Chili History and Starting from Scratch

 

 

I have been asked to do a workshop on how to make a championship chili without giving away my secrets. Unfortunately, my two national winning recipes for 2009 and 2010 are posted all over the internet. While I retain rights to those recipes they are found at www.chilichallenge.ca for any home cook to use. The trick is how to come up with your own recipe and to do that you need to know the basics of what chili is.

Simple Chili Recipe   2 LBS ground meat or  (Steak 1/3 inch cubed) 2 cups diced onion 4 cups beef broth 4 tbsp chili pepper 1 tbsp cumin 2 tbsp corn flour 2 tbsp chopped garlic 2 tbsp oregano 2 tbsp kosher salt 2 tbsp oil

The name "chili con carne" is taken from Spanish and means "peppers with meat."  So our base version starts with only the basics. 

Chili was peasant or cowboy food and often cooked on the trail with ingredients you found on the way or from dried stock one might have hanging in the cart.

The cook would have some beef or pork suet where they would fry some onions and trail spices in. He would then simmer the dried peppers in some stock and in would go some dried meat or some game they were able to get on route. Soon cooks premade chili blocks from flattened meat, fat and dried chili peppers. Venison, wild boar, goat and beef were all used in variations of chili, what ever meat was available to the travelers. Soon this stew grew in popularity and ingredients were added to enhance the staple food.

tbsp smoked paprika tbsp chorizo chili powder tbsp ancho chili powder tbsp chipotle chili powder tbsp cayenne chili powder

When beef got scarce, beans were added as a protein replacement. The primary type of beans was pinto but depending on what region you were in, suitable replacements were black-eyed peas, kidney beans and great northern beans. Hence the greatest chili controversy began;

Texas Red verses Bean Stew.

Chiles   Poblano (Anco when dried) Anaheim pepper Serrano peppers Red chili peppers Thai (bird’s eye) Jalapeño pepper      (chipotle when smoked and dried) Habanero / scotch bonnet Naga jolokia (ghost)

Notwithstanding that debate there are various additions you can custom design into your own chili. Some very distinct flavors’ can be developed using a combination of the noted spices and can be found readably in most good markets.
 

With the use of dried spices, fresh chilies are also a welcome addition. Each contribution adds a different level of heat and a unique flavour augmentation. My secret ingredient from in the 2010 chili recipe is the Wiri Wiri pepper very popular in Guyana.

This year we are going even hotter with the infamous “Ghost peppers” Naga Jolokia  

Now that you have the spices and some heat, as our southern Texas cooks would say, “The rest is filler”.

Options 3 chipotles in adobo sauce 1 cup green pepper 1 cup celery 1 cup corn 1 can tomato paste 1 can kidney beans (pinto/ black) 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes 2 tbsp brown sugar 1 tbsp instant coffee 1 tbsp coco 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 can coke 1 bottle of beer (dark) 1 shot of whiskey / bourbon 1 can mushrooms 1 tbsp cinnamon

I disagree; I like the beans and other vegetables in my chili. I have tried many combinations and found they add a pleasant addition to any chili.

 

 

Tomatoes are ok but my preference is tomato paste. The celery and corn were a welcome addition to last year’s winning recipe; I even went as far as sweet potatoes.

Consider sugar or a sweet ingredient to balance the heat.

Add some spirits to enhance the profile and to release the alcohol soluble flavors. My preference is bourbon, but my buddy is fond of beer.

A must for all to add is chocolate; it creates a smoothness and depth that you will only notice when it is not there.

This is where each individual person can create his/her own signature dish. My advice is to stay away from peanut butter, pineapples, bananas and oranges, these are just a little too funky, even for me.

Last year I was up against beef brisket, slab bacon and even smoked pork hocks, but I stayed true to my ground beef, pork, and turkey and lamb combo. I have also seen moose meat and meat substitute added to chilies with various success. The most frustrating thing I tasted in chili was cinnamon. A sweet cinnamon chili beat me out on my very first competition against my spicy rendition. It was a peoples choice judging and they were all chili virgins (UGH).

Chili should be a family affair, comfort food you can enjoy on a cold winter day. Don’t forget that leftovers can be just as tasty the next day with chili dogs, chili cheese fries, Louisville-style chili (on pasta), chili on a baked potato, chili and corn bread and the list goes on. 

  

 

Cheers from the Big Dog