REAL Texas (or SouthWest) Chili....Lets See Your Recipes.

[Nalapombu]

Hey all,

I live in the Houston area and one of my favorite things is a nice, big bowl of chili. In mine I like pinto beans and I know to some that's heresy.

I have always heard about REAL TEXAS CHILI, but have never seen it on a menu or a recipe for it. I'd like to try it. I don't mind at all if it doesn't have beans in it. In fact, I think I'd like it for a change.

SO guys and gals, how about describing your favorite chili and then listing the recipe so the rest of us can try it.

Thanks all.
Larry

 

[BearBio]

I make a distinction between "chili" and "Chile Colorado". "Texas chili" falls into the latter class==it's a modification of the old Mexican Recipe from a couple of hundred years ago.

Chile Colorado:

Chunks of beef or pork (about 1-2" square) stewed until tender with spices. I prefer to use the Carroll Shelby's mix. Onions diced large, peppers (bell). Jalapenos if wanted=I prefer chipotles. Stew the chipotles until tender, then add. Chopped cilantro and epazote. If I have time, I make a slurry/sauce of guallilos and maybe some poblanois. If in a hurry, I will add tomato sauce. If I make from scratch, I use cumin, ground coriander seed, Mexican oregano and chopped garlic. Salt and pepper (Be careful=the salt can get away from you!). Add some Ro-Tel if you want.

I made "chili" Monday night: Ground beef, onions, bell peppers, rotel, tomato sauce. Beans optional (we like them). A couple of serranos, cumin, salt, coriander, cilantro, garlic, maybe epazote.

Chile Colorado can be eaten alone or in burritos (LOTS of stringy cheese). Chili is eaten with crackers, chopped onions, cornbread.

Caution: Don't use "chili powder"=it's a blend of spices and you don't know what's in it!

 

[steelslaver]

My recipe is to chop up a pound or so of bacon and fry it, but leave it soft. It and its grease goes in the kettle along with about a pound of browned ground beef and its liquid. A chopped up onion, a small can or jar of chopped jalapenos, about 3-4 cups of stewed tomatoes chopped up, copped fresh tomatoes are good to. A big can of tomato soup to thicken it up. Table spoon of chili powder and another of red pepper seeds. I know all about the no beans thing, but I like beans so in go a pound of boiled red beans. Simmer all this for a while. Stir with wooden spoon and take samples and add a bit of salt, more pepper or chili powder. might toss in some black pepper, till I am happy. Then let it cool off. I mean get cold and sit for a while. The reheat it. I don't know why but that seems to homogenize the flavor or something. Heat some corn tortillas in a frying pan and stuff em in a towel to keep em warm. Use the tortillas to scoop the chili out of a shallow bowl and eat way to much. Suffer the next morning on the porcelain throne.

 

[URIT]

My son hates beans but likes to take chili to work with him, so I cook up a pot of my Three Meats Texas Chili; then, divide it into big single servings for him.

Ingredients:

3 strips of bacon
1# ground beef (85/15)
1# Jimmy Dean Original breakfast sausage
4T Chili powder
1T Ground Cumin
2t Paprika
1 Large White Onion, minced
3 Garlic cloves, minced
1t Mexican Oregano
1t Salt
1.5t Cayenne or Mrs. Dash's SW seasoning
1 can (14.5oz) Chili ready tomatoes
1 can (7.75oz) El Pato Jalapeno Sauce

Directions:

Fry bacon; remove and add onion, beef, and sausage to the bacon fat. Cook meats and onion; rinse, drain, and return to skillet. Add remaining ingredients; simmer for at least 30 minutes. I add black coffee to thin mixture if needed. Taste and adjust seasoning to your taste; serve with your favorite condiments and sides.

 

[S&W ucla]

I made a batch of Skeeter Skelton's Chili con carne in my younger days. I think it called for 4 cloves of garlic. I went to store, hmmmmm this thing (bulb)must be one clove. I put 4 in the batch. My Doberman would not eat it, no vampires though! The recipe was in one of his books, even with Henry McKenna Bourbon, I couldn't wash it down, lol.

 

[S&W ucla]

Found Skeeter's recipe. I like the chunked meat better than ground.
For better results, know the difference between bulb and clove!

SKEETER’S CHILI RECIPE*

5 pounds chunked venison or antelope (elk or moose serves even better)
¼ pound chopped or ground beef suet
3 29-ounce cans tomato sauce
3 crushed garlic cloves or equivalent garlic powder
6 Tbsp hot, red ground chili powder (more to taste)
6 (or 8) small whole red jalapeno chili peppers
½ cup brown sugar
4 large sliced onions
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp cumin powder
Salt to taste

Mix all ingredients in a large pot. Add water (or beer) to cover ingredients. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to simmer. As water cooks down, replenish it. This takes a long time to cook, so continue to simmer until the meat begins to break up and the other ingredients thicken to a gravy, which will take at least several (three to four, minimum) hours.

This recipe tends to be even better reheated and freezes well.

If you want to make your own beans, the recipe is:

1 pound pinto beans
2 quarts water
Salt to taste
1 large chopped onion or equivalent dried onion
½ cup lard (or more)

Soak beans overnight for faster cooking. Add more water to cover; salt and cook beans with onions slowly until tender. Mash with potato masher or mix in blender until a paste is formed. Add hot lard or bacon drippings, then cook until all fat is absorbed by the beans. Stir frequently to avoid sticking and scorching. Serves 6 to 8.

*Note: This came out of one of Skeeter Skelton’s columns in an old Shooting Times Magazine.

 

[Mr.Harry]

I could tell ya, but then i’d Have to kill ya. Classified. Lol.

 

[Mr.Harry]

Too many blue ribbons to give it all away, and this recipe would have yielded an 8 gal batch, but you can mess with amounts yourself. Note - the “chili powder” is high quality Ancho Chili. The oregano must be fresh. The pulled pork is from honest smoked butts. And I include cubed ends of smoked pork loin and Prime rib that I always have available at my restaurant. Good luck!

PS. I don’t know if it’s “Texan”, i’m A Yank; but the blue ribbons it has won are real, and my pal from Texas loves it.... minus beans.

 

[Golddollar]

I competed a lot in the International Chili Society cookoffs all over the Mid-Atlantic states. I found that sometimes it's hard to have an exact recipe because it seems like the strength of the spices can vary, so I found I had to go with a certain taste and heat level.

It makes an interesting show browning up my meat in an old #14 Griswold skillet.

 

[kwselke]

About 30 years ago two of my cousins solicited favorite recipes from four generations of family members and self published the various recipes into a family cookbook. Although all four generations were native Houstonians (Texans) there was only one recipe for Chili. When I was growing up the only chili I saw came in cans.

 

[S&W ucla]

...available at my restaurant...... the blue ribbons it has won are real

Mr.Harry, That sounds good! I travel a bit, where is your restaurant?

 

[Mr.Harry]

Mr.Harry, That sounds good! I travel a bit, where is your restaurant?

4 locations primarily around the sea coast of NH. If you get up this way, PM me and i’ll Tell you where exactly.

 

[JayFramer]

I warm up a can of Hormel in the microwave and down it with a side of Olde English 800.

 

[Mr.Harry]

I competed a lot in the International Chili Society cookoffs all over the Mid-Atlantic states. I found that sometimes it's hard to have an exact recipe because it seems like the strength of the spices can vary, so I found I had to go with a certain taste and heat level.

It makes an interesting show browning up my meat in an old #14 Griswold skillet.

I agree with this. Sometimes the premium chili powder is so fresh it’s almost ‘wet’. How hot are the fresh chili’s? What’s the beef like? The pork? The rub on both?whats the quality of the canned tomato product you’re buying? What’s the recipe for the bbq sauce? Hahaha, endless variables. That’s cooking. Taste everytime and adjust.

In competition cooking of large batch, like 40 gals plus, it also works in your favor to be able to ‘marry’ batches together. So deviations in batches meld-out together in a couple of 25 gal kettles. When all is said and done.

 

[bulletslap]

I don't care for tomatoes or tomato sauce in my Chili, and I use fresh ground ancho Chiles. A big old dollop of mole sauce adds a lot to chili.

 

[Nalapombu]

THANKS ALL!!

Looks good.

I am definitely gonna try these recipes and see how I like it.

I've got a strange problem when it comes to cooking....I cannot stand cooked tomatoes and onions. Just can't take 'em. I tell my family or anyone that's cooking a meal that I'm gonna be attending to make the pieces of onion or tomato that they are going to put in the dish to make them big enough to let me pick them out. I wouldn't dare tell someone to cook their food according to MY preferences....just give me some options on them.

What I do when I'm cooking and the recipe calls for onions, tomatoes and garlic is prep all the stuff and whatever liquid the recipe calls for, chicken stock, water, tomato sauce, whatever, I'll get out what I call my "little boat motor" which is actually a hand held blender, and liquefy all those ingredients together.
I'm totally fine with eating the onions, tomatoes and garlic then.

Ain't that weird!!

Thank you all.
Larry

 

[Golddollar]

THANKS ALL!!

Looks good.

I am definitely gonna try these recipes and see how I like it.

I've got a strange problem when it comes to cooking....I cannot stand cooked tomatoes and onions.

You probably would like my brother's chile verde (green chili). He makes it with pork loin and the gravy actually is green, no tomatoes of any kind.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Most of the Chili I’ve had in Texas had tomato’s.
But when you cross into the Mountain Time Zone, lose the tomato!
NM Chili generally has a lot of pure NM Red in it.
The NM Green has received a lot of publicity, but the Red is just as good.
Here’s an example of what I’m talking about.

 

[wbraswell]

When I make it, I use chili grind beef, not hamburger. I like the chew it has. I'm a Texan, and I will put pintos in mine some of the time. But not too many. Don't pay attention to strict tournament rules. That's just so judges have a constant to judge by, and has nothing to do with taste or authenticity. The best chilis at cook offs are the people's choice. Cinnamon belongs on toast and apple pies, not chili.

 

[mtgianni]

THANKS ALL!!

Looks good.

I am definitely gonna try these recipes and see how I like it.

I've got a strange problem when it comes to cooking....I cannot stand cooked tomatoes and onions.

You probably would like my brother's chile verde (green chili). He makes it with pork loin and the gravy actually is green, no tomatoes of any kind.

Most of the verdes use either Tomatillos or green tomatoes. Sorry to burst bubbles. If he is actually using another green vegetable or leaf i would be interested in knowing what.