Pat’s First Rule of Ingredients: If you want to make a recipe, and don’t have an ingredient, use what you have.
This rule is a good one, and leads to a great many culinary inventions. It also can lead to culinary disasters (Pat’s Corollary to the First Rule of Ingredients: Always stock frozen pizza), and there are simply times when you can’t substitute without considerable skill (baking).
Pantry Chili was born of Pat’s First Rule of Ingredients.
Living in Texas, you would think there would be a great deal of pressure on you when making chili. I mean, play word association with someone near you. I bet within the first 10 word associations with “Texas”, “chili” is one of them.
Being a Buckeye in Texas, I benefit from the fact that expectations are low. That being said, I have been a student of chilimaking here, and understand the techniques,
The holy grail of chili – Terlingua!
components, and sometimes nearly maniacal rules of making a good Texas Red. I’ve been to the cookoffs, and seen the intensity and carefully guarded secrecy of the competitors as they brew their offerings to the Gods of Chili . No beans! Only beef! No tomatoes! A spoon should stand up in it!
To that I say, in the words of my mother, “pffft”.
Growing up on Ohio, I enjoyed my share of Cincinnati chili. I liked my mom’s chili soup. I think there are many kinds of chili and they can all be wonderful.
I’ve had some truly terrible “Texas Red”.
So, before I’m tossed out of the Republic, let me share with you a little number I threw together a few years ago, and was so tasty (even to the native Texas, the Tinker, who now may have his Texan card pulled) that I wrote it down and have made it our go-to recipe for a quick chili.
- 1 Large Texas Sweet Onion, chopped Or the sweetest onion you can find, perhaps a Vidalia or Red
- 1 Tblsp Cooking oil I use extra virgin olive oil
- 3 Cloves Fresh Garlic, minced
- 1 Pound 80/20 Ground chuck You want the fat
- 1 can Black beans, undrained
- 1 can Fire roasted tomatoes with garlic, undrained
- 1 can Diced hot green chiles, undrained I like Hatch brand
- 1 can Rotel hot tomatoes and chilies, undrained
- 2 cups Spicy V8 juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Saute the onions until soft; add garlic. Saute for another minute. Add ground chuck, cook until browned, stirring and breaking apart the large chunks.
- Add the black beans, tomatoes, chilies, Rotel and V8 to the ground chuck mixture.
- Just dump them in.
- Stir, and let simmer for a good 30 minutes to get happy. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
This one looks delish. Gonna try it the first night I can’t stand the thought of cooking!
Update – I added a can of Sowthwestern style corn to the latest batch – delish! Also, since I only had regular V8, I sprinkled half a packet of hot Taco seasoning on the ground beef. Perfect!