No trabáho, gulpién, no kanén, in-inúten

The title of this particular post holds true to my feelings about a very under-appreciated stew called chili! Last winter I was in downtown Baltimore searching for a restaurant that claimed to have the best chili in town. The restaurant was your typical greasy spoon. If the restaurant looks like this the chili must be legendary! This was hands down the worst chili I ever had. It resembled brown paste with some tomato and unidentified chunks floating in a sea of pain. Luckily I ordered a small bowl, and had to choke down every bite. Prison food in Cambodia probably tastes better.

Chili is one of those things that takes you thirty minutes to prepare and hours to cook. Chili also improves with age. At The Tyler Place every Friday is chili day. I start making the stew around seven and let it cook till service time. Every week I am surprised to see five gallons of chili eaten in about 36 hours! Everybody seems to love the chili we put out for lunch. This is definitely not the chili I make at home. But, to accommodate different palates it has to be hot and good! One of our guests loved it so much they requested the recipe, so here it is!

TP Chili

-8 Onions, Diced

-6 Green Bell Peppers, Rough Chopped

-6 Red peppers, Rough Chopped

-.25 Cup Garlic, Minced

-10 lbs Ground Beef

-3 #10 Cans Chopped Tomatos

-3 Cans Chopped Green Chili

-1 #10 Can Black Beans, Rinsed

-3 Cans Chipotle Peppers Pureed

-1 Bag Frozen Corn

-1 Cup Chili Powder

-.50 Cup Smoked Paprika

-.25 Cup Cumin

-.25 Cup Granulated Sugar

-4 Cups Tequila (optional)

In a heavy bottom stock pot brown the ground beef. Once browned remove from the pot and ladle any leftover grease. With the pot still on the fire add the onions, peppers and garlic. Cook until the onions are translucent and the garlic is aromatic. At this point add the tequila and reduce by half. Add the browned meat and the remaining spices. That's it! Let it cook for hours. Adjust your seasoning toward the end of the cooking process. If you get too aggresive with the seasonings in the beginning the chili will be too strong. Remember, liquid reduces and concentrates flavors.

My Chili

-8 Red Onions, Sliced and Grilled

-6 Green Bell Peppers, Roasted and Rough Chopped

-6 Red peppers, Roasted and Rough Chopped

-5 Jalapeno Peppers Sliced

-1 Cup Garlic, Roasted

-10 lbs Smoked Brisket, Shredded

-3 #10 Cans Chopped Fire Roasted Tomatos

-3 Cans Chopped Green Chili

-1 #10 Can Butter Beans, Rinsed

-4 Cans Chipotle Peppers Pureed

-5 Ears of Corn Grilled w/ Kernels Removed

-1 Cup Chili Powder

-.50 Cup Smoked Paprika

-.25 Cup Cumin

-.25 Cup Granulated Sugar

-4 Cups Tequila (optional)

As the title says. If it's work, do it fast. If it's food eat it little by little.

Enjoy!