Authentic Chili

Authentic Chili

Happy Texas Independence Day Y'all

From Cincinnati to California chili is a comfort food that is a part of the American fabric. So how is it that a good ol’ bowl of red came to be a staple in the American diet?

As they say down here in Texas, “anyone who knows beans about chili knows that chili ain’t got no beans”. However, the Chili History books tend to prove this incorrect. Chili con carne circa the early 1800’s in San Antonio would have been a wholly unrecognizable dish to modern Americans or to Texans for that matter. You see, chili as we know it, started out as a subsistence dish in which Texicans would mix what little meat they could afford with chiles and beans to produce a hearty hash like stew.

By the 1870’s, America’s post civil war appetite for beef meant that a $10 head of cattle in South Texas would fetch $20 a head at the railroad in Kansas. The ensuing cattle drives made San Antonio Texas’ largest city until the 1930’s. This influx of cowboys and money led to a local sensation known as the Chili Queens. Chili Queens dressed gaily each evening as they served street cart chili to visitors drawn to the Alamo Plaza’s nightlife. In 1890 chili was introduced to the rest of America at the “San Antonio Chilley Stand” during the World’s Fair in Chicago.

The original chili that the Chili Queens and cowboys enjoyed contained no more than chilis, beef, garlic, salt, cumin, and Mexican oregano. The advent of ground chili powder and its national availability allowed for the modernization of the dish throughout American kitchens. However, most Americans probably wouldn’t recognize chili made without at least the addition of tomatoes and onions.

Over the years, I have experimented with dozens of different chili recipes. I mean, yeah… I could just run down to the supermarket and pick up Wick Fowler’s 2 Alarm Chili Kit. But how fun is that? Though I’ve enjoyed developing my own chili cookoff style recipe, my favorite recipe pays homage to the original Chili Queens by using whole dried chiles.

Don’t get me wrong, today’s recipe is a bit more time consuming. However, the technique of rendering the dried chiles into chile paste allows a wonderful depth of flavor. Once or twice a year, I usually triple the chile paste recipe and freeze the extra to use for chili, enchiladas, or Mexican mole.

So to answer the question. Sure, you could put beans in chili. But why would you?

*Warning:

This chili is not very spicy. You can take the heat to what my wife would consider to be “just right” with the addition of 1 teaspoon of cayenne powder.

*Notes:

Chili is better served next day.

Ancho and Guajillo chiles are easy to find in most supermarkets that have a decent Hispanic food selection (thank goodness for HEB here in Central Texas). Pasilla chiles can more easily be found in Mexican markets.

These chiles and much more can also be found at the famous Pendery’s World of Chiles & Spices.

You can play with different chile ratios to find your favorite combo. Ancho chiles are the most predominant chiles used in South Texas dishes. If using only Anchos, 12 chiles are just the right amount. As a matter of fact, my 2^nd favorite chile combo is Anchos alone.

I prefer extra lean cubed beef stew meat. You can ask your butcher to grind up some “chili grind”. Most supermarkets can do this for you if you ask at the meat counter. Please don’t use regular ground beef!

Assembled Ingredients

Receipe

Authentic Chili (6-12 servings)

• 10 Ancho Chiles, 6 Pasilla Chiles, & 4 Guajillo Chiles
• 12 Plum Tomatoes – cored & deseeded (can substitute 15 oz. can of Tomato Sauce)
• Vegetable Oil
• 3 lb. Extra Lean Beef – Cubed or “Chili Grind”
• 1 Yellow Onion (approx. 2 cups) – Chopped
• 4 cloves Garlic – Minced or Pressed
• 3 3/4 teaspoons Kosher Salt
• 1 tablespoon Cumin Seeds – Finely Ground (can substitute ground cumin)
• 1 teaspoon Mexican Oregano – Finely Ground (can substitute regular oregano)
• Optional: 1 teaspoon Cayenne Powder

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 300°.
• Cut tomatoes in half then core & deseed.
• Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Place tomato halves cut side up. Drizzle with oil.
• Roast tomatoes in oven for 1 hour.

Roasted Tomatoes

• Boil approximately 4 quarts of water in a stock pot then reduce to a simmer.
• Prepare chiles by tearing off stems & spliting them down the middle to shake out as many seeds as possible.
• Place chiles in stock pot with lid on & allow to soak off of heat for 30 minutes. Stir every 5-10 minutes to keep chiles from floating.
• Grind cumin seeds & Mexican oregano in a mortar & pestle to a fine consistency.
• When tomatoes are done roasting, set aside.
• Place dutch oven & 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat.
• Add onion & sauté for 4 minutes.
• Add garlic & sauté for 20 seconds.
• Turn off heat & cover for 4 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon scoop chiles, onion, & garlic into a food processor with the tomatoes.
• Add 1 1/2 cups of the chile soaking liquid & blend the mixture thoroughly.
• Using a fine mesh strainer & a silicone spatula, strain the mixture into a bowl then set aside.

Chile Paste Straining

The Reason We Strain

• Place dutch oven & 2 tablespoons of oil on stovetop.
• Brown meat in several batches. Drain pan & meat thoroughly.
• Combine all ingredients in dutch oven (paste, beef, salt, cumin, Mexican oregano, & optional cayenne).
• If necessary, add more chile soaking liquid to cover meat.
• Stir well & bring to a simmer.
• Bake with lid on at 250° for 3 hours (if not using a dutch oven, can simmer for 3 hours on stovetop).
• Adjust salt to taste.