If It’s Chili, It’s Personal

New York Times ^ | FEB. 10, 2014 | JENNIFER STEINHAUER

[nickcarraway]

Chili tastes are highly personal, often inflexible and loaded with preconceptions — the political party of culinary offerings.

For some people raised in Texas, the notion of beans is akin to cat food, dismissed with derision as filler. Some chili cooks believe flavor rises and falls on cumin levels; others say the story begins and ends with dried chiles. Some like a rich beefy stock, and there are those who extol the entanglement of bacon.

Poultry and venison have their place (beef purists blanch), and vegetarian chili is met largely with guffaws except by the people who smilingly bring it to potlucks, an act that seems to stem from their childhood issues often associated with snack cake deprivation.

Serving rituals vary.

Oyster crackers on the side? Some have never heard of it, but maybe. Rice? Often! My Texan mother-in-law always served chili over spaghetti, a bit of Cincinnati craziness that confused and unnerved me, but I am perfectly at peace with chili dumped over a bag of corn chips, known as Frito pie. (Some regions refer to this as a “walking taco,” but I would prefer you do not.)

Yet just as much of our nation craves bipartisanship on the major policy debate of the day, so, too, do many chili lovers wish to end the crazy decades of rivalries. They believe it is time for us to embrace every form of this warming bowl of red soul food, be it venison-laced, processed cheese-topped, bean-adorned, beer laced, spicy or mild. My husband has even learned to live with beans. He just does not discuss it.

“I don’t disagree with anyone’s chili,” said Robb Walsh, a Texas food historian, the author of “The Tex-Mex Cookbook” and a restaurateur.

[okie01]

I think I’ll try to avoid chili from the Wendy Davis state.

Texas isn't the "Wendy Davis state". It's the "Ted Cruz state".

Little Wendy has as good a chance of being governor of Texas as John Boehner does of being a FReeper Super Hero.

[Species8472]

The root of all chili is (German) Bavarian goulash soup brought to Texas by German immigrants in the 1830s (Cincinnati too) Switch the chili peppers native to the American southwest to Hungarian hot paperika and it’s really the same stuff!

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

Bump

[tx_eggman]

If it has beans in it, it’s not chili - it’s vegetable stew.

[1riot1ranger]

True that.
And it is CHILI! Chile is a country

[Jet Jaguar]

Agreed. Chile.

[Deek]

My wife and I are big fans of sous-vide, but have not tried it with chili (yet). Our experience with steaks is that seasoning them before sealing them can make quite a difference. Pepper, lemon, garlic all work great, but avoid salt (it dries the meet) and fat / Butter (it seems to dilute the flavor).

Anyway, I am wondering if the chili meat sous-vide would be improved by adding the chili powder in the bag.

[gura]

Word.

[woofie]

A bit of history of the CASI (Chili Appreciation Society International)

http://sunshinestatepod.tripod.com/id16.html

[Pox]

Beans in Chili is Blasphemy! :)

Traditional as I like to make it:

3 Lbs %80 Ground Beef
1 Lb Shredded Beef
4 Tablespoons Olive Oil Extra Light Delicate Tasting
8 Cups of Water
4 Jalapenos
3 Cloves of Garlic, finely chopped
3 Tablespoons New Mexico Chili Powder
3 1/2 Teaspoons Ground Cumin
1 Teaspoons Ground Oregano
4 Teaspoons Cayenne Pepper Powder
1 Teaspoons Black Pepper
1 Tablespoons Sea Salt
2 Teaspoons Onion Powder
1 1/2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons Paprika
*Non-Competition* 3 Tablespoons White Flour
*Non-Competition* 3 Tablespoons Masa

---

1) Brown Ground Beef in 7 Qt Skillet and Shredded Beef in 5 Qt Skillet using 2 Tbs Olive Oil in each Pan
2) Dump the Shredded Beef skillet contents into the 7 Qt skillet, add water and bring to simmer. While waiting for it to start simmering, peel and remove seeds of two Jalapenos, dice the Jalapenos and add to the skillet.
3) Simmer for 2 hours. Stir every 10 minutes.
4) In a separate bowl, mix Chili Powder, Cumin, Oregano, Cayenne Pepper, Black Pepper, Salt, Onion Powder, Sugar and Paprika. Peel the other 2 Jalapenos, remove seeds and dice. Add the Spice mixture, last 2 diced Jalapenos and diced garlic to the skillet.
5) Simmer for no more than 30 minutes as any longer will cause the spices to lose flavor. Stir frequently.
6) * Non-Competition* In another bowl, mix the Flour and Masa. Add to the skillet after the 30 minutes of simmering is complete. Mix well and if the mixture is too thick, add some water a little at a time and simmer till you get to the desired consistency.
7) Remove from heat and serve. You may want to wait several minutes until the chili has cooled somewhat.

If I really want to spice it up, I add some Ghost Chili Powder from Ghost Chili's I've dried out and jarred.

[JouleZ]

.. I like it both ways but prefer navy beans to kidney beans

******

Pinto beans and only pinto beans go into chili with red or green. Navy beans are for baked beans. Kidney beans are only used in cold 3 bean salad or Cajun red beans and rice when one doesn’t have Camillas.

People, come on!

[henkster]

When we go to Reds games at Great American or Blue Jackets games at Nationwide, my son will always get 3 Skyline chili cheese dogs. I wish they served the 3-way there but I guess it’s too messy.

Going to the March 1 Jackets-Panthers game. Three rows from the glass. Definitely gonna get some Skyline.

[Rannug]

I use three pounds of burg and two of sausage.

[octex]

Your recipe closely resembles mine, Ruy, but I usually add a regular can of Rotel tomatoes.

This has been an interesting thread to read. Thanks to All.

[buffaloguy]

Couple observations from a Texan:

Beef is good everyday chili.
Best chili you can make is made with an animal you shot yerself. Deer, gator, rattler, mocassin, buffalo, it’s all good.

[catnipman]

Pork green chili is where it’s at in Colorado.

[ifinnegan]

Cool observation about the German roots of chili.

Like chicken fried steak is schnitzel.

[nickcarraway]

I am interested in trying cooking with Sous-Vide, but do you have to cook in a plastic bag? I don’t like the taste as much cooking in plastic.

[ansel12]

I think I’ll try to avoid chili from the Wendy Davis state.

It's pretty hearty stuff, Ketchup, water, chili powder, breast meat, chopped bell pepper, white pepper to taste.

[snoringbear]

“Lima beans? Ouch!”

LOL! Guess that would be a bit extreme! Well, I enjoy cookie up a mess of Chili during the winter. In fact, made some during the Christmas ~ New Year holidays. I’m a deer hunter. And, typically have some of deer meat processed as chili meat. My family loves the stuff and is a holiday tradition for us. Now, I’m gonna tell you a little secret. Lots of Texans are closet bean eaters. But, we prepare our beans on the side. However, red beans or sometimes called pinto beans, are the acceptable type allowed. I slow cook mine with a couple of ha hocks, chopped onion, couple of jalapeños tossed in. Then, folks can add beans to their chili as they like and without provisioning the well so to speak. Btw, I usually go to a nearby Mexican market and buy a couple dozen of their pork tamales (man, they’re good!) to go along with the chili feast. Then, I open the windows and the fam gets busy! :)