Texas chili recipes
Original Texas-style chili
Texas-style chili contains no beans, tomatoes, or other vegetables besides chili peppers. Beans may be mixed at the diner’s discretion in his or her own serving bowl. The meat (beef, venison, or other mature stewing meat) is cut into bite-sized pieces (traditionally, the size of a pecan nut) or coarsely ground. Prime beef and veal are not considered suitable for chili, as they tend to fall apart in long cooking. Suet is also added for flavor, but is often omitted. New Mexico or Anaheim peppers, or a combination of these or others (such as pasillas, chiles de arbol, anchos, etc.) are often used.
The kinds and amount of chili peppers used determines the level of heat: for a spicy version, four pepper pods per pound of meat might be used; for a milder version, only 1–3 pods. Chili powder is often used as a substitute for whole chili peppers. A half teaspoon of chili powder is the approximate equivalent of one average-size chili pod.
Pedernales River chili
President Lyndon Johnson’s favorite chili recipe became known as “Pedernales River chili” after the location of his Texas Hill Country ranch. It calls for eliminating the traditional beef suet (on Johnson’s doctor’s orders, after LBJ suffered a heart attack while he was U.S. Senate Majority Leader) and adds tomatoes and onions. LBJ preferred venison, when available, to beef; Hill Country deer were thought to be leaner than most.[who?] Lady Bird Johnson, the First Lady, had the recipe printed on cards to be mailed out because of the many thousands of requests the White House received for it.
Vegetarian chili
Vegetarian chili (also known as chili sin carne, chili without meat, or chili) acquired wide popularity in the U.S. during the 1960s and 1970s with the rise of vegetarianism. It is also popular with those on a diet restricting the use of red meat. To make the chili vegetarian, the cook leaves out the meat or replaces it with a meat analogue, such as textured vegetable protein or tofu, or a complementary vegetable, such as potatoes.
Many variant recipes exist. Almost any available vegetable can be added, including corn, squash, mushrooms, potatoes, and even beets. Corn, squash, and beans are known as the “Three Sisters” of Native American agriculture in the American Southwest. They were cultivated together, and complemented each other as foods. Corn and beans together made a complete protein.
One popular variant is lentil chili, which is consumed widely. Lentils (usually brown or green lentils) are used in the place of meat. Because of their high protein content, lentils are an excellent meat substitute, and their flavor blends well with the traditional seasonings of chili. Lentil chili is made either with just lentils or combined with other beans. The seasonings are similar to chili con carne.
photo credit: miikkahoo
