It’s Chili Time!
When the weather FINALLY turns cool here in Mississippi, it's time for a steaming "Bowl of Red"! Chili, to an aficionado, is more than a spicy stew; it is a craving, a passion, for a simmered combination of meat and chile peppers that warms the heart and inspires the soul.
The exact origin of chili is still shrouded in mystery. Some people believe it was originated by chuckwagon cooks who regularly prepared stew for the cowpokes of the Southwest. Possibly, one of the these cooks ran out of black pepper and in his search for a substitute, he came across some red chile peppers which were common among the Indians and Mexicans in the territory that is now west Texas. These undomesticated capsicums were extremely hot. When the cowboys inquired about the source of the extreme heat, they were told that the heat came from the "chile", or hot pepper. Over time, this sizzling stew became popular in it’s own right, and became known as "chili". Chili became so popular in Texas and later elsewhere that chili parlors and chili cook-offs sprang up everywhere. Beginning in 1967 as a joke with a chili-cooking duel between humorist H. Allen Smith and journalist Wick Fowler, chili cook-offs are now popular all over the country, with state-wide and International contests. The Chili Appreciation Society International (CASI) cook-off is held in Terlingua, TX and the ICS (International Chili Society) Cook-off was held in CA, but I think it was held in NV this year. True Texas-style chili includes only meat, chile peppers, and spices. However, that is just a jumping off place for the rest of us non-Texans who routinely add onions and tomatoes and other original and/or unusual spices and ingredients. Popular chile toppings include a dollop of sour cream (to help tame the hotter versions), chopped onions, grated Cheddar or Jack cheese, crackers and tortilla chips.
ORIGINAL TEXAS-STYLE CHILI
from A Bowl of Red by Frank Tolbert
Cook suet until fat is rendered. Remove suet. Sear meat in fat in 2 or 3 batches. (Use oil for low cholesterol, less grease.) Place meat in large pot with pepper pods and as much of the pepper liquid as you think you'll need to keep the meat from burning. About two inches of water rising above the meat is usually right. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes. Add rest of ingredients except Masa and extra Anchos. Simmer 45 minutes more, covered. Stir only occasionally. Skim off grease. Taste and adjust seasonings. If not hot enough to suit you, add extra Ancho pods which have been stemmed and seeded, but not chopped. Add Masa Harina to thicken liquid. Simmer for another 30 minutes until the meat is tender. Variation: Wick Fowler made his prize-winning chili basically the same way, but he did not use suet and added 15 oz. of tomato sauce. He never served the chili on day of its conception, but kept it in the refrigerator overnight and skimmed off the grease the next day, then added Masa Harina upon heating the chili if it was too thin.