Chili H. Allen Smith
Recipe from
the book " Chili Madness" by Jane Butel, published
by Workman Publishing, 1980.
The first chili
cook-off known to modern man took place in 1967 in
uninhabited Terlingua, Texas (once a thriving
mercury-mining town of 5,000 people). It was a
two-man cook-off between Texas chili champ Wick
Fowler (a Dallas and Denton newspaper reporter) and
H. Allen Smith (humorist and author), which ended in
a tie. The cook-off challenge started when H. Allen
Smith wrote a story for the Holiday magazine titled
"Nobody Knows More About Chili Than I Do," which
raised the wrath of Texas chili graduate students.
The cook-off competition ended in a tie vote when
the tie-breaker judge allowed someone to ram a
spoonful of chili into his mouth and promptly spit
it all over the referee's foot and then he went into
convulsions. He rammed a handkerchief down his
throat and pronounced himself unable to go on and
declared a one-year moratorium in the world
championship chili cook-off.
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
4 pounds beef sirloin or tenderloin, coarse
chili grind
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
4 cups water
3 medium onions, coarsely chopped
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and
coarsely chopped
4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons ground hot red chile
1 tablespoon dried oregano (preferably
Mexican)
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon cumin seed or ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Heat the oil or butter (or a blend of the
two) in a heavy 4-quart pot over medium
heat. Add the meat to the pot. Break up any
lumps with a fork and cook, stirring
occasionally, until the meat is evenly
browned.
Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring
to a boil, then lower heat and simmer,
uncovered, for 2 to 3 hours. Stir
occasionally and add more water if
necessary. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serves 8
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