Welcome to Thom's Chili Bowl

I didn't grow up in Texas or the Southwest but I developed a fondness for very spicy and hot foods early in life.  I experimented with many recipes over the years and Chili has become my favorite spicy dish.  I have also discovered Chili is a subject that almost everyone has an opinion of how it should be made.   I have not met nor am I aware of anyone who makes chili and isn't convinced his or her chili is best.  In my opinion that is what makes chili so special.
 
Although I did not grow up in Texas, Donna and I did live in San Antonio for a while  and I really became a spicy food lover during this time in my life.  The foods served up in San Antonio are without match anywhere in the world.  The people I met while living there were quick to point out that chili was invented in San Antonio, Texas, about the middle of the Nineteenth Century and it began as a simple peasant stew using materials inexpensive and at hand. I have found nothing to refute that so I believe them.  Meat, Chile peppers, Camino, Oregano and Garlic made up the first recipes.  I discovered while living in San Antonio that all the spices listed above except the Camino grow wild in the South Texas area.
 
I find Chili Cook-offs to be exhilarating and I can't seem to pass up one.  All the wonderful smells, taste, texture, and spices fascinate me, as they are prepared and cooking as people make their particular version of Chili.  I have tasted chili where the chef used substituted the beef with a myriad of meats to include chicken, turkey, venison, elk, pork, sheep, goat, buffalo, rabbit, and some exotic meat such as rattlesnake, etc.  I guess what I am saying is that you can make chili from any edible meat.  However, some I have not been brave enough to try.  But there is still time. Furthermore, there are many Chili Societies that are designed specifically for the chili lover.
 
To me, of coarse, a bowl of chili contains two main ingredients—Beef and Chili powder.  Some folks feel they can make a good chili using pork or pork & beef mixed.  It's true they can and I enjoy it on occasion but I am partial to using only beef in my chili.  For a long Time I made my own chili powder by grinding the chilies into a powder and adding cumin and oregano.  But now, I have found that most commercial chili powders already include cumin, oregano and garlic in a mixture that works well for me.  However, if you are traditionalists then I have included in my Bowl of Red recipe the ingredients you will need if you use a pure chili powder or "Chile Molido".

What makes chile peppers hot? Capsaicinoids.  Like to know more about what capsaicinoids are and how to tell how hot a chile will be? Paul Bosland, professor of horticulture at New Mexico State University is a foremost authority on chile peppers.  Check his article at www.bbg.org/gar2/topics/kitchen/handbooks/chile/3.html .

How to Prepare Chilies.

• To Roast and Peel Chilies...
  
  Put chilies on a baking sheet. Place under a preheated broiler about four inches from heat. Turn the chilies until they are completely blistered and charred. Enclose the chilies in a paper bag and let them steam until they are cool enough to handle. Under running water, start at the blossom end and peel the peppers, discarding stems, ribs and seeds. Now they are ready to use. If a broiler is not available, use a fork and hold each chile over the flame of a gas stove top burner.

• To Freeze Chilies...
  
  You need not blanch chili peppers before freezing them.  Simply seed them (skin by roasting and peeling if desired), chop them up and freeze in small portions for later use.

• To Dry Chilies...
  
  Cut entire whole plant at its base or harvest individual peppers and string them from the stem ends on strong thread.  Hang up to dry in a cool, dry, airy place.