CHILI NOTES FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE

By Seared Lightly

 As the seasonal thermometer begins to slide, it seems appropriate to discuss foods to warm our inner selves.  We’ve received a reader’s contribution to that purpose.  Texan L. E. Basnight writes of an American classic:  Texas Tailgate Chili.  This recipe is intended to feed 10-15 and is ideal for heating up on a portable grill in a stadium parking lot.  Basnight instructs: 

“You know those canned tomatoes and kidney beans?  Well save them for your Italian soups.  

Real Texas chili has no tomatoes or beans.  

Some Texans do put in pinto beans, but that is only to stretch the chili for unexpected company.  Make your chili the day before you intend to serve it, and let it rest in the fridge overnight so the full bouquet of the peppers and other spices can develop together peacefully.

I prefer the texture I get from 4 lbs. of boneless beef bottom round and 3 lbs. of lean ground beef.  You could substitute another meat for the ground beef. I sometimes use venison sausage, or duck.

I cut the round into 2-inch squares, then process briefly in a food processor.  You want to keep it coarse, and you may just cut it into ½ inch cubes.

The amount of chili powder may have to be adjusted, as brands vary.  Do not use a chili powder that contains salt.  The meat should look a well-seasoned red before the other ingredients are added.

The Ingredients
 
½ cup Chili Powder  1 ½ cups chopped Onions
1 cup chopped Bell Pepper 4 cloves finely chopped Garlic
3 tbsp. Cumin powder  2  12oz. cans Beef Stock
6 large fresh Jalapenos 2 tbsp. Corn Meal
Salt & Pepper to taste

Brown the Beef in a small amount of vegetable oil on medium high heat in a large, heavy pot, just until it turns grey in color.  Add Chili Powder and stir frequently for a few minutes, avoiding any sticking and burning.  Then add Onions, Bell Peppers and Garlic.  Keep stirring until the Onions soften, then add Cumin and Beef Stock.  Add enough water to bring it to a soupy consistency.  Test for Salt & Pepper and then toss in the whole Jalapenos.  Bring to a boil, then turn the heat way down and partially cover the pot to simmer for at least 2 ½ hours.  Stir every half hour or so, to make sure the Chili isn’t sticking and burning on the bottom.  Add more water if things seem a little dry.  When the Chili is done, mix the Corn Meal with a little water into a loose paste and stir it into the Chili to thicken.

Make Ahead

 Make your Chili the day before the game and heat it up at the stadium.  This recipe will feed up to 15 hungry souls, but you can cut the ingredient amounts in half for a family dinner.

For a truly great Chili, soak 8 Ancho Peppers an hour in hot water, drain, remove the stems and seeds and process into a paste.  Then use this paste instead of the Chili Powder.  The flavor is worth the added effort.

I like to put some crumbled Corn Chips or Spanish Rice in each serving bowl, pour in the Chili and top with grated sharp Cheddar Cheese.  Bowls of chopped Jalapeno Peppers, Onions and Tomatoes are ideal side dishes.

This is our Spanish Rice concoction:

 1 cup uncooked long grain Rice 2 tbsp. Vegetable Oil
 1 chopped Onion   ¼ tsp. powdered Cumin
 1 clove chopped Garlic  3 tbsp. Tomato Paste
 ¼ tsp. each Salt & Pepper  1 can Chicken Broth + water for 2 cups
 1 large fresh Jalapeno Pepper

Saute’ Rice in Vegetable Oil, stirring constantly for 4-5 minutes, then add Onion, Tomato Paste, Salt & Pepper.  Saute, stirring, a couple more minutes, then add Cumin & Garlic.  Continue stirring while you slowly add the Broth.  Bring to a boil, add the Jalapeno and reduce the heat for a very slow simmer.  Cover with a tight lid and cook another 18 minutes, then turn it off, but don’t open until ready to serve.  It will stay warm up to an hour.

Utilize your leftovers

Note that any Chili leftovers can be used to make a Tamale Pie, and frozen for another meal.  Just layer Corn Tortillas, Chili, Onions and Cheddar in an oven-proof dish…repeat the layers and freeze.  When thawed, bake the Pie in a 350-degree oven ‘til it’s hot and bubbly.”

Some notes of our own:  we favor sweet Walla Walla or Vidalia Onions as a counterpoint to spicy ingredients.  The influx of Latino culture has made the finest fresh hot peppers of several varieties readily available in Oregon, but unless you’re very brave, avoid Scotch Bonnets or Habaneros, or use more sparingly than pepper amounts called for in the foregoing recipe.  We prefer to utilize extra sharp Bandon or Tillamook Cheddar for added tang.

We completely agree with Basnight (and all true Texans) that any beans are an abomination in real Chili.