beer. i use dark czech beer, since i live more-or-less in that neck of the woods. i prefer dark carmelly beer for that extra depth. also, i would encourage the use of cinnamon. some people find this odd for some reason, but anybody familiar with mexican cooking will find cinnamon & meat fairly normal. I like my chili with a mix of meat. I usually use ground beef and a good stewing cut of pork cut into cubes for varied textures.
now i haven’t tried this yet, but i have a feeling some chipotle chiles would be great in chili, adding a nice smoky note. please send me a report if any of you have ever tried this. also, i always add my chili-powder mix (homemade) to the fat. trust me on this. to bring the flavor of the spices out, they need to be dissolved in fat. but don’t burn it. add it after browning the meat/onions just before you put in the beer/tomatoes/anything liquidy.
I have cooked this for Hispanic cow-orkers before and it brought tears of homesickness to their eyes. They softly mumbled things like; “My mom used to make this…”
Chili De Guaillo Red Chili with Pork
(Very authentic ancient chili con carne recipe)
Preparation time: 2-3 Hours
Serves: 3-6 people Ingredients:
2-3 Lbs. Pork shoulder (cut into 3/4" cubes)
3-6 Dried Red Chiles (New Mexican Red or Guaillo)
2-4 Large white onions (do not use red onions)
4-8 Cloves garlic (or more)
1 Qt. Chicken broth
1/2 Cup vegetable oil
Powdered cumin
Salt and pepper Preparation:
Preheat 2-3 Qt. cookpot w/ ~1/2 the oil
Coarsely chop the onions
Sweat onions until translucent
Add coarsely chopped garlic
(Do not brown garlic)
Add cubed meat to onion / garlic mixture
Sear meat without browning the onions
Add stock, bring to a low simmer for ~45 minutes.
In a separate pan heat the remaining oil
Destem and slit open dried chile pods to remove seeds
Flatten the pods and place in the heated oil
Cook pods over low heat until soft (turn occasionally)
Reserve oil in frying pan
Remove pods and drain on paper towels
Separate meat out of the broth mixture
Pour onion / garlic / broth mixture into a bowl
Add the pan fried chile pods to the bowl
Puree until smooth using a hand blender
Strain pureed mix to remove all skin and stray seeds
Sear cubed meat in reserved oil from pods
Return pureed mix to cook pot
Bring mix to very low simmer
(Reduce to thicken if necessary)
Add seared meat to pureed mix
Add spices and season to taste
Simmer slowly until tender
(Do not boil mixture!)
Stir occasionally
Serve: Over Spanish rice or with flour tortillas
Note: Do not add beans or tomato products
(I usually make this with beef due to preference)
Might I recommend Cincinnati-style chili? This is the chili made famous by Cincinnati’s Skyline restaurant. It’s quite spicy, but has an incredibly interesting flavor. One of the ingredients is chocolate. I know that sounds ridiculous, but it really works, I swear.
There’s an excellent recipe for it in the Joy of Cooking. Just look in the index for chili, Cincinnati-style. Well worth the effort, I assure you.
FYI, it does not include beans, and you do not drain the meat first. The raw meat goes straight into the pot, and cooks there. You then refrigerate the chili overnight, skim off any fat that rises to the top, and serve it the next day, perhaps over spaghetti.
Chili “purists” may scoff, but this stuff is truly superb.
Oh jeez, I stumbled into a favorite subject, an’ now I have the chance to expound. Oh joy of joys!
. It seems to me that here in the USA,with the bullheaded exception of Texas, that Chilli must have beans and tomatoes. Why the texans have to be different I do not know, but I do love the debate. Perhaps this string should be moved over to Great Debates?
. I’ve had dishes that were sans the beans and they were never called chilli.
. Thick definatly! Who ever puts tomatoe soup instead of tomatoe sauce in thier chilli needs to get out a bit more often.I mostly don’t find need for thickners if you simmer the hell out of the dish it will reduce enough.If one dosn’t have the patience,Mesa,being corn flour should be used,as it lends to the “Americanism” of the dish.
. Crackers? Mostly used to thicken an intolerably thin or cool down a too hot dish.I don’t like them except in Vegetable soup(That is a different thread)If you insist on searving them,put some butter on the side of my plate to go with the bland things.
. Hot!Definatly!If it hasnt got me sweating by the 3rd bite and my nose running by the 6th,it ain’t right.Unfortunatly my aging tummy can’t tolerate it anymore.pout. Carol Shelby,formerly of auto fame has a mix in the stores but it needs “Doktorin’”
. When cooking the ground beef I generaly leave it partialy pink,I like how the texture turns out better than having it in chunks bigger than the beans. I don’t waste my time browning chunks either.It turns out a bit more tender.
. One of the great beatuies of chilli, like spaghetti sauce, is you can toss just about anything in it and it still tastes wonderful.If you want to go Gourmet and use the expensive or fresh chillis,for God’s sake do it!If you find beans offensive,don’t use them.Some of the stranger ingredience I have tired in chilli myself is…Hershey bars, brown sugar, honey, cinnamon, peanut butter, celery,
carrots, and coffee. Even seafood(AK!ya purists)
. Serving the beans with rice gives a complete protien that is readily absorbed by the body, but a good v-gan will tell you that right?
. Using the Tortillas gives it an authentic Mexican feeling,which is kind of misleading,as Mexico wants no “Blame” for the dish
. Chilli is easy to make and entirely American in it’s origins.Hence Why Tomatoes,and Caspiums are compusatory, they are food products unknown to the world before Chris made his trip (he was looking for a trade route for SPICES!)Mesa flour and to a lesser extent Turkey meat just add to that Americanism.This dish is as well known in other parts of the world as is Pizza,a regional Italian dish.
. Grumble if you please about Chilli purism,But come to my table and walk away empty bellied on my Red.I DARE YA!
My dad like to use a mix whn he makes chili, i prefer to use a recipe. I shall steal some of these recipes. We always serve our chili with Mexican rice and French bread.
Chili is a food of the gods. Essentials in mine are:
Lots of meat, a mix of ground and chunked, be it beef or turkey. Pork is for posole, never chili.
New Mexican peppers.
habaneros.
jalapenos.
serranos.
chipotles.
white onion.
red onion.
sausage.
cumin.
hot paprika.
instant coffee crystals.
chocolate.
beer.
tequila.
Roma tomatoes or Tomatillos (depending on if it will be red or green chili).
And of course a few secret ingredients.
If I’m feeling particularly strange, I might put a small amount of beans in but pintos only. No kidney beans. Those are for red beans and rice.
