Chili

A source of debate, pride, egotism, and flat out conflict for generations, chili is a battlefield on which wars are waged for honor, glory and heartburn.  No manly cookbook or cooking related website would be complete without a recipe for chili. And, because everyone has a chili recipe (each one is the best one in the world), I have dedicated a whole web page to some of my favorites. Hell, I love the stuff so much I named the cookbook I'm writing (if I ever get off my ass and finish it) after it! That's right, "Chili, It's Not Just For Breakfast!"

Chili is also almost exclusively a man’s domain. Men can be very passionate about their particular recipe. There have been bar fights over what type of meat should be used. Oh, sure, there have been some sad attempts to emasculate it by introducing some sorry concoction comprised of who knows what and calling it chili. But you won’t find anything like that here. 

In the following recipes you will find a very wide variety of chilies. Some will conform to the International Chili Society’s definition of competition chili: “…any kind of meat, or combination of meats, cooked with chili peppers, various other spices, and other ingredients with the exception of items such as beans or spaghetti which are strictly forbidden.” Some will just be great chili in the spirit of its origin as a trail food without regard to “rules” as to what you can or can’t put in it. Yes, I like beans in my chili. Sometimes macaroni or rice, too.

Except mushrooms. I did that once. My dad almost disowned me. I’m sure, though, that if he tried it he would have liked it. A little too California I guess. 

Probably the single-most important thing to remember when preparing chili is that it is not simply cooking. It is a ritual. A ritual with its own set sequence of events that must be followed precisely in order to insure the enjoyment of the total experience. Chili is truly adventure in cooking. It is not for the faint of heart, nor for the dilettante. It requires commitment, skill, and a keen sense of taste, smell, and humor. 

To properly prepare chili in all it's glory, you must first make it feel comfortable. Good music is a must. Some Flaco Jimenez, Los Lobos, or Texas Tornadoes would be a good start. After a six-pack or so while cooking any kind of blues is good also. Ambience is very important, too. You have to gain the chili's trust. Not having any women in the immediate vicinity of the chili is a good idea.

Anyway, now that we have the initial preparations in order, let's cook!

Oh, yeah...if YOU have a chili recipe that you'd like to share, email it in! 

I guess I'll start this section off with one of my personal favorites. I call this one "Meat with Chili."

Meat with Chili

1 large yellow onion chopped
1 large white onion chopped
3 green peppers chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
2 lbs ground beef
2 lbs steak cubed
2 lbs boneless chicken breast cubed
1 lb ground pork
4 lbs tomatoes chopped OR 2 28-oz cans of chopped tomatoes
10 jalapeno peppers sliced
2 cups green chilis chopped
2 cups Mole Sauce
Beans (optional) - 2 16-oz cans dark red kidney beans and 2 16-oz cans pinto beans
1 small can tomato paste
1 cup masa flour
2 Tbs vegetable oil
4 Tbs chili powder
1 Tbs cayenne pepper
1 cup fresh cilantro chopped
1 Tbs cumin
1 12-pack beer
Salt
Pepper

LIGHTLY sauté garlic, onions, peppers, and 3 sliced jalapenos in vegetable oil in a large stock pot.
In a large skillet, brown all the meat (each type separately) and add to onion and peppers in stock pot.
Add chili powder, cayenne, cumin, cilantro, salt and pepper to taste and mix thoroughly. Add tomatoes and remaining jalapenos. Next add mole sauce. Now add either 24 ounces of beer OR 24 ounces of water. You can drink the other 10 beers now if you want. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 4 hours stirring occasionally. Keep an eye on the liquid content and add more as necessary (to your own desired consistency). Remember though, we're going to thicken it a little later. After about 3 1/2 hours, add masa flour to 2 cups of water and mix thoroughly. Add flour mixture to chili while stirring constantly. You can adjust this to achieve your own desired thickness. If adding beans to the chili, now would be a good time. Salt and pepper to taste and let simmer another 30 minutes. Makes about 12 good size servings.

Duke’s Chili

Feo, Fuerté, y Calenté

[Ugly, Strong, and Hot]

Dedicated to John “The Duke” Wayne  

Submitted by Mike "Woody" Woods

½ lb. dry kidney or red beans
½ lb. dry black beans
1 bay leaf
1 small onion cut into slivers
½ cup cooking oil (divided)
1 large onion
1 large sweet green pepper
1 large sweet yellow pepper
2 or 3 yellow chilies
2 or 3 habenero chilies
2 or 3 jalapeno chilies
1 large pascilla chili
2 lbs. ground beef (you could use ground turkey, but I can’t imagine why)
1 – 2 lb. steak cut into 1-inch cubes (any cut of steak is fine) [12 pack of beer (your preference)
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. Cumin
1 tbsp. paprika
3 15 oz cans tomato sauce
1 10 oz can of Campbell’s beef broth or substitute
3 15 oz can stewed tomatoes (any style)
Stick cinnamon
Salt & pepper

Collect ingredients.  Open one beer and set it on counter within arms reach (hey, cookin’s hard work!).  Rinse and soak beans over night as per directions. 

Drain beans, put in a large pot, & set heat on high.  Add 1:1 ratio beer to water to cover the beans completely; bring to a boil and turn to simmer with lid ajar for one hour or until just tender. 

Heat oil and one bottle of beer in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium/high heat; when oil/beer is hot, add hamburger– stir frequently. 

Core, seed, and chop onion, red, & green chilies, and sweet peppers.  After hamburger is browned, drain off fat, (you can rinse with hot water to reduce residual fat) and set to the side. 

Turn heat to high, and add 2 tablespoons of oil.  When the oil is hot add the onions and pepper mix.  (a protective mask comes in handy for this step) Stir continuously over high heat for 4 – 5 minutes until onion becomes translucent – reduce heat to medium temp. 

Return hamburger to the pan and reheat (add oil if necessary).  Once mixture is heated through, add steak, beef broth, and bring to boil, once mixture begins to boil turn heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. 

While the mix is simmering, drain the beans, add tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, and spices to the pot.  Stir occasionally until boiling.  Once mixture has reached boiling, add the meat pepper mixture and bring back to boiling.  Add cinnamon stick and turn the heat to low.  Let it cook until the beans are completely cooked.  Best if allowed to simmer overnight.

Drink rest of beer while waiting.  

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Copyright © 2008 Michael D. Jacquard
Last modified: July 18, 2008