My chili recipe has its ultimate beginnings with my friend Chris. His grandfather was a Navy cook who was trained to cook for three dozen men at once in the Second World War. So Chris grew up with that example around to show him how things were done (Every Super Bowl Sunday we gather for the ceremonial eating of The Sauce, a concoction which needs no other identifier, due to its singular place in our yearly ritual. The Sauce has been compared to Noah’s Ark, in that it contains two of every animal. It must be eaten sparingly, though, otherwise it can become more of a grim endurance test than a tasty meal).
Chris was the first person who demonstrated to me how to make chili, and this is what he told me:
Chili
Fry together: 1 lb beef, 1 onion, 1 green pepper OR a few jalepeno peppers (add 2 alarms) or seeded jalepenos (add only 1 alarm), one teaspoon minced garlic or 1 section of a clove of garlic, a dash of salt (in the pan as you heat it before adding the beef) and some chili powder.
In the stock pot cook on medium heat one large can of tomato sauce (I think it’s 30 ozs.), 1 can each of the following beans: kidney (dark red or red), black and pinto (15.5 oz. Goya). Add the fried ingredients plus: cumin (only about 1/2 tsp.), chili powder (a shitload, to taste) pepper (a dash) and, if you like, crushed red pepper (add 1 or more alarms as you see fit).
Let it simmer, covered, stirring often. You should let it cook for at least 20 minutes. The longer you cook it, the more uniform the flavor. I usually taste it every 15 minutes or so, adding chili powder if it needs it.
That’s basically the chili recipe I follow to this day. BUT there have been some modifications along the way. For one, I no longer use beef in my chili. My family has a history of high cholesterol, so with very rare exceptions, I no longer eat red meat - I have the occasional burger in summer, but that’s about it. To approximate the texture of meat, I actually use veggie burgers. I don’t use the peppers that he recommends, mostly to avoid the overly “hot” flavor that can come from chilis. I also added corn to the recipe recently, which has added a good deal of body and texture to it.
The biggest difference is in the application of spices, though, I think. I usually apply a healthy dose of the following to the sauteeing non-bean mixture:
Red pepper
Black pepper
Cumin
Cinnamon
Chili powder
I also apply the same to the bean mixture simmering in the pot, while reapplying the same mix to the sautee mixture periodically. On mixing the two in the larger pot with the bean mixture, I then let it simmer and apply chili powder, cumin, and cinnamon every 20 minutes or so, ideally for about two hours, although 40 minutes can suffice as well. As Chris said, the longer you cook, the more uniform the flavor.
And that’s it! Sometimes I serve it over rice, sometimes I serve it over chips, sometimes with crusty bread. It really depends on what you’re in the mood for. I usually make a double-batch and freeze the rest. It lasts for weeks … and it’s delicious every time.
