guy klose wrote:

> "Default User" > writes:
> > What ATK says in their online recipe is, "Add the ground chuck,
> > stirring vigorously to separate the meat into individual strands."

> I'm a fan of America's Test Kitchen (a.k.a. Cook's Illustrated)
> and I subscribe. However, they are not the be-all, end-all
> arbiter of authenticity, and it is proved by their telecast
> of this particular episode (which I did see).

Fair enough. I've had CsC (acronymning on the fly) and it's all right.

> Let me give one more anecdote. All the regulars in this
> group know that the question comes up once or twice
> every year. One time the question was "how do I make
> Skyline chili?". Someone responded with the Jane and
> Michael Stern recipe, which in my book is a horrid
> recipe, and doesn't come close (back in the day, the
> Frugal Gourmet's recipe was scarcely better). When I
> responded that the Stern recipe wasn't a very good one
> and gave the one I was using at the time, the original
> poster responded that the Stern recipe was good enough
> for them, and that it tasted just like Skyline to
> them. Well, you can't really argue with a palate like
> that. For me, the coriander, nutmeg and barbecue sauce
> in the Stern recipe was bad enough that I dumped an
> entire batch. Skyline chili has none of those things,
> and I think the flavor of those are distinct enough
> to be able to tell the difference.

I'm not passionate about it the way you are. On the whole, I prefer my
own chili versions, which are more or less Midwestern standard, but
ramped up a bit in quality. By that I mean that the stuff I make for
myself will usually have: browned ground beef; tomatoes; fresh garlic;
a spice blend of various ground chiles, cumin, oregano, and black
pepper; and beans. The Texas guys aren't much happier with that than
with yours

I sometimes have my chili in a "chili mac" style, on spaghetti with
shredded cheese (I don't do onions). I also like it on rice.

At times I use cubed beef in place of ground, always a good upgrade.
Smoked chuck roast is a good meat base as well.



Brian

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