This is not really the type of post I had intended this blog to contain, but it’s a special request from Ross Kodner of MicroLaw. Besides being a friend, Ross is the king of the legal technology consultants. He’s been doing this work better, longer, than anyone else I know. He’s helped me many times in the past, and I’m sure he will many more times in the future.
Anyway, he has this thing for my wife’s chili. This is actually my father’s recipe, followed to perfection by my wife, Cinda. Not too hot, not too mild. And remember — if it has beans in it, it ain’t chili!
Hubert’s Not Too Hot Chili:
3 pounds boneless chuck roast beef, coarsely ground, 1 quart water
3 tablespoons chili powder, 6 cloves garlic or 1 teaspoon minced dry garlic, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon marjoram, 1 teaspoon red pepper, 3 teaspoons salt, 1 tablespoon sugar, 3 tablespoons paprika
3 tablespoons flour, 6 tablespoons corn meal
Sear meat, stirring constantly. When it turns gray, add water and cook covered at a bubbling simmer for 1 and 1/2 hours.
Remove lid and add next 8 ingredients. Cook for another 1/2 hour without the cover.
Make a smooth, runny paste with the flour and corn meal and about 1 cup water. Add slowly to pot while stirring.
Cook another 5 minutes to check consistency. Serve hot. Can be frozen. To make this chili seriously hot, use two teaspoons of red pepper. To make it “take off the top of your head hot,” use three teaspoons.
Have the butcher trim all visible fat from the meat. The secret to this recipe is to get a less tender cut of meat and put it through the grinder one time on the coarsest setting. You may have to argue with the butcher about it. Cinda always has to convince him that she knows what she wants. Regular chili ground meat will only make a tasty chili soup, instead of this hearty chili.
Have fun!
