'Tis the Season- For Chili!

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #20 on:** 25 Dec 2004, 05:10 pm »

Up until about four years ago I worked as a chef- I ran the kitchen of one of the nicest restaurants in town here, and before that I ran a hotel kitchen. The owners closed it (for reasons having nothing to do with the P&Ls- long story); they wanted me to go to the Twin Cities to take over a property they owned there, but I didn't want ot relocate, etc. So I got out of the biz. Now I think I'll likely get back in, but that's another long story.

My restaurant batches tended to be over 5 gallons, so even this one's a bit small.

BTW, got some no-bean chili simmering on the stove right now. All the talk of chili made me hungry!

MaxCast · « **Reply #21 on:** 25 Dec 2004, 06:38 pm »

Anyone ever try white chili? Chicken and white beans. Mom-in-law makes a pretty good one (of course I know I could improve on it, but never have I tried).

MaxCast · « **Reply #22 on:** 25 Dec 2004, 06:44 pm »

Whoops, thanks for the link Babcock. Is this a good site for info? I may create a favorite recepie book there or at another site you may recommend.

bubba966 · « **Reply #23 on:** 11 Jan 2005, 08:07 pm »

Rob,

Do you have a better idea of how big of a batch this recipe makes? Is a 10 quart pot big enough to use comfortably? Or would a bigger pot (12-16qt) be easier to use?

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #24 on:** 11 Jan 2005, 11:14 pm »

A 10 Qt will fit it just fine. If you have a bigger one more's the better (it's easier to stir it that way).

beat · « **Reply #25 on:** 11 Jan 2005, 11:46 pm »

Nice!
that sounds killer Rob. I'll have to give it a try. Here in New Mexico I will have to take some liberties with the assorted chiles. I have been tweaking a very traditional NM comfort food recipe of green chile stew for the cafe and I can hardly make it fast enough...I guess you could say I'm done tweaking..It has been cold here too. It's very simple actually but you have to have alot of good green chile for this. This recipe is for about a 4 gallon batch so if you wanna try it you can do the math or throw a superbowl party. I suppose you could throw it on top of chips and cover with cheese for nachos or when it is second day, wrap it with a tortilla when it gets all good and thick. Here, we serve it on it's own with fresh tortillas (I can give you a recipe for that too..very easy)

2 large onions chopped thin or diced
1/2 c garlic
1 lb whatever meat (I use thin sliced pork)
one #10 can diced toms (like 6-7lb?)
4 tbls chicken base (msg free paste boulion basically)
**or 1 gallon chicken stock
8 diced potatoes (rinsed after cut)
10lbs NM green chile (roasted peeled and mostly seeded)

sautee the onions and garlic till translucent, add chix base and meat...if it gets all brown and stuck to the bottom of the pan that is quite alright if not good, let cook through, add juice of tomatoes from can and scrape up any scorchedness, cook that down till it darkens and sweetens add toms chile, water and potatoes, salt to taste and let it go. It is better the next day for sure and you could probably add some water at that point. If someone wants to try it and cant get good chile lemme know, I'll send ya some of my private stash. NM chile is different from anything else due to climate and our different strains. An uncle of mine in CA used to have us send it to him as he tried growing his own from proper seeds, but it just doesnt work.

later, beat

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #26 on:** 12 Jan 2005, 12:16 am »

That sounds really good, too, Beat. Having good chiles definately helps. I'll sometimes go that route as it is better than commercial chili powder, but the time, expense & trouble sometimes puts me off it. Best of all I guess would be to assemble a large batch of all the appropriate chili, roast them in bulk and grind up a good sized batch of homemade chili powder. Once the work was done, your batch would be good for many pots of chili.

I have a pork loin roasting right now, but maybe tomorrow or the next day I'll have to kick out one more batch of 'red!

beat · « **Reply #27 on:** 12 Jan 2005, 12:34 am »

Hey what a coinkydink,
I roasted a pork loin today..first time for a long time. This was quite different from what you'd normally see in a restaurant. First I marinated it then seared it over flame and finished in the oven. The marinade/sauce was asian in nature with lemongrass, lime leaf, garlic, chiles, vinegar, miso, wild mushrooms etc. Turned out nice.

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #28 on:** 12 Jan 2005, 01:00 am »

Just doin' mine at home. Roasted in the oven, I'm afraid. Still nice- I have a nice roaster with a rack to keep the heat nice & dry. I roast at 250, then finish under the broiler to crust the cap up.

Gordy · « **Reply #29 on:** 12 Jan 2005, 02:30 am »

(small voice) pork loin... jerk marinade... pork loin... jerk marinade...

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #30 on:** 12 Jan 2005, 02:32 am »

Quote from: Gordy

(small voice) pork loin... jerk marinade... pork loin... jerk marinade...

Yeah, I still wanna try that. I got a late start on dinner tonight, so it was whatever was at hand. I still have to try the Jerk seasoning on a porkloin sometime.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #31 on:** 12 Jan 2005, 02:35 am »

Quote from: Gordy

(small voice) pork loin... jerk marinade... pork loin... jerk marinade...

Pork instead of chicken....

Quote

An excellent recipe Rob, thanks In my area we have an abundance of mexican food stores so using a mix of dried peppers like pasillo, ancho and new mexican instead of the chili powder is a nice option. Also, try substituting Chilpotles (smoke dried) for the Jalipenos.

Habaneros, Datils, Scotch Bonnets etc. have such a citrusy taste to them that, personally, I'd save 'em for an islands recipe like jerk sauce. I just happen to have an very good recipe that came from a Jamacan born chef who's mom was Chinese:

Jerk Chicken -

1 sm. - med. onion, chopped
1 bunch scallions/green onions, chopped
2 Habaneros (3 with experience)
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 Tbs. 5 spice powder
1 Tbs. allspice
1 Tbs. black pepper
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
juice from 2 limes
1/2 C soy sauce (lite- opt.)
2 Tbs. peanut oil (any oil)
2 chickens in pieces

Follow Rob's notes on chili handling Habs. are especially dangerous...
You may want to use just a single Habanero until you know the heat level, use a thick chunk of bread as a dipper when tasting as it'll give you a more realistic sense of the true flavor and the carbs will help cut the heat. You can just de-stem the Habs and add to a food processor along with all the other ingredients, except soy sauce, and puree. Add soy slowly at this point to avoid spilling/spashing!

Coat the chicken well with the marinade in a s.s. or glass bowl or even zip locks and marinate for 6 to 24 hrs., heat will deepen with time. Grill with grill lid down to increase smokiness and or use wood chips.

This is also excellent with pork chops or pork loin!!!

Happy Holidays everyone
Gordy

Gordy · « **Reply #32 on:** 12 Jan 2005, 02:42 am »

IPA of course!

beat · « **Reply #33 on:** 12 Jan 2005, 02:43 am »

MMMM Jerk...aggghhhh!
That is another way we do the pork loin sometimes...just as good with chicken if not better 'cause the smaller pieces of meat really pick it up when you let it marinade overnight. I read the ingredients off of some prepared jerk paste and did it myself and the artist in me says "take liberties" so I did. Lo and behold it rocks. It is very very close to gordy's recipe but hold the 5 spice and add a grip of fresh grated ginger and some cane vinegar if you cant find it use rice wine vinegar. So good! I may have to do me up a batch tomorrow. I likes me some food, dat fo sho!

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #34 on:** 12 Jan 2005, 02:45 am »

IPA? Whut dat?

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #35 on:** 12 Jan 2005, 02:47 am »

Quote from: Gordy

IPA of course!

FYI....IPA = India Pale Ale....good choice!!

Gordy · « **Reply #36 on:** 12 Jan 2005, 02:50 am »

India Pale Ale, the old English traveling brew, as in brewed to last the voyage to India.

Beat, I've always done the whole roast, in pieces it must get reeeeal, um, interesting

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #37 on:** 12 Jan 2005, 02:58 am »

Ah, who brews it? Is it a brand or a style? Odd that a lush like myself wouldn't have heard of it.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #38 on:** 12 Jan 2005, 03:04 am »

Quote from: Rob Babcock

Ah, who brews it? Is it a brand or a style? Odd that a lush like myself wouldn't have heard of it.

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/style/150/ ....good site by the way !!

Gordy · « **Reply #39 on:** 12 Jan 2005, 03:13 am »

How did "Bad Santa" get on that IPA list?