@chai2,
For a time, years back, I was trying out this "chili" recipe.
David Fowler was a talk show host at WPLP in Pinellas Park Florida back in the 1980's. One day, he had a discussion about home made chili and mentioned that he had won awards with his recipe. Of course all of his loyal listeners asked for it including yours truly. When I received it, I placed it in my recipe file and promptly forgot all about it. Recently, I decided to dump much of the things I had collected but never used and came across his recipe.
As luck would have it, Joey Sweat, our youth pastor has organized a chili cook off for 1/6/08 and so I thought hmmm let's give it a try. Barb being Barb said "no way are you bringing chili you haven't tried". So today I decide to give er a rip and followed the directions almost exactly. (sorry David) I say almost because I have only light beer and the recipe calls for a can of Budweiser. Oh well. The recipe also says to pull it off the stove and let it sit overnight so i did but prior to putting it into the refrigerator, I had to sample it. Wow! It is fabulous. I can't wait until 1/6!
On a sad note, I Googled David Fowler and learned that he had died back in 2004!
Here is the recipe as I received it back in the mid 80's:
David Fowler's Nine times First place Trophy award winning Chili recipe.
This is not chili, and I don't know how to write a recipe using the terms and such that one finds in the real thing. Read on. Change nothing. You'll note that quantities are vague. Use common sense and taste.
Stuff in this Mess:
1 0r 2 ponds ground beef, the best
1 standard can tomato paste and sauce and whole peeled tomatoes
1 large green pepper
1 large white onion
2 ribs celery
2 to 10 Jalapeno peppers, the canned in oil kind
½ a raw potato
1 can Bud beer
1 shot or two of olive oil – do not use cooking oil (I use Contadina brand)
1 standard envelope chili mix, such as McCormick’s or whatever, but not some weird, esoteric brand…just the plain stuff and a half envelope of taco mix
Some Oregano and Thyme and crushed red pepper and black pepper and a bay leaf or two and some grated parmesan cheese, such as in the green cardboard tube, and salt and, as to the spices, I use around a ½ a teaspoon or more – it’s up to you as are all the quantities and it’s also your problem or pleasure, don’t blame me.
Method of Preparation:
New simplified directions!!!
Brown the beef a little bit, not a lot…leave some pink. Dump everything into a pot and add water sufficient to keep it from burning while you simmer it for an hour or so.
Now, I must add, for the sake of decency that prior to the dumping you must have finely chopped, sliced and diced the vegetables.
Got that?
Do it.
Dump together as noted and so forth, and by now it’s simmering nicely and you’re keeping an eye on it and adding a bit of water here and there and the lid’s on the pot, slightly askew, a sprinkling of parmesan and always stirring and sampling and simmering and, three hours having passed, you let it cool and poke it into the fridge and wait until the next day and that’s that. It ain’t chili - its better!
You want beans? Fine. You also tell unfunny jokes, force your dog to wear rubber booties on rainy days, and are basically miserable. However, if you must….please use drained and rinsed kidney beans and their name is sufficiently disgusting to me or, even better, drained and rinsed black eyed peas, though I recommend neither and how do you spell recommmmmmend anyway?
I figure it may take a lifetime for you to get this right, so forget it. You go on and read that junk in the papers on Thursdays and clip coupons and buy cookbooks.
I don’t care.
You really must mess with this thing a few times to get it to your taste and if you’re the type who follows recipes exactly, I’m already thanking you for not inviting me to your table even though I said change nothing in this recipe. If that intimidated you, don’t cook this chili that isn’t chili.
Typing and mailing this thing’s been tough on me.
Be kind when you call.
Think kindly when listening.
Thank you,
DF (David signed this with his initials)
