Weekend Report

Was that a game or what?

I'm referring to the Tennessee - Georgia game last night, that was a great game between two long time rivals. Well played.

In the post below I said I would share a few Chili recipes, have you ever noticed how people in Texas like to brag about their chili?

[Quote]
"The main differences between Texas chili recipes and those other chili recipes is that "real" Texas chili has no beans and the main ingredient, after the meat, is chili peppers - whether chopped, diced, powdered, or liquefied. Oh, and Texas chili just tastes better."

Well now...that's a pretty tall claim right there, "Texas chili just tastes better."

So here's the deal Jill...

I'll post some of your 'just taste better' chili recipes and at the bottom, I will post MY chili recipe that can be made 'with or without' beans and we'll let the readers decided, ok?

In the words of the Iron Chef...

Let's boogie baby.
B.D.


Awful Good Texas Chili
from the Texas CookBook


BACON: 3 strips, thick
BEEF: 3 pounds lean, coarse ground
ONION: 1 medium, chopped fine
GARLIC: 3 medium cloves, minced
TOMATO PASTE: 6-ounce can
CUMIN: 3 tablespoons, ground
OREGANO: 1 tablespoon, ground
SALT: 1 tablespoon
PEPPER: 1 tablespoon, ground black
BEER*: 12-ounce bottle
CHILE PODS: 6-9 dried, red
WATER: 3 cups
(*Dark Mexican beer is best)

In a large, cast-iron kettle, fry bacon crisp. Remove and discard bacon saving
the grease. Add meat, onion and garlic and saute in bacon grease until meat
is gray. Stir in tomato paste, then add spices and mix well through the meat.
Pour in beer. Stir thoroughly and remove from heat.

Remove stems and seeds from dried chili pods. Boil in a covered saucepan
with water for 15 minutes. Put peppers and water into blender and blend into
thick sauce; pour sauce into kettle with meat; stir and simmer for 2 hours.

Check after 1 1/2 hours. If chili needs thickening, add a tablespoon of masa
harina. If chili is too thick, add water sparingly. For hotter chili, add cayenne
pepper or Tabasco sauce -- sparingly.
Serves 8


Bad to the Bone Real Texas Chili

6-8 Servings

3 pounds lean ground sirloin or extra lean ground round
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 each onion, chopped
2 10 oz. cans chicken broth
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
5 tablespoons chili powder (*see note below)
2 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoons cayenne pepper (*see note below)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 15 oz. can Ranch Style Beans < oh you're a bad boy, false advertising!!!
1 to 1 1/2 cups water, if necessary
1 8 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded (optional topping)
1 pint sour cream, (optional topping)
1 jar jalapenos, sliced, (optional topping)
1 bag corn chips, (optional serving suggestion)
4 cups rice, cooked (optional serving suggestion)

*Note* for milder chili use 4 tablespoons of chili powder and eliminate the
cayenne pepper. Preparation time 20 minutes. Cooking time 1 hr.

Brown Ground Round or Ground Sirloin in large Dutch oven or pot. Add
onion and garlic and saut'e until onion is cooked (clear). Drain off excess
fat. Add chicken broth, tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper
and sugar. Heat to it starts to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 45
minutes. Stir occasionally and add water if necessary. After 45 minutes add
beans and simmer 15 to 20 minutes longer. Uncover and cook to desired
consistency.

Serving suggestions: Serve over cooked rice or Frito corn chips. Top with shredded cheddar
cheese and 1 tbls of sour cream (trust me on this one). If you like it hot
mix in some sliced jalapenos before adding your toppings.

Now, it's my turn...


B.D.'s Southern Chili

5 cans Ranch style Original Texas beans
1 can (1 lb. 12 oz) Del Monte diced tomatoes with garlic & onions
1 can Crushed tomatoes
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground sirloin
1 lb. Store ground country sausage (optional)
(You can substitute a small chuck roast-remove fat-cut into 1 in. cubes)
1 ½ lb. ground rib eye
1 or 2 cans Rotel chili fixins
1 pkg. McCormick Chili seasoning (hot or mild)
¼ tsp. Chipotle Chile pepper powder
¼ tbs. Mexican-Style chili powder
1 can of Modelo Beer
¼ cup chopped onions
Cumin and Pure cane sugar to taste

In a large pot, put beans, tomatoes, Rotel, and ½ can beer. Heat slowly.

Meantime, brown sausage first. Drain, add to pot. (If not using sausage then just do the chuck the same way.)

Brown ground beef (do not drain), add chili seasoning, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 min. Add to pot.

Brown sirloin & rib eye, add Chipotle pepper powder and Mexican powder and onions, and the other half of the beer. Stir well and reduce heat and simmer for 20 min. Add to pot, mixing well.

Simmer for 3 hrs on low heat, covered. Stir occasionally.

This recipe can be made without the beans for the chili purist that don't believe in beans.