Food!!!! Chili Season

Erik Tracy

When the weather gets cooler (finally), I will make a big pot of chile (I grew up in New Mexico, so that is how they spell the pepper and the dish, ymmv).

My parents still live in New Mexico, so I have the 'mom connection' for some great dried chile peppers (Hatch reds, but also chipotle, pasado, gaujillo, and pasilla).

I use a combination of these, reconstituted in fresh water, boiled, then drained, split and remove the seeds, then recombined and pureed for the 'red sauce' that is amazingly deep, earthy, almost smokey.

I typically use angus beef, browned with butter, onions, and garlic, then crumbled and sprinkled with unsweetened chocolate powder before adding in the red sauce.

And yes, I add a combination of pinto and kidney beans.

For a bit more liquid and temper the spiciness, I add in a couple of cans of fire roasted diced tomatoes.

Simmer for 1 hr, top off to reduce and thicken.

Even better the next day!

Mikey081057

Making you own sauce from select dried chiles and peppers is the best imo, but a little more work than I have time for sometimes.

I make mine in a big enamel coated cast iron crock... it weighs like 20 lbs with the lid. nice slow even heat ... Just like italian tomato sauce you don't want to boil the **** out of it.... Instead of adding water or beer I add beef stock which helps bring out that beefy flavor. I find a couple of tablespoon of ketchup helps make it sweeter... The sweet hot is a nice combination too.

tonyb

Blasphemy !!! lol

Willow

Mikey081057 wrote: »

Kinda reminds me of DISCO FRIES

Crispy french fries with brown gravy and mozzarella cheese melted under the broiler...

That sounds like poutine! Fries gravy and cheese curds. Very popular around here. I don't eat it but it is good.

Mikey081057

Willow wrote: »

Mikey081057 wrote: »

Kinda reminds me of DISCO FRIES

Crispy french fries with brown gravy and mozzarella cheese melted under the broiler...

That sounds like poutine! Fries gravy and cheese curds. Very popular around here. I don't eat it but it is good.

Similar but with mozzarella.. I've had both...i like the mozzarella cuz it gets stringy

Mikey081057

BTW the magical fruit used in this batch of chili would make Mongo proud.

ken brydson

MONGO LIKE CHILI! Better go get a sh!tload of dimes...

Gatecrasher

Cincinnati Milacron sometimes has a big booth at trade shows I attend and have Skyline Chili and Heineken on tap for free. Needless to say, it's a pretty-popular one at the shows and I usually hang out there quite a bit.

Another one of my favorites is due north on I75 in Ohio in the Glass City (Toledo).

Tony Packos (made famous by the TV show M*A*S*H) are hands-down the best hot dogs in the world but their chili is awesome too:

ken brydson

Gatecrasher wrote: »

Cincinnati Milacron sometimes has a big booth at trade shows I attend and have Skyline Chili and Heineken on tap for free. Needless to say, it's a pretty-popular one at the shows and I usually hang out there quite a bit.

Another one of my favorites is due north on I75 in Ohio in the Glass City (Toledo).

Tony Packos (made famous by the TV show M*A*S*H) are hands-down the best hot dogs in the world but their chili is awesome too:

Drool....

Mikey081057

Wow... do they have beer there too?

Gatecrasher

Mikey081057 wrote: »

Wow... do they have beer there too?

Yes they have beer at the main restaurant. The original restaurant is in downtown Toledo and has been there since the 1930s but they have a few satellites too. I think there are 3 or 4 of them now. One is "Packos at the Park" which is at the ballpark where the Toledo Mud Hens play and they have one or two other smaller locations around the Toledo area.

Tony Packos is world famous for their Hungarian Hot Dogs and let me tell you, they are to die for! I live in Chicago which as everyone knows is a big hot dog town and The Windy City ain't got nuthin' on The Glass City (Toledo) when it comes to hot dogs. Toledo is #1 hot dog city IMO. Not only do they have Tony Packos, they also have "Rudy's Hot Dogs" which is another awesome iconic American hot dog restaurant (that has good chili too).

One of the famous things Tony Packos has is called the "M.O.A.D." (The Mother Of All Dogs). It's like a one pound monster hot dog.

Another famous thing about Tony Packos are the autographed hot dog buns they keep in glass cases. The walls are lined with them and there are some very famous names including politicians, rock stars, movie stars, you name it. They say Burt Reynolds started the tradition in 1972. They have autographed buns by President Clinton, John Glenn, President Bush, and many more with tons of rock stars too. I usually spend some time just looking at all of them.




Their Pickles & Peppers are awesome too. I order the stuff online and give it as gifts.

tonypacko.com/

Mikey081057

4 places in NJ for dogs

Rutt's hut -deep fried hot Dogs till they split called rippers

Windmill - grilled to perfection

Charlies italian hot dogs on pizza bread with potatoes peppers and onions

Jimmy Buff ' s italian hot dogs.

If you visit nj check them out

Gatecrasher

I'm from PA and lived in South Jersey for several years.

It's hard to beat those Jersey tomatoes. It really is the "Garden State".

afterburnt

afterburnt wrote: »

Mikey081057 wrote: »

When I lived up North, every November signaled the beginning of Chili Season. Nothing better than a cold beer and a bowl of Chili to warm you up. Definitely a comfort food. Even though it doesn't get cold down here I have decided to keep the tradition. I usually make a nice crock of chili, eat it for a few meals and then put it in containers and freeze it. That way when I work late and don't have time to cook i can take some out of the freezer nuke it and enjoy.

I like mine med to hot, and like to add a few things that you might find different but you should consider...

like

Salsa
Hominy
Chorizo
Pink Beans
chopped chilis and or jalepnos.

You got any things you add to your chili?

I never thought of it, hominy sounds like it will work. Even in so cal it it chili season

I just made some with hominy and it was way better than dumping Fritos on it even though winter seems to be over here. Found my first rattler yesterday. If I was thinking I would have got him and put him in my next batch.

txcoastal1

Ain't nuttin' wrong with rattler meat as long as he dunt bite ya'

afterburnt

rattlers love me. they always lose their head about me

tonyb

Italian hot dogs ?? No self respecting Dago would attaché their heritage to that. Blasphemy !!!

chumlie

Quick & easy.
http://www.amazon.com/Carroll-Shelbys-Original-Texas-Chili/dp/B0005YLBQ8/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1457279619&sr=8-3&keywords=carol+shelby+chili

warren

Corn bread... With all those other sides..

afterburnt

Wonder if these are any good?
http://familyturkeyproducts.com/information-on-our-products/smoked-chicago-sausage-links/

Maybe put some in chili?

codycatalist

Someone at my work made a pig feet chili which turned out amazing. I just make basic chili mostly, every once in a while I put it in a pyrex baking dish, sprinkle with cheddar then top with green chili cornbread and bake it.

voltz

afterburnt wrote: »

rattlers love me. they always lose their head about me

I knew a Police women who found 6 Rattlers under her cabin on Fox lake. asked her if she needed help getting them out and she said she had already took care of the problem.

afterburnt

voltz wrote: »

afterburnt wrote: »

rattlers love me. they always lose their head about me

I knew a Police women who found 6 Rattlers under her cabin on Fox lake. asked her if she needed help getting them out and she said she had already took care of the problem.

I used to just leave em alone until I was hunting with my buddy one day and saw one. He came over and immediately dispatched the serpent. I ask him why he did that and he said "that is one snake that will never bite me" I have lived by that credo ever since.

kharp1

mark090852 wrote: »

Mikey081057 wrote: »

I've actually tried alot of these ... the peanut butter is interesting and I will try it.

Has anyone eaten chili over mashed potatoes or pasta?

This is a Cincinnati style chili, Skyline Chili. It's commonly served over pasta with cheese on top. We make our own version of this frequently.

Be cautious of this stuff, it's a "chili like substance" that contains cinnamon and other aromatics. Is ok from time to time, but, should not be mistaken for real chili. Cincinnati style.

Now that I've thoroughly offended every Cincinnatian let the flaming begin.

lightman1

kharp1 wrote: »

mark090852 wrote: »

Mikey081057 wrote: »

I've actually tried alot of these ... the peanut butter is interesting and I will try it.

Has anyone eaten chili over mashed potatoes or pasta?

This is a Cincinnati style chili, Skyline Chili. It's commonly served over pasta with cheese on top. We make our own version of this frequently.

Be cautious of this stuff, it's a "chili like substance" that contains cinnamon and other aromatics. Is ok from time to time, but, should not be mistaken for real chili. Cincinnati style.

Now that I've thoroughly offended every Cincinnatian let the flaming begin.

Preach it, brother!

Mikey081057

I actually made some Chili for the games last weekend... It's kind of a ritual for me...

I have had Skyline and some in that style... Very good too... Chili is Meat Art to me and other than tasting blah or too spicy/hot it's all good...

I have had it with sausage added, the sausage of choice for me is chorizo for chili.

I do prefer mine with beans and hominy too.

afterburnt

Mikey you ever seen turkey chorizo? I try to save my swine quota for bacon.

Mikey081057

No I haven't... it's some spicey stuff tho could be good cuz you don't taste the meat... It's kinda like a slim jim

http://diestelturkey.com/turkey-chorizo/

kharp1

My general line of thinking on chili goes something like this: Chili is great, mediocre chili is still good and bad chili is "ok" and will get me through till I can get better, and, in a pinch, canned chili will do just fine. I make many different styles of chili, just depends on the mood I'm in and I'm a +1 on the pink beans. Love their lighter,more delicate flavor.

Last winter I cooked a chuck roast in my dutch oven with fresh ground peppers and other goodies until it was about to fall apart and then shredded the meat and finished off the chili that way.

It doesn't have to be cool weather for chili, either...it can be 100 deg in the shade and chili is still great.

Would love to hit a Texas chili cookoff some day.

inspiredsports

When I was young I remember begging my mom to make chili the day before it was to be served. In a pinch its great right out of the pot the day made, but the magic happens after letting it cool and reheating it the next day.