| Every autumn my thoughts turn to making chili. | | | | When the meat firms and starts changing colors |
| The garden is about done. The freezer is full of | | | | on the bottom, take a strong spatula (the kind |
| veggies. All the canning is done, and winter is | | | | used for flipping hamburgers) and use the edge to |
| coming. Just before winter hits, the price of beef | | | | start cutting the meat into pie shaped pieces. Flip |
| drops as cattlemen sell off any remaining stock | | | | the pieces to the opposite side, cover, and |
| that they don't want to "winter over". It is the | | | | continue cooking. When the other side starts to |
| perfect time to stock the freezer with | | | | firm, using the edge of the spatula, cut the |
| homemade chili.There is nothing better than to | | | | hamburger into the size pieces you prefer (Again, |
| come home at the end of a cold winter day, | | | | I prefer mine about the size of a dime). Keep |
| chilled to the bone, and sit down to a bowl of | | | | flipping the smaller pieces until they have |
| piping hot chili and steaming black coffee. It is | | | | completely turned on the outside and are firm. |
| more than food for the body. It is truly a | | | | Remove the pan from the burner, and transfer |
| comfort worth remembering.By itself, chili is | | | | the meat to the pot using a slotted spoon. Allow |
| absolutely delicious. As a side dish to grilled cheese | | | | all the grease to drain from the spoon before you |
| sandwiches, tuna melts, or toasted BLTs, it is out | | | | put the meat in the pot. Pour off the grease in |
| of this world. But there is a fabulous meal I call | | | | the frying pan, and repeat until you have used all |
| "perfect chili fit for a king" that is even better. It | | | | the ground chuck. When you are finished, pour |
| is a masterpiece of cookery.There are two great | | | | any remaining chopped peppers and onions into |
| secrets to making "perfect chili fit for a king". One | | | | the pot. Again, each time you add meat to the |
| is in the making, and the other is in the serving. | | | | pot, adjust the consistency with water if |
| The first secret involves understanding the word | | | | necessary.Now, everything is in the pot, and it is |
| "perfect". More people disagree on what makes | | | | the perfect consistency. Now, it's time to adjust |
| good chili than any other dish. Some think that | | | | the spices. If you haven't been doing so, you |
| hotter is better. Others say milder. Some like it | | | | should begin tasting the chili. If you want a |
| soupy. Others like it thick. And that is the secret | | | | stronger chili flavor, add more chili powder 1 or 2 |
| to this recipe. When you finish making it, you will | | | | TBS at a time. To make it more spicy, add black |
| have 3-4 gallons of chili that is perfect FOR | | | | pepper 1 TBS at a time. If you want it to have |
| YOU...not for me. Yes, I said 3-4 gallons. When | | | | more bite, add crushed red pepper 1 tsp at a |
| frozen in quart containers, you will have 12-16 | | | | time. If it needs salt, add salt 1/2 TBS at a time. |
| wonderful meals that can be served in a matter | | | | Stir thoroughly each time you alter the flavor, and |
| of minutes. Just remove it from the container, | | | | continue cooking for at least 5-15 minutes before |
| add about a 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water (depending | | | | tasting again. ALWAYS sir the pot thoroughly |
| on how you like it), turn on the burner, put on the | | | | before you taste. Continue altering the flavor until |
| coffee, and start the grilled cheese and garlic | | | | it's perfect for you.Remember the half of the raw |
| sandwiches. Your family will be eating in about 20 | | | | onions and peppers that were added directly to |
| minutes.To begin with, you will need at least a 16 | | | | the pot? They will tell you when the chili is done. |
| quart pot. I use the same 20 quart pot normally | | | | When the raw onions in the pot start to turn |
| used for canning just to be sure I have a pot | | | | clear, turn the burner off. Do not overcook the |
| that's big enough. And you will need the following | | | | peppers and onions as they add a wonderful |
| ingredients.5 lbs. of ground chuck5 Family size (40 | | | | sweet crisp texture to the chili. If you can stand |
| 1/2 oz.) cans of dark red kidney beans (drained)1 | | | | it, allow the chili to sit covered for about an hour |
| Institutional size can (6 lb. 9 oz.) of whole peeled | | | | to allow the flavors to mature and mingle. Stir and |
| tomatoes3 large bell peppers (washed, cored, and | | | | serve. If you prefer, reheat a portion of the chili |
| seeded) mixed colors preferred3 medium to large | | | | in a smaller pot and serve bubbling hot. Allow the |
| oninions (about the size of an orange...peeled and | | | | remaining chili to stand in the original pot until it |
| washed)2 to 4 TBS (tablespoons) Ground black | | | | cools enough to place in containers and |
| pepper1 1/2 tsp (teaspoons) to 1 TBS of crushed | | | | freeze.There you have it. Perfect chili. Just the |
| red pepper1 to 2 TBS of salt1/4 to 1/2 cup of | | | | way YOU like it.The second secret that makes |
| chili powdergrated sharp cheddar cheesesour | | | | perfect chili fit for a king is in the serving. While |
| creamchopped chives (fresh or dried)Open the | | | | perfect chili is in a category all by itself, it can be |
| tomatoes and carefully pour the entire contents | | | | wonderfully enhanced by making it into a meal |
| into the cooking pot. Making sure you keep your | | | | that rewards all your tastes and senses. Hot, cold, |
| hand submerged below the liquid line, find the | | | | sweet, spicy, sharp, flat ... something for every |
| whole tomatoes one by one. Poke a hole in them | | | | aspect of your culinary pallet.With that in mind, |
| with your thumb, then squeeze the tomato until | | | | let's plan the meal. To begin with dispense with |
| the pieces squish out between your fingers. | | | | the ordinary salad and add something with more |
| WARNING. If you do not poke a hole in the | | | | zest and contrast. To accomplish this, there is |
| tomato before you squish it, I promise you that | | | | nothing finer than an ice-cold fruit plate served |
| both you and your kitchen will be wearing tomato | | | | with bubbling hot chili. For the fruit plate, you will |
| juice. The same is true if you squish them with | | | | need the following ingredients.1 20 oz. can of |
| your hands above the liquid. Continue squishing the | | | | pineapple chunks.1 29 oz. can of peach halves |
| pieces of tomato until they are the size you | | | | (heavy syrup preferred)1 29 oz. can of pear |
| prefer.Chop all the bell peppers into dime-sized | | | | halves (heavy syrup preferred)1 6 oz. jar of red |
| chunks and divide into two equal portions. Put one | | | | maraschino cherries1 6 oz. jar of green |
| half into a bowl and the other in the pot with the | | | | maraschino cherries1 samll jar of spiced crabapple |
| tomatoes. Do the same with the onions, placing | | | | ringscrisp cold lettucejalapeno pepper-jack |
| half in the pot and the other half in the same | | | | cheesePut all of the ingredients in the bottom of |
| bowl as the bell peppers.Add the drained kidney | | | | the refrigerator for at least 24 hours (48 hours |
| beans to the pot.Add 2 TBS (tablespoons) of | | | | would be better).Just before serving time, |
| Ground black pepper.Add 1 1/2 tsp (teaspoons) of | | | | remove the ingredients from the refrigerator and |
| crushed red pepper.Add 1 TBS of salt.Add 1/4 | | | | drain all the fruit. Divide the pear and peach halves |
| cup of chili powder.Take a strong spoon and mix | | | | equally on six salad plates covered with a bed of |
| all the ingredients thoroughly. Put the pot on the | | | | cold crisp lettuce. Fill in around the fruit halves with |
| stove, and set the burner on the LOWEST | | | | pineapple chunks and crabapple slices. Spread the |
| possible setting that will boil water. At this point, | | | | cold red and green maraschino cherries equally |
| you may feel that the chili is too thick. If you are | | | | over all the fruit plates, and line the outer edge of |
| not sure, the best way to tell is if the chili is too | | | | each plate with bite-size nuggets of jalapeno |
| hard to stir. If it is, add water to the pot until it is | | | | pepper-jack cheese.Fill the bowls of chili straight |
| the consistency you prefer. Stir again. Cover the | | | | from the bubbling pot. Top with grated sharp |
| pot. (Note: if you are adding more than two | | | | cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Finish |
| glasses of water, you may want to substitute | | | | with a light dusting of chives. Serve the fruit plate |
| tomato juice for part of it.)From now own, two | | | | and chili with hunks of hot buttered garlic bread |
| things are very important. Always keep the chili at | | | | and sweet iced tea. For dessert, follow up with |
| the consistency you want by adding water when | | | | pecan pie, lemon meringue pie, or hot blueberry |
| necessary. So that when the chili is done, the | | | | cobbler topped with vanilla ice cream ... served |
| consistency will be perfect for you. It is equally | | | | with steaming cups of strong black coffee. Oh! |
| important to stir the pot every 5-10 minutes. | | | | My!Perfect chili can be more than just |
| When you are cooking this much chili at one time, | | | | stick-to-your ribs "down home" cooking. It can be |
| it is possible to burn it on the bottom while the | | | | a culinary masterpiece that produces such |
| chili on the top is still cold. Stirring keeps the chili | | | | delicious complementing and contrasting flavors |
| evenly heated from top to bottom.Take a large | | | | and sensations that it is quite literally "Fit for a |
| frying pan and press enough ground chuck into | | | | King".Bon appetit!Copyright 2004 by John Foutz All |
| the pan to cover the bottom with a layer about 1 | | | | Rights ReservedJohn Foutz has been marketing |
| to 1 1/2 inches thick. Salt and pepper the meat | | | | quality internet products since 1999. His latest |
| and then top with a handful of the chopped onions | | | | offering "Cat Head Biscuits and Garlic Fried |
| and peppers from the bowl. Cover and cook with | | | | Chicken" represents Southern cooking at it's |
| the burner set about one notch higher than the | | | | finest. 180 mouth-watering dishes that are family |
| pot is set on. Your goal is to partially cook the | | | | tried and tested. Authentic heirloom recipes from |
| gound chuck, onions and peppers. Check the meat | | | | the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. |
| about every 5 minutes until it starts to firm. | | | | |