Texas Beef Chili with Poblanos and Beer

INGREDIENTS:
3 Tbs. OO (more as needed)
2 Lg Onions (red or Maui); diced
2 Lg Poblano peppers (stemmed and seeded); diced
5 cloves garlic, minced*
1 tsp. Kosher salt
4-1/2 lb. beef chuck (cubed in 1" pieces)
2 bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks
3 Tbs. New Mexico Chile powder**
1 Tbs. chipotle chile powder**
1 Tbs. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
12-oz. bottle of amber ale
1-1/2 qt. beef broth
For the garnish:
2 14-oz. cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 md. red onion, chopped
3 md. tomatoes, cored, seeded, and chopped
1/3 cup cilantro, (fresh) coarsely chopped
Sour cream, creme fraische, whole-milk yogurt

METHOD:
In a 12" skillet, heat 2 Tbs. OO over medium-high heat. Add onions and
sauté until softened, translucent, starting to brown; approx. 8 to 10
minutes. Add poblanos, reduce heat to medium, and cook stirring or
flipping occasionally; approx. 8 to 10 minutes. Add more oil if pan
seems "dry" and add garlic, salt and sauté for another five minutes. Set
aside when done.

Heat remaining OO in a Dutch*** oven or similar pot. Brown meat on two
sides making sure not to over-fill. Remove meat from pot and set aside.

In the same Dutch oven, add onion mix. Also add bay leaves, cinnamon
sticks, clove, chile and cumin powders. Stir constantly to prevent
burning. Spices should "coat" vegetables evenly during this step. Add
beer slowly to allow picking up the crunchies on the bottom of the pot.
Be sure to use a wooden spoon. While adding the beer, make sure the
spices dissolve and sauce thickens. Re-add beef cubes and any extra
juices while resting. Add beef broth. Bring to a simmer and then reduce
to medium-low heat. Simmer for approx. 3-4 hours. At then end, discard
the cinnamon sticks and bay leaves.

If not serving immediately, set aside overnight to allow flavors to
really "mix." This will also allow you to skim-and-discard any excess
fat that might coagulate along the top. A crockpot is a great tool for
reheating the chili gently; use the low setting, cap it and let it warm
throughout the day for dinner that night.

* I used crushed garlic with no noticeable difference in textures.
** For greater heat, add another Tbs.
*** I transferred the meal to my Rival 6.0 qt. crockpot after
I browned beef cubes and mixed everything together.

The Ranger wrote:
> Texas Beef Chili with Poblanos and Beer
>
> INGREDIENTS:

> 3 Tbs. New Mexico Chile powder**


So, Texas chili depends on New Mexico to make it good. Appropriate. ;->


jim

JimLane > wrote in message
...
> The Ranger wrote:
> > Texas Beef Chili with Poblanos and Beer
> >
> > INGREDIENTS:
>
> > 3 Tbs. New Mexico Chile powder**
> >
> So, Texas chili depends on New Mexico to make it good. Appropriate.
;->
>
Almost everything can be improved with NM chile powder... It _is_ an
acquired taste, though...

The Ranger

"The Ranger" > wrote in message
...
> Texas Beef Chili with Poblanos and Beer
>
> INGREDIENTS:
> 3 Tbs. OO (more as needed)

Lard.
> 2 Lg Onions (red or Maui); diced
> 2 Lg Poblano peppers (stemmed and seeded); diced
> 5 cloves garlic, minced*
> 1 tsp. Kosher salt

Kinky Friedman recipe? ;-)

> 4-1/2 lb. beef chuck (cubed in 1" pieces)
> 2 bay leaves
> 2 cinnamon sticks

Cinnamon's a Cincy thing.
> 3 Tbs. New Mexico Chile powder**
> 1 Tbs. chipotle chile powder**
> 1 Tbs. ground cumin
> 1/8 tsp. ground cloves

AFAICT, and have been told by Texans, cloves don't enter into it. And the
OO should be lard. Both are hanging offenses.

Best,

Marc

Marc Wolfe > wrote in message
...
> "The Ranger" > wrote in message
...
> > Texas Beef Chili with Poblanos and Beer
[snip]
> AFAICT, and have been told by Texans,

Yeah, they are generally rather intractable and view New Ideas as
suspicious... But the recipe is from Fine Cooking so you'll have to take
it up with that editor.

> cloves don't enter into it.

Blood fueds have started with less offensive remarks. My father-unit
would have been the first t' cuff some ignorant import for suggesting he
couldn't add garlic to his chili.

> And the OO should be lard.

Without a doubt, you're right but how many use it these daze?

The Ranger
---
"Grits are akin to Elmer's Paste with less flavor and more sand."

"The Ranger" > wrote in message
...
> Marc Wolfe > wrote in message
> ...
>> "The Ranger" > wrote in message
> ...
>> > Texas Beef Chili with Poblanos and Beer
> [snip]
>> AFAICT, and have been told by Texans,
>
> Yeah, they are generally rather intractable and view New Ideas as
> suspicious...
IME as long as you "don't mess with Texas", or things Texan, they're a
pretty friendly bunch, if a bit expansive. That applies to native Texans,
not the transplants, according to the native ones at least.

>But the recipe is from Fine Cooking so you'll have to take
> it up with that editor.

I'll pass the info along to my Texan friends and let them do as they see
fit.
>
>> cloves don't enter into it.
>
> Blood fueds have started with less offensive remarks. My father-unit
> would have been the first t' cuff some ignorant import for suggesting he
> couldn't add garlic to his chili.

Heh. Garlic/onion are fairly traditional according to the lore of the
trail. Depended on what Cookie had to hand.
>
>> And the OO should be lard.
>
> Without a doubt, you're right but how many use it these daze?

Well, me. I find it works better in scratch biscuits than butter, browns
beef ditto.

> "Grits are akin to Elmer's Paste with less flavor and more sand."

I had a buddy who likened it to Rex's Wheat Paste, a compound used to affix
wallpaper.

Best,

Marc
>
>

"The Ranger" > wrote in message
...
> Marc Wolfe > wrote in message
> ...
>> "The Ranger" > wrote in message
> ...
>> > Texas Beef Chili with Poblanos and Beer
> [snip]
>> AFAICT, and have been told by Texans,
>
> Yeah, they are generally rather intractable and view New Ideas as
> suspicious... But the recipe is from Fine Cooking so you'll have to take
> it up with that editor.
>
>> cloves don't enter into it.
>
> Blood fueds have started with less offensive remarks. My father-unit
> would have been the first t' cuff some ignorant import for suggesting he
> couldn't add garlic to his chili.
>
>> And the OO should be lard.
>
> Without a doubt, you're right but how many use it these daze?
>
> The Ranger

My wife. Course, she only uses it when she makes homemade tortillas. And
she only makes those when she makes Chili Verde. With, you've got it!
Fresh Hatch (NM) Green chilies.

All this chili talking has me hankerin for some. I'll have to blow in the
wife's ear this weekend and get her to make a big batch. The chili verde is
easy to make but tortillas are extremely messy to make but I'll help her
clean up the mess.

Excuse me while I go wipe the drool off my chin...

Bret



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"Maverick" > wrote in message
...

> All this chili talking has me hankerin for some. I'll have to blow in the
> wife's ear this weekend and get her to make a big batch. The chili verde
> is easy to make but tortillas are extremely messy to make but I'll help
> her clean up the mess.

(laughing) Help her? She made what you wanted, you clean up! Her turn
to sit down.

nancy (just yanking your chain)

"Nancy Young" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Maverick" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>> All this chili talking has me hankerin for some. I'll have to blow in
>> the wife's ear this weekend and get her to make a big batch. The chili
>> verde is easy to make but tortillas are extremely messy to make but I'll
>> help her clean up the mess.
>
> (laughing) Help her? She made what you wanted, you clean up! Her turn
> to sit down.
>
> nancy (just yanking your chain)

*pssst* nancy, just between you and me, this is actually a joint affair
from start to finish. I _do_, however, have to sweet talk her into making
it though. Making tortillas, at least for us since we don't have much
counter space, is a real pain in the ass and we wind up getting flour all
over the place.

This reminds me. I need to make an appointment with the dentist to have my
teeth re-enameled. This current batch we got is HOT!

Bret (yank away. I give as well as I take!)



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"Maverick" > wrote in message
...
> "Nancy Young" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "Maverick" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >
> >> All this chili talking has me hankerin for some. I'll have to blow in
> >> the wife's ear this weekend and get her to make a big batch. The chili
> >> verde is easy to make but tortillas are extremely messy to make but
I'll
> >> help her clean up the mess.
> >
> > (laughing) Help her? She made what you wanted, you clean up! Her turn
> > to sit down.
> >
> > nancy (just yanking your chain)
>
> *pssst* nancy, just between you and me, this is actually a joint affair
> from start to finish. I _do_, however, have to sweet talk her into making
> it though. Making tortillas, at least for us since we don't have much
> counter space, is a real pain in the ass and we wind up getting flour all
> over the place.
>
> This reminds me. I need to make an appointment with the dentist to have
my
> teeth re-enameled. This current batch we got is HOT!
>
> Bret (yank away. I give as well as I take!)

We must be doing this wrong. Tortilla-making isn't messy and floury for us,
just easier to do with a him-and-me assembly line. We make the dough (which
involves flour but doesn't require throwing it around, like yeast bread
does!), let it rest, and divide it into 12 pieces. We put plastic - half a
baggie - on each plate of the tortilla press. Then he squashes out tortillas
between the plastic and hands them to me to toast in the skillet and drop on
the plate. Do you do them differently?

(I love having a tortilla press! The difference between rubbery storebought
tortillas and brand fresh is like the difference between wonderbread and
good homemade bread.)

Kathy

"The Ranger" > wrote in message
...
> Texas Beef Chili with Poblanos and Beer
>
> INGREDIENTS:
> 3 Tbs. OO (more as needed)
> 2 Lg Onions (red or Maui); diced
> 2 Lg Poblano peppers (stemmed and seeded); diced
> 5 cloves garlic, minced*
> 1 tsp. Kosher salt
> 4-1/2 lb. beef chuck (cubed in 1" pieces)
> 2 bay leaves
> 2 cinnamon sticks
> 3 Tbs. New Mexico Chile powder**
> 1 Tbs. chipotle chile powder**
> 1 Tbs. ground cumin
> 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
> 12-oz. bottle of amber ale
> 1-1/2 qt. beef broth
> For the garnish:
> 2 14-oz. cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
> 1 md. red onion, chopped
> 3 md. tomatoes, cored, seeded, and chopped
> 1/3 cup cilantro, (fresh) coarsely chopped
> Sour cream, creme fraische, whole-milk yogurt


Texas style:

INEXPERIENCED CHILI TASTER
Notes From An Inexperienced Chili Taster Named FRANK, who was visiting Texas
from the East Coast:
"Recently I was honored to be selected as a judge at a chili cook-off.
The original person called in sick at the last moment, and I happened to be
standing there at the judge's table asking directions to the beer wagon when
the call came. I was assured by the other two judges and (Native Texans)
that the chili wouldn't be all that spicy, besides, they told me I could
have free beer during the tasting, so I accepted.

Here are the scorecards from the event:

Chili # 1: Mike's Maniac Mobster Monster Chili
JUDGE ONE: A little too heavy on tomato. Amusing kick.
JUDGE TWO: Nice, smooth tomato flavor. Very mild.
FRANK: Holy shit, what the hell is this stuff? You could remove dried paint
from your driveway. Took me two beers to put the flames out. I hope that's
the worst one. These Texans are crazy.

Chili # 2: Arthur's Afterburner Chili
JUDGE ONE: Smoky, with a hint of pork. Slight Jalapeno tang.
JUDGE TWO: Exciting BBQ flavor, needs more peppers to be taken seriously.
FRANK: Keep this out of reach of children! I'm not sure what I am supposed
to taste besides pain. I had to wave off two people who wanted to give me
the Heimlich maneuver. They had to rush in more beer when they saw the look
on my face.

Chili # 3: Fred's Famous Burn Down the Barn Chili
JUDGE ONE: Excellent firehouse chili! Great kick. Needs more beans.
JUDGE TWO: A beanless chili, a bit salty, good use of red peppers.
FRANK: Call the EPA, I've located a uranium spill. My nose feels like I have
been snorting Drano. Everyone knows the routine by now, get me more beer
before I ignite. Barmaid pounded me on the back; now my backbone is in the
front part of my chest. I'm getting shit-faced from all the beer.

Chili # 4: Bubba's Black Magic
JUDGE ONE: Black bean chili with almost no spice. Disappointing.
JUDGE TWO: Hint of lime in the black beans. Good side dish for fish or other
mild foods, not much of a chili.
FRANK: I felt something scraping across my tongue, but was unable to taste
it, is it possible to burn-out taste buds? Sally, the bar maid, was standing
behind me with fresh refills; that 300 lb. bitch is starting to look HOT,
just like this nuclear-waste I'm eating. Is chili an aphrodisiac?

Chili # 5: Linda's Legal Lip Remover
JUDGE ONE: Meaty, strong chili. Cayenne peppers freshly ground, adding
considerable kick. Very impressive.
JUDGE TWO: Chili using shredded beef; could use more tomato. Must admit the
cayenne peppers make a strong statement.
FRANK: My ears are ringing, sweat is pouring off my forehead and I can no
longer focus my eyes. I farted and four people behind me needed paramedics.
The contestant seemed offended when I told her that her chili had given me
brain damage. Sally saved my tongue from bleeding by pouring beer directly
on it from a pitcher. I wonder if I'm burning my lips off? It really ****es
me off that the other judges asked me to stop screaming. Screw those
rednecks!

Chili # 6: Vera's Very Vegetarian Variety
JUDGE ONE: Thin yet bold vegetarian variety chili. Good balance of spice and
peppers.
JUDGE TWO: The best yet. Aggressive use of peppers, onions, and garlic.
Superb.
FRANK: My intestines are now a straight pipe filled with gaseous, sulfuric
flames. I shit myself when I farted and I'm worried it will eat through the
chair. No one seems inclined to stand behind me except that slut Sally, she
must be kinkier than I thought. Can't feel my lips anymore. I need to wipe
my ass with a snow cone!

Chili # 7: Susan's Screaming Sensation Chili
JUDGE ONE: A mediocre chili with too much reliance on canned peppers.
JUDGE TWO: Ho Hum, tastes as if the chef literally threw in a can of chili
peppers at the last moment. I should note that I am worried about Judge
Number 3. He appears to be in a bit of distress as he is cursing
uncontrollably.
FRANK: You could put a grenade in my mouth, pull the pin, and I wouldn't
feel a damn thing. I've lost the sight in one eye, and the world sounds
like it is made of rushing water. My shirt is covered with chili which slid
unnoticed out of my mouth. My pants are full of lava-like shit to match my
damn shirt. At least during the autopsy they'll know what killed me. I've
decided to stop breathing, it's too painful. Screw it, I'm not getting any
oxygen anyway. If I need air, I'll just suck it in through the 4 inch hole
in my stomach.

Chili # 8: Helen's Mount Saint Chili
JUDGE ONE: A perfect ending, this is a nice blend chili, safe for all, not
too bold but spicy enough to declare its existence.
JUDGE TWO: This final entry is a good, balanced chili, neither mild nor hot.
Sorry to see that most of it was lost when Judge Number 3 passed out, fell
over and pulled the chili pot down on top of himself. Not sure if he's
going to make it. Poor Yank, wonder how he'd have reacted to a really hot
chili?
FRANK: --------------(editor's note: Judge #3 was unable to report)

On Wed, 23 Feb 2005 19:14:36 GMT, "Kathy" > wrote:

> "Maverick" > wrote in message
> ...

> > Making tortillas, at least for us since we don't have much counter space, is
> > a real pain in the ass and we wind up getting flour all over the place.

> We must be doing this wrong. Tortilla-making isn't messy and floury for us,
> just easier to do with a him-and-me assembly line. We make the dough (which
> involves flour but doesn't require throwing it around, like yeast bread
> does!), let it rest, and divide it into 12 pieces.

I must be doing it wrong too -- I never throw flour around while making either
one.

> We put plastic - half a baggie - on each plate of the tortilla press. Then
> he squashes out tortillas between the plastic and hands them to me to toast
> in the skillet and drop on the plate. Do you do them differently?

For wheat tortillas, I divide the dough as you do, and shape the pieces into
good-sized 'baseballs'. After these sit, covered, for about a half hour, they're
ready for the rolling pin. The press is used solely for corn tortillas, since
we like our wheat tortillas to be ~12" in diameter.

WRT the press, it was almost impossible for me to get the corn masa to the point
where it was cohesive w/o being too mushy or too crumbly -- usually couldn't get
the entire tortilla mass to leave the plastic and land on the griddle in one
piece (damned embarrassing for a native Tucsonan). When Siobhan mentioned a
tortilla *maker* (presses and cooks in one step) a couple of years ago, I wasted
no time getting one. Works like a charm, and I don't need to enlist the spouse
for any pressing/toasting duty.

> (I love having a tortilla press! The difference between rubbery storebought
> tortillas and brand fresh is like the difference between wonderbread and
> good homemade bread.)

Yep.

______________

Don't drink and drive. You might spill your drink.