In the beginning...

My dad made great chili -- what I'd call "classic" homemade chili.  It was kinda mild -- not much chile heat -- but it was tasty.  He used ground beef, onions, tomato sauce, chili powder, and miscellaneous "chili making" spices from the kitchen cabinet.  He added canned, dark red kidney beans toward the end of the cooking process.  When the beans were hot, the chili was considered ready to eat.  When he passed away, he took his "secret" recipe with him.  Actually, his recipe wasn't really a secret.  In fact, he followed no recipe I know of...at least not a written recipe.  I watched him make his chili once in awhile.  He used ingredients that were on hand, including whatever store bought chili powder was on the shelf -- no unusual ingredients, no secrets.  I guess that's what made Dad's chili so special...it consisted of simple ingredients to satisfy his desire for a bowl of good chili.

Danny made great chili.  Danny was a friend and fellow college student who occasionally invited me to his home for a bowl of chili between classes.  His chili ALSO included whatever was on hand: buffalo, venison, elk, bear, rattlesnake...and, sometimes beef.  The only thing consistent about Danny's Chili was: it was HOT!  Along with what must have been a considerable amount of chili powder, he also floated several huge, whole dried chiles in his menacing stew while it cooked.  It was good, but required a lot of cold beer to put out the fire.  I marveled at Danny's ability to eat bowl after bowl without a hint of sweat on his brow while I sat there with beads of sweat rolling down my forehead and off the tip of my nose.  I guess what made Danny's chili so special was knowing you had eaten it and survived.  Somewhere between Dad's chili and Danny's chili lay my chili.

Eventually Danny moved out of the area and, since Dad had passed away, if I wanted chili I was on my own.  When the weather turned cool and damp, and the "chili mood" struck, I would cook up a batch; but, my efforts were always haphazard and inconsistent.  I rarely used a specific written recipe and usually didn't follow it closely if I did.  I never took any notes of what, or how much of what, went into my chili.

I didn't start any serious chili cooking experimentation until May 19, 1982.  How do I know the exact date when I started on my gastronomical quest that would eventually result in My Chile?  That's the date on the oldest 5 by 8 inch index card in my collection of chili recipes.  There's a list of ingredients and cooking instructions on the card and a note: "too much cumin."  The rest of the cards include such comments as: "too much bite," "not enough bite," "Bad Chile," "too hot," "too runny," "now were getting somewhere," "good batch," "Good Chile,"...finally, there it was on a card dated June 19, 1984 -- "GOOD CHILE!"

After a little more experimentation and fine tuning, the list of ingredients and cooking instructions on that card became the basic recipe and chili making method I followed to make consistently good tasting chili that pleased me.  It must have pleased my family and friends as well, I was getting frequent requests to bring a pot of chili to celebrations and special occasions: birthdays, holidays, graduations, Super Bowl Sundays.  Sometimes I got requests to just "make some chili."

The recipe I recorded on June 19, 1984 doesn't exactly match the recipe that I follow today, but the basic proportions of meat, chiles, onions, ground chile, garlic, tomatoes, and spices are pretty much the same.  I use my recipe only as a general guide.  Sometimes I follow it closely...sometimes I don't.  I'm not afraid to experiment with different ground chile blends, fresh chiles, meats, cooking liquid combinations and even unusual ingredients that might not normally be considered suitable for a batch of chili.  If I were so timid, the comment on the recipe card dated June 24, 1982, "somewhat boring," would apply too often.

How I make My Chile

For each pound of ground and/or chopped meat:

I mix together in a large glass mixing bowl or measuring cup 2 tablespoons ground dried chiles; 1/2 teaspoon crushed Mexican oregano; 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper; 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin; and 1/4 teaspoon crushed dried red chile. I stir in about 4 ounces fresh, carbonated beer (lager or ale) and set the chile and spices aside to soak in the beer.

Then I coarsely chop one medium size onion, one medium size tomato, 1/3 each fresh poblano and Anaheim chile; finely chop 1/3 jalapeno chile and add to the previously chopped chiles.  With a sharp chef's knife, I slice one serrano chile crosswise into thin (about 1/16 inch) rounds and add to the other chopped chiles.  Then I finely chop one peeled medium size garlic clove, sprinkle with about 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and crush to a juicy pulp.

I add about a tablespoon of lard to a skillet, crumble in ground beef and brown.  When most of the moisture has evaporated, I add the browned ground beef to a suitably sized cooking pot, leaving any rendered fat in the skillet. I add a bit more lard to the skillet and do likewise with the chopped beef and then again with the chopped pork.  Adding about 4 ounces of broth to the meat in the pot, I begin heating the meat and broth mixture over a low-medium flame.  I add some vegetable oil to the skillet and sauté the onions and crushed garlic until the onion is soft and transparent, and add it to meat and broth.  I sauté the fresh chiles in the skillet (adding a little vegetable oil if necessary).  When the chiles are soft (but not browned), I add the chopped tomatoes to the skillet and cook over medium heat for about five minutes, stirring frequently to avoid scorching. When done, I add the contents of the skillet to the  meat and onions in the pot.  I pour the beer/spice mix into the pot and bring the pot to a low boil over medium heat.  I reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. If too much moisture evaporates as it simmers, I add beer or stock as needed to prevent burning on the bottom of the pot. After My Chile has cooked a couple of hours, I turn off the heat and let it sit awhile on the stove.  As the red grease (from the lard and oil) accumulates on the surface, I skim some off if I think there's too much.  My Chile is now ready to eat.

I usually serve My Chile (with beans added if  the occasion calls for beans)  in bowls or chili mugs with appropriate condiments on the side to be added to individual discretion.

If there's any left over, I refrigerate or freeze in suitable size containers for later use.  My Chile (and most any other chili, for that matter) is even better the next day after the flavors have had a chance to blend.

Notes and Miscellaneous chili-making observations and opinions

Meat for making chili: Single meat chili (all beef, all buffalo, all pork, all whatever) can be made, but I don't consider it to be as tasty -- particularly chili made with all pork, which is better served in Chile Verde. All ground meat chili, as far as I'm concerned, ends up an aesthetic disaster lacking in appearance, flavor, and texture (unless, of course, you make it like my dad did). One pound of meat would only make about four 8 ounce servings.  I wouldn't consider starting out with less than 3 pounds of meat.  The amounts of the other ingredients are adjusted as necessary. Back

Ground dried chiles: I use a homemade blend of ground dried chiles, each of which adds flavor and character to My Chile.  The blend I use usually includes hot, medium and mild ground chiles in ascending amounts.  A typical blend might be: 1 part hot, 2 parts medium, 3 parts mild (nothing carved in stone here, the blend varies according to what ground chiles I have on hand, who'll be eating the chile, my mood at the time, the weather, whatever...)  I use coarsely crushed whole California or New Mexico chiles for the crushed red chile.  Most any coarsely crushed dried red chile should be suitable as a substitute according to personal preference.  Store-bought crushed dried red chile can be used.  It is often labeled Red Pepper Flakes.  One can also use store-bought chili powder, but it usually contains ground chiles of unknown type along with other spices.  The list of ingredients should be carefully read and kept   in mind when adding spices such as oregano and cumin and fresh ingredients such as garlic and onions. Back

Other spices: I use Mexican oregano because of its distinctive flavor and leafy texture, but most any oregano could be substituted.   Both pre-ground and/or freshly ground black pepper can be used.  Freshly ground is more fragrant and pungent.  Cumin can be bought as whole seed or ground cumin.  As with black pepper, freshly ground whole cumin seed is more fragrant and pungent than pre-ground.  When using freshly ground spices and herbs, I sometimes find it necessary to cut back a bit on the amount used.  Since I add garlic and onion as fresh ingredients to My Chile, I don't use either garlic powder or onion powder. Back

Fresh chiles and other veggies:  A medium size onion should yield about one cup, loosely packed.  A medium size garlic clove should yield about 1/2 teaspoon.  My favorite cooking tomato is the Roma but most any small to medium size tomato can be used.  A small to medium size tomato should yield about 1/2 to 3/4 cups of chopped tomatoes.  I usually peel the tomatoes and remove the seeds before chopping, but have used unpeeled, unseeded tomatoes on occasion...doesn't seem to make that much of a difference.  The types and amounts of fresh chiles used can be varied according to taste.  Fresh ripe red jalapenos (or ripe red Fresno chiles) are a nice substitute for the green jalapenos.  And, I suppose red and/or green bell peppers could be substituted for the mild fresh chiles such as poblano or Anaheim...but not in My Chile.  Back

Beer:  Most any beer or ale can be used.  I generally use inexpensive, summer time  "guzzling" beer because it's the affect of the carbonation on the ground chiles and spices ('sposed to bring out the flavor according to an old-time, award winning chili maker) that I'm after, not the more intense flavor of the hops and brewing malts found in many imported beers or U.S. micro brewery beers.  Sparkling water can be used as a substitute for beer by those who might be opposed (either for philosophical reasons or medical necessity) to the use of alcoholic beverages.  Back

Broth:  I use either chicken or beef broth, but I suppose most any broth (including vegetable based) could be used.  Homemade broth is recommended because the salt and other spices used in making commercial broth can be avoided.  Back

Fats and oils:  I use lard for the flavor it adds to My Chile.  Excess fat can be skimmed from the surface while it's hot or slightly cooled; or, pulled from the surface as a solid after refrigeration.   Shortening or vegetable oil can be substituted for the lard if desired.  Back

Serving:  Keep chili hot by covering the pot with a lid and placing it on a heat diffuser over low heat or putting it into a crock pot and holding at below cooking temperature; or, place chili in a glass or ceramic bean pot and keep in a warm oven.  I serve My Chile in soup bowls or chile mugs and present a choice of garnish on the side such as shredded jack and cheddar cheese, salsa fresca, bottled hot sauce, sliced pickled jalapenos, chopped mild green chiles (canned or fresh), sliced green onion (green tops included), chopped onions, whatever suits my fancy...  Back

Other ways to serve: My Chile (with or without beans) is also tasty spooned over tortilla chips or cornbread with grated cheddar cheese and sliced pickle jalapenos on top.  It can be used as a filling for tamales and makes for a great Chips 'n Chili Pie.

Storing the leftover:  Chili can be stored in a refrigerator for 3 or 4 days and reheated to serving temperature as necessary.  Add a little liquid (water, beer or broth) and heat but do not further cook.  Chili can also be frozen in varied serving portions, making it easy to thaw and reheat just enough as needed to avoid repeated heating which can break down the texture of the chili.  Back

My Chile:  Why do I call the combination of meat, ground chiles, spices, and fresh veggies that I cook up when I get the notion My Chile with an "e" on the end instead of My...Chili, Chilli, Chillie, Chilly or some other regional spelling for Chili con Carne that might be found?  It happened back when I was recording my recipes and methods on index cards.  For some reason, somewhere along the way, I started using chile as the name for my experimental meat and chile stews instead of the generally accepted chili.  It's frequently pointed out to me, but I'm to old and ornery to change my ways.  And besides, it's not Texas chili, it's not Philly chilli, it's not chillie from anywhere else in the world...it's My Chile.  Back

That is a question bound to stir up controversy.  Some people start out making their chili with the intention of adding beans.  I make My Chile without beans and keep it that way until it's time to add beans for some reason.

Some reasons to add beans...

• Economy.  When feeding a crowd of people, beans double the amount of chili available without adding significant cost.
• Adding beans will cut the heat of a "nuclear" batch of chili a little bit to accommodate those who might not be die-hard leather mouthed chile-heads.
• Some people just plain like beans in their chili...and, that would include me.

My favorite single bean preference (in descending order) is red beans, pink beans, then pintos.  Black beans can also be used.  A combination of red beans, white or pinto beans, and black beans makes a colorful and tasty mix.  The beans should be added at a ratio of one part beans to one part chili.  Heat over a medium flame, adding a little moisture (beer, broth, stock, whatever), while stirring frequently to avoid sticking and burning.

Note: My Chile with beans added doesn't survive freezing as well as without beans. The beans break down too much if it's unfrozen and heated too quickly and/or over too high a heat source or if it's been frozen for a prolonged length of time.  For that reason, I freeze My Chile without beans and add beans as desired after thawing.
 

How I cook beans

Rich's Chips 'n Chili Pie

as needed - My Chile (with or without beans)
as needed -- Tostaditas
as needed -- sliced, pickled jalapeno chiles

Other soups and stews made with meat and chiles...

• Chile Verde

Copyright © 2000, by Rich McCormack
Send comments and questions to macknet@pacbell.net

Back Home