It's odd to me how variable 'chili' and regional interpretations are. In Texas I think most would consider it a hanging or shooting offense to put beans (of any kind) in chili. The dish comes from Spanish/Mexican chile con carne meaning literally chiles (peppers) with meat, and is probably at least partially responsible for the rigid Texas 'rules' regarding beans. Some also hold that tomatoes are illegal as well.
Having spent many years in Texas and participating in regional Chili cook offs in Abilene and San Angelo for several years, I learned a good bit about chili and chili-head culture. I guarantee you a good time if you've never been to one. Walking around watching people 'fine tune' their chili is fun and entertaining, especially those with a sense of humor, like the guy (there is always at least one) who has an open can of Alpo sitting next to his chili pot.
When I cooked for competition, I relied heavily upon a fixed (and constantly updated) recipe perfected by the efforts of several friends, we worked together on crafting our competition entry. We never placed in the top five, but had several enter the top ten - considering the first round would sometimes be over 100 entries not bad placement at all.
At home my chili is almost never exactly the same twice, because for the home I think of chili almost as a living thing, depending upon what red meats you have available at the time, what peppers fresh and dried you might have available also. My chili is 'crafted' as I go, adjusting and fine tuning the spice balance right up until just shortly before it it is served. If you cannot deal with spicy, don't bother me, I don't know how, nor am I interested in cooking whimpy chili. Go buy a can of Wolf Brand chili and leave me alone. If on the other hand you don't mind sweating through your shirt, pull up a chair and I'll serve you a bowl.
3-5 pounds red meat (beef flank, skirt steak, or lean ground beef, venison, steaks or ground, antelope steaks or ground)
If steaks or non ground meat is used, dice it very finely.
1/2-2 pound fresh pork sausage (only used IF the red meat is mostly lean, some fat content is needed for a rich meaty chili)
1 or 2 fresh onions (any variety will do really, I'm now very partial to Vidalias since I now live in Georgia)
Fresh garlic minced (5-10 cloves depending on size)
Herbs should be added and adjusted to taste, start with about 1 teaspoon/pound of meat, herbs aren't written in stone, feel free to experiment. (Some interesting options, basil, curry powder, different varieties of Oregano, Mexican, Greek, Italian, white or green pepper)
Whole cumin seed
Cumin powder
Dried Oregano
Dried Marjoram
Dried Thyme
Nutmeg (1/2 teaspoon/pound of meat)
Fresh ground black pepper (by tablespoon)
*Secret ingredient* 1/2 teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa/pound of meat (If you've every had Pollo Mole you know where I got this idea)
Course Salt
Peppers:
Fresh jalapeno 3 (maybe more later)
Fresh serrano 3 (maybe more later)
Fresh habanero 1
Dried Chiles: (prepared in various ways, cut into very fine strips, crushed in a mocahete (mortar and pestle) or the easy way in a blade type coffee grinder)
Arbol 5-10
Pasilla Negro 1-2
Ancho 2-3
Pequin 5-10 (if you can't find these little peppers sometimes called bird peppers a couple tablespoons of
Cholula chili sauce is a good substitute)
1 can of Italian style tomato paste (used for a little bit of tomato flavoring but mostly to enhance the color a bit)
Step 1
In a couple of tablespoons of virgin olive oil brown the diced onion, when it begins to look translucent, add in first round of dried herbs, ground dried chiles, fresh chiles and garlic, but don't let the garlic brown too much it will taste burned. Throw in a couple of tablespoons of water at the end to cool it down, scoop out and set aside.
Step 2
In the same pan add a couple tablespoons of virgin olive oil and start browning small batches of your meats, repeat until all meat is browned.
Step 3
In your large crockpot, dutch oven, or whatever you use for large stews, put in browned meat and spice mixture. Add a couple cups of water (however much is enough to make it fairly soupy) Add in tomato paste, cover and bring it up slowly to a simmer. Once you have established a good simmering rate allow it to simmer for at least an hour. Once it has cooked down some taste and adjust spices and herbs as needed, it's not going to taste just right the first couple of times. After about two hours of this, adjusting taste about every 15 minutes or so, you can then start working on the desired thickness. You may add water as necessary or let it simmer with the lid off to reduce water content as needed. I like mine thick enough to cling to the spoon.
Serve with soda crackers, corn tortillas or tortilla chips, grated cheese or sour cream as desired and LOTS of whatever you like to drink.
Warning, you are going to fart, and it might damage things, be prepared! :affraid:
