Chili

Chef Carey on humor:

If you have to tell somebody somethin's funny, it ain't.

Are you trying to be funny?

Just funny lookin'. And in that I think I've succeeded admirably.

When I was a kid in Pittsburgh, mom made chili con carne. This was ground beef and kidney beans in a tomato based sauce. Served it with saltines. I was ambivalent....I liked the ground beef but hated beans at the time....always ate around them.

When I went to school in Boston, we ate a similar chili. But it was served over rice.

When we lived in Chicago, a lot of places served "chili-mac" which was the same chili served in a bowl with elbow macaroni added in. Grated cheese and/or chopped onions could be placed on top.

When I was in Chicago, the Tribune conducted a chili contest and published the top 3 winners. To this day, I make the winning recipe several times each winter. Kidney beans are optional but I always put them in and my wife always eats around them. Ground beef is the base meat.

Twenty-some years ago, we moved to Cincinnati and discovered Cincinnati-style chili. I do not think of this as chili but rather a different type of spaghetti sauce. This chili contains minimal discernible solids but, by legend, is flavored with both cinnamon and chocolate. As described elsewhere, it is typically served over spaghetti with grated cheeddar cheese on top. Despite Yaniger's misconceptions, this is known as a three-way. A four-way means either chopped onions or kidney beans (no, Stuart, not the Milton twins) have been added. A five-way contains both. The natives here are blissfully unaware that what they eat is not real chili. The local Skyline chain perpetuates this deception by asking every customer, "How was your chili today?" as they pay the bill.

Somewhere along the way I was told that real Texas chili contained pinto beans. Guess RJ would disagree with that.

[Pabst Blue Ribbon (don't mind if I do, thank you)

Will everybody please take a step back and re-read post #2?

rwj

Sorry RJ, but indicating that PBR was worth drinking has lost you all credibility that you ever might have had in these fora. Post #2 becomes a waste of ether. DNPIM!!!!!!!

When all you have is a buck, and The Black Cat sold PBR for $1, then no, I don't mind if I do. Chili ain't got no beans in it!!

rwj

Tim’s Chili
.....
2 large habenaro peppers
......

The next large Habanero pepper I see will be the first.

Always a source of confusion. It's best to say "powdered chile" for straight capsicum and "chili powder" for capsicum, cumin, oregano, etc.

Larry, do you mix your own chili powder? or, sis there a local brand that is the top mixture? I have heard some say that Gebhardts is palatable, but I have always suspected that real chili cooks mix their own. What say you?

Always a source of confusion. It's best to say "powdered chile" for straight capsicum and "chili powder" for capsicum, cumin, oregano, etc.

Larry, do you mix your own chile powder? or, sis there a local brand that is the top mixture? I have heard some say that Gebhardts is palatable, but I have always suspected that real chili cooks mix their own. What say you?

For what it's worth - I've found Mexene to be a good all round chili powder (NOT chile.) It's made by Bruce Foods in New Iberia, LA.

Always a source of confusion. It's best to say "powdered chile" for straight capsicum and "chili powder" for capsicum, cumin, oregano, etc.

Larry, do you mix your own chile powder? or, sis there a local brand that is the top mixture? I have heard some say that Gebhardts is palatable, but I have always suspected that real chili cooks mix their own. What say you?

Also for what it's worth, I found out about this chili powder from a couple of chili contest winners.

Here's what Bruces gas to say about it.

"Mexene Chili Powder is called "The Chili Champions' Choice" as endorsed by CASI, The Chili Appreciation Society International and is used in many of the winning recipes from the World Championship Chili Cookoff in Terlingua, Texas."

http://floridachili.com/so_you_want_to_cook_competition_.htm

That article is enough to make me wish I could be a judge!

Always a source of confusion. It's best to say "powdered chile" for straight capsicum and "chili powder" for capsicum, cumin, oregano, etc.

Larry, do you mix your own chile powder? or, sis there a local brand that is the top mixture? I have heard some say that Gebhardts is palatable, but I have always suspected that real chili cooks mix their own. What say you?

Careful with the spelling. Yes, I mix my own chili powder. And it's not expensive. (Wait til you get your powdered chile [there's a slight delay].) I seem to remember posting one or two recipes on the old forum. If you can't find them, I'll see about scaring 'em up.

http://floridachili.com/so_you_want_to_cook_competition_.htm

That article is enough to make me wish I could be a judge!

Enter and win a few chili contests and your wish can come true.

It's the way the world works. Tedious as it may be the planet always seems to demand credentials.

[Jenise]

(Wait til you get your powdered chile [there's a slight delay].) I seem to remember posting one or two recipes on the old forum. If you can't find them, I'll see about scaring 'em up.

Btw, Larry, did you get my PM on this?

Do the Mexican dishes Chile Verde and Chile Colorado qualify as chile?
I like them both, quite a bit, and make them often.

I also have a quick chile with beans that I make when time is short - sounds very much like Mike H's version.

I take a nice sized onion and dice it up fine - throw it in the pot and soften in a bit of vegetable oil. Then I add the ground beef, and brown it along with the onion. I season with salt, pepper, a dark chile powder I buy, made by Baltimore Spice, and lots of extra cumin. Cayenne pepper to taste. I really use a lot of the chile powder and the cumin in this dish.
After a couple of minutes of letting those flavors blend, I add a can of tomato sauce, stir and simmer for a few more minutes. Then, dump in a can of red kidneys, rinsed. I always like to add in a half a can of diced tomatoes as well. Fifteen more minutes and it's ready to eat.

I serve it over rice, because it makes it a more substantial dish, but it can be served alone as well.

I know it probably isn't chile to someone from Texas, but frankly, I don't care.
I'm guessing I wouldn't approve of their spaghetti sauce, so turnabout is fair play.

Also for what it's worth, I found out about this chili powder from a couple of chili contest winners.

Here's what Bruces gas to say about it.

"Mexene Chili Powder is called "The Chili Champions' Choice" as endorsed by CASI, The Chili Appreciation Society International and is used in many of the winning recipes from the World Championship Chili Cookoff in Terlingua, Texas."

Thanks for the heads up Chef. I see that they have a web presence, so I will order their 20 ounce size jar, and if needed I can get a larger can later down the road. Thanks again.

[Robin Garr]

Do the Mexican dishes Chile Verde and Chile Colorado qualify as chile?
I like them both, quite a bit, and make them often.

It's my understanding, John, that Chile Verde is the grandfather of New Mexico chili and Chile Colorado is the ancestor of Texas chili. They're the originals.

[Robin Garr]

"Mexene Chili Powder"

Well, I be durn. My parents used to use that stuff to make Midwestern chili (yes, with spaghetti) back in the Jurassic Era. I always assumed it was the same kind of cr@p as other '60s foods, like green-can Parmeejun and Velveeta. Who knew?

(Wait til you get your powdered chile [there's a slight delay].) I seem to remember posting one or two recipes on the old forum. If you can't find them, I'll see about scaring 'em up.

Btw, Larry, did you get my PM on this?

I think I did. See your PM.

Do the Mexican dishes Chile Verde and Chile Colorado qualify as chile?

John, that's a great question. Thanks for asking. These dishes do qualify as chile. But they don't qualify as CHILI.

I know it probably isn't chile to someone from Texas, but frankly, I don't care.

No John, it's not chili. Not even close. Please re-read post #2.

I'm guessing I wouldn't approve of their spaghetti sauce, so turnabout is fair play.

And, as a matter of fact, you would approve of my spaghetti sauce.


Arrrrr matey,

Dastardly Dick