Home on the Range Cowboy Chili
Source of Recipe
Internet
Recipe Introduction
If you ain't gonna cook it over fire, the next best thing would be in a big pot and with a lot of spices to mingle with the good eating that's soon to come. That surely does sound like chili to me!
Chili is a standard for Texas. I think they take it more seriously there than ribs, although probably not as seriously as brisket and beef. The best and most famous chili cookoff on the planet is the Terlinqua Chili Cookoff. If you've never heard of it, think back on where you hear the word Terlingua. Chili's restaurant has or used to have a "Terlingua Pride" burger that was a chili burger. Terlingua is a ghost town near the Rio Grande along the border of Texas and Mexico, so its a fitting location for such an event. Certainly beats a chili cookoff in New York City or some other crazy spot.
Folks put all kinds of crazy stuff into their chili. I saw Emeril pour a bottle of beer in, not because he's from chili country and knows, but just because you have to do something to "kick it up a notch" if you want to be noticed. Chili is one of those blank canvases in life on which you express yourself. I confess, this is a fairly basic recipe, but I do provide some notes on variations that work. You can cook the chili forever, or quickly. I'm lazy, so again, this recipe is pretty basic. I think you will find that's its both tasty, and true to the Texas strain of chili.
One last note. There's no beans shown in this chili. Real Texas chili has no beans, but a lot of people grew up thinking chili has beans, and they're disappointed when they don't find any. You can add some real easy. Just cook 9 cups of red kidney beans on the side and toss 'em into the chili at simmer time.
List of Ingredients
4 pounds chili-ground meat. Chili-ground is coarser ground than regular ground beef. (or substitute sausage for half the meat--andouille works well)
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, or more
1 teaspoon ground oregano
1 teaspoon cumin seed
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 16-ounce cans of crushed stewed tomatoes
2 cups hot water (or beef stock or a bottle of dark beer if you want more flavor)
2 green bell peppers, chopped
3 large red and 3 large yellow sweet peppers, chopped
2-3 jalapenos, per your tolerance
salt, to taste
Extra diced onion and grated cheddar cheese to go on top
Recipe
Put the meat, onion, and garlic in a broiler or skillet. Sear until its lightly colored. Add the oregano, cumin, chili powder, tomatoes, and hot water. Bring it all to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for at least an hour. Skim the fat off as it cooks out of the meat. When you're about ready to serve, add the peppers and salt to taste, and let it cook for 15 minutes more. If you're in the "cook it all day" camp, you may prefer to throw the ingredients together in a crock pot for the simmering stage.
I like to top the chili with some freshly diced onions and grated cheddar cheese. Some folks sliver jalapenos on top as well, but I like mine cooked in to tame 'em down a bit. If you're a city slicker, you'd probably like a dollop of sour cream on top, but seems a bit much for this ole cowboy to stomach.
And don't forget--chili is one of those dishes that tastes better after freezing and thawing. Why not put a block into the freezer? Makes a great microwave lunch!
Chili Side Dishes
There's only 3 to worry about: ice cold beer, corn bread and slaw. All three are easy and require no fuss. Use the mix from the store for the cornbread--super easy. For the slaw, pick some up from Kentucky Fried Chicken. Yes, you can make better slaw, but it's a whole lot of trouble and theirs is mighty good.
|
|
member logon
