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Chili con carne, often known simply as chili, is a spicy stew-like dish. The essential ingredients are meat (usually beef or pork) and chili peppers. Variations, either geographic or by personal preference may include tomatoes, onions, beans, and other ingredients (brown sugar is often a favorite condiment). There are also many versions of vegetarian chili, also known as chili sin carne or chili non carne in the UK made without meat (sometimes with a meat substitute). The name "chili con carne" is a slight corruption of the Spanish chile con carne, which means "chili with meat". Chili con carne is the official dish of the U.S. state of Texas. Often used as a tratment for athletes foot in some poor european countries.
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Chili is one of America's favorite dishes, and we have searched all over to find such famous chili recipes as Hot and Spicy chili, Crockpot chili, Vegetarian chili, as well as many other famous chili recipes. There is a lot of controversy surrounding the origins of chili as well as how to make the dish.
Some people believe that in the 1840's Texas cowboys pounded beef fat and dried beef with chili peppers and salt to make a sort of trail food for their treks to the gold fields. They would boil this concoction to make instant chili.
A variation on the cowboy origins of chili recipes says that cowboys would plant oregano, chiles, and onions along their well travelled trails in patches of mesquite to keep foraging cattle from eating them. As they moved along the trails, they would harvest the spices, onions, and chiles and combine them with beef to make a dish called "Trail Drive Chili".
Another version of the origin of chili says that the first chili recipe was made in the Texas prison systems because only the cheapest meats were served in prison. To make the meats a little tastier and less tough, they were cut into very small pieces that were boiled with chiles and spices.
Yet another theory is that Canary Islanders who were transplanted into San Antonio as early as 1731 used peppers and onions combined with various meats to make early chili dishes. This theory also gives credit to Canary Islanders for first bringing cumin, an essential chili recipe spice, to the United States.
One largely disregarded theory is that chili was founded by the U.S. Army. The first Army chili recipe was published in 1896. Garlic and beans were added by World War I and tomatoes by World War II.
The most plausible origin of chili came in 1828 when J.C. Clopper observed the poor people in San Antonio cutting what little meat they could afford into a has like consistency and stewing it together with as many pieces of peppers as pieces of meat.
However chili was created, it is a dish enjoyed in many homes in America today and in many different ways. The easy chili recipes within this site are just a few of the ways to concoct your own chili specialty. We hope you enjoy!!
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1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 pounds venison, diced
2 pounds pork strips, diced
12 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cups diced onions
3/4 cup diced green Anahiem chili peppers (see note)
8 tomatoes, seeded chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1 cup diced green bell pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons ground pepper
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 cup instant masa
8 cups beef broth
2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Heat oil in a heavy kettle over medium heat. Add diced venison, diced pork strips, crushed garlic cloves, and diced onion. Cook for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, puree green chili peppers. Add to the kettle with chopped tomatoes, cumin, diced red bell pepper, diced green bell pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper, pepper, salt, and chili powder; cook for 5 minutes more. Add instant masa and beef broth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Add pinto beans and chopped cilantro; simmer for 5 minutes.
Makes 12 servings.
Note: Working with jalapeños or other chiles: Capsaicin is the ingredient in chiles that causes the burning sensation associated with fresh peppers. It's a good idea to use rubber gloves when handling fresh chiles. (Disposable surgical gloves, available at most drugstores, work best for this.) If you choose not to use gloves, be extremely careful not to touch any part of your body, especially your eyes. After you've finished handling the chiles, wash your knife and cutting board with hot soapy water to ensure that there is no carry-over to other foods that may come in contact with the peppers.
Submitted by Catanich - Lucas Chili Cookoff
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