Adams... Advice for the best MSU Chili

[Jaabo]

Today started gloomy and overcast, and I needed to get out of the house. Ended up wandering around a used book store. Over in the Cooking section, I spied "Texas Home Cooking" by Cheryl and Bill Jamison (they also wrote "Smoke and Spice", which I think is pretty good). Thinking of this post, I turned to the chapter "Championship Chili". And the first recipe is literally "MSU" in more words. Ingredients: Meat, Chile, Imagination.

Wish every recipe book would be like this

Bread:
Flour, water, imagination :mrgreen:

 

[Maylar]

That book is obviously intended for people who can cook. Some folks can't make coffee without a recipe.

 

[1MoreFord]

For many years I made chili with boxed mixes. Williams, Wick Fowler, Carrol Shelby and the like. Good chili can be made this way with some tweaks.
Then I decided I needed a recipe to call my own and picked up a copy of the book in the following link from a gun show at a Much cheaper price.
https://www.amazon.com/Chili-Lovers...2363923&sprefix=chili+cookbook,aps,94&sr=8-17
After reading thru it I took note of the common ingredients and went from there.
Meat, mostly beef cheaper cuts of beef and Chile peppers, either ground powder or whole to start with. Cumin. Tomatoes in some form. Oregano, usually Mexican. Then liquids, ranging from water, often with bullion, to broth or stock, and sometimes some form of alcohol. Salt and pepper of course. Some times some mole and other things I don't remember.
After making and tweaking my recipe a few times I started just MSU following the above guidelines.

Over the Years I also found the International Chili Society (ICS), and the Chili Appreciation Society International (CASI). CASI is from Texas, makes their chili with only beef and without beans. ICS is not from Texas and does not do these things. Enough said.

Here are some past CASI winning recipes.
https://www.casichili.net/recipes.html
Google "casi championship chili recipes" and you will find more.

Remember, competition chili recipes are like BBQ. The judges get one or two bites to make their decisions, so they tend to be intense and not great for a meal.

I have heard Bob Coates recipe is a good " eatin' " recipe.
https://www.casichili.net/1999-bob-coats.html

 

[bschoen]

From Darkstar's "Texas Home Cooking" post:

"Meat is the medium, but the chile is the message".

If that does not resonate, perhaps chili just isn't your forte.

 

[SmokinAussie]

Well I had a bowl of mine last night. I'm quite happy with the results. I'll make a post of it later. Has a lot of stuff in it and there will be some debate about what it actually is.

 

[1MoreFord]

Ole Timer's struck me yesterday. Mine always has finely diced onion and garlic too.:mmph:

 

[Maylar]

Ole Timer's struck me yesterday. Mine always has finely diced onion and garlic too.:mmph:

As does mine.. sautéed while browning the meat. First thing into the pot.