The Chili Plunge

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Chief Longwind Of The North

Chief Longwind Of The North

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Joined
Aug 26, 2004
Messages
12,454
Location
USA,Michigan
Up here in the U.P., we cut a hole in the ice and have what we call The Polar Bear Plunge. The water is cold, and the air is colder. After such an adventure, there are few foods better than a bowl of good chili. Now I have loved the deep-red color, the aroma, the multi-textural feel, and the enticing flavor of chili for as long as I can remember; that's 61 years folks. I like it soupy, I like it thick. I like it blistering spicey-hot, and with no discernable heat. I even like it cold out of the fridge. As you can see, I really love a good bowl of red.

Now for me, I like chunks of tomato, sweet and hot peppers, bite-sized hunks of coarse ground beef, with onions and celery floating around in there. It must taste of chili powder, cumin, coriander, kidney beans (other beens are ok in chili, but I require deep, dark red kidney beans in mine). I have even won local contests for my chili, one for best flavor, and the other for having the hottest chili.

Soooooo, it was downright disturbing to me when legumes, and tomatoes were removed from my diet. I had to find a way to make it sans tomato, beans, tomatillo. I can still eat peppers. Well sports fans, I took a stab at it tonight, no beans, no tomatoes. It came out good, but not great. If you didn't want it to be chili, it's downright tasty.

I'm puuting the recipe here to see if anyone can help me tweek it. To me, it just isn't right without tomato.

Ingredients:
2 tbs. bacon grease
2 tbs chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
1 medium yellow onion, rustic chop
1 ea. Poblano, Anehiem, red bell pepper, rustic chop.
1 lb. coarsely ground beef.
1 cup water
12 oz. can hominy
1 handful corn chips
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Heat bacon grease over medium heat, in a large sauce pan. Add herbs and spices
Stir for 1 minute. Add ground beed and brow., leaving it in bite-sized chunks. Add remaining ingredients and cook until the celery is tender.


I really miss good tomato.

Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
 
Renal failure prevents me from eating foods with high potassium, or phosphates. The nutrients that are so good for most people are taboo for me. Fortunately, i can still eat superfoods like berries, all U.S. native fruits (except tomatoes and avocadoes ,and nuts). I can still have lemons and limes.

It seems most nutrient rich foods are high in phosphates and/or potassium.

My son, the proffessional cook/chef agreed to taste my chili tonight and said it was good, but could use more salt, some cilantro, and lime juice. I had the salt and lime juice, so I added them. The chili was better. I then added a tbs. or two of my Raging Bull Salsa. It now tastes nice
But to me, it still isn't real chili. It'll do though.

Seeeeya, Chief Longwind of the North
 
Chief Longwind Of The North said:
Renal failure prevents me from eating foods with high potassium, or phosphates.

Seeeeya, Chief Longwind of the North
Click to expand...

Ah, I understand and here I am trying to replace potassium and magnesium. So sorry. I wish I could find an (acceptable to me) replacement for sugar.

Your chili sounds good, but I too would miss my tomatoes and beans.
 
I don't know if there is much potassium in miso, but I was avoiding tomato and read that miso can add some of the body and umami that one often gets from tomato paste.
 
Well, traditional "Texas Red" chili does not contain a single tomato or bean. So to a traditional Texan, you are making chili as it was meant to be made.

One suggestion for your recipe would be to ditch the hominy and corn chips, and make some fresh cornbread to crumble in the bottom of your bowl and smother with chili. That is a very Texas thing.

CD
 
Bummer about the tomatoes, but this could be fun.

Start with more veggies... carrrots and corn (sweetness) come to mind. Depending on how chunky you like it, maybe even a carrot puree. Add a bit of red wine vinegar (acidity) too.

To up your chili-ness, make your own chili powder from roasted, dry ancho chilies. Also, buy cumin and coriander seeds and grind them (think of the difference between freshly cracked black pepper vs: jarred ground pepper... but even more so). I'd up the cumin amount in your recipe too, and add some garlic (powdered or fresh).

Replace water with beef stock (or half water half stock).

After browning your beef, consider stirring in the veggies and transfer (covered) to a low oven or slow cooker for a few hours.

CD's cornbread suggestion also sounds like a winner.
 
Of course we got snowed in again--I was planning to go to the memorial for the Mom of a friend from high school. Second time this has happened since New Year's. Since it is such a frigging wintery day, decided it is chili time. I am wondering if the KN will notice I used TVP instead of ground beef. Wondering if he will notice I used pomegranate molasses, thinned down, instead of tomato paste. And what is he gonna think about the absence of beans? I mixed up my own chili powder. Personally, I would put in black beans, kidney, navy, chick peas, and frozen corn. He will only accept kidney beans in chili, but alas, there are none in the house. I will toss in some Masa--gotta work with what you got in the house when you are snowed in.
 
I looked at a few Chili Colorado recipes. The most intriguing of thee used dried chilis, but not dried to a crisp, crackly texture. The author explained that the chiii lost its flavor when over-dried, and that they should be still pliable for best flavor. I can't get the varieties used in those recipes, except online, and they will be cry and crackly. The chilis that were most commoon were anchos, pasillas, and guajillos. I really liked the recipe from Bon Appetitel . I will be visiting my daughter in Denver in about 7 weeks, and in Denver, I will probably be able to find the peppers for this recipe.

If anyone has a tried and true recipe with more common peppers, post it. I will try it.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
 
CWS4322 said:
Of course we got snowed in again--I was planning to go to the memorial for the Mom of a friend from high school. Second time this has happened since New Year's. Since it is such a frigging wintery day, decided it is chili time. I am wondering if the KN will notice I used TVP instead of ground beef. Wondering if he will notice I used pomegranate molasses, thinned down, instead of tomato paste. And what is he gonna think about the absence of beans? I mixed up my own chili powder. Personally, I would put in black beans, kidney, navy, chick peas, and frozen corn. He will only accept kidney beans in chili, but alas, there are none in the house. I will toss in some Masa--gotta work with what you got in the house when you are snowed in.
Click to expand...

In Texas, the only beans that are somewhat acceptable are pinto beans. Kidney beans screams YANKEE -- in all caps.

It is actually not uncommon to put some masa in Texas chili as a thickener. I prefer to use cornbread in the bowl, myself.

CD
 
caseydog said:
In Texas, the only beans that are somewhat acceptable are pinto beans. Kidney beans screams YANKEE -- in all caps.

It is actually not uncommon to put some masa in Texas chili as a thickener. I prefer to use cornbread in the bowl, myself.

CD
Click to expand...

I'm from Upper Peninsula Michigan. I am a Yankee, and love my Upper Michigan style chile. Tomato loss is a sacrifice for me. The varied, and clean tasting Lake Superior fish is also something that is a Yooper thing. I can't eat Mississippi catfish, or carp. They taste of mud to me. I am spoiled to live in a fairly pristine state, with lots of wild game, the best drinking water on the planet, and amazing freshwater fish. The only downside is that I have to endure long, cold, and very snowy winters. On those cold fall and winter days, the Yooper style chili just warms you from head to toe, and tastes great. I don't like sweet chili, i.e. Ohio chili. I haven't had a good bowl of Texas red to know if I like it or not. No one around these parts makes it. And I'm not one of those that has to have traditional just because only qY else says that it's the traditional way of making something. If I find a version that tastes good to me, then that is what I'm going to make.

My egg rolls are different than anyone else's, and everyone who has had them tells me they are the best they've eaten. I've wond chii contests with my chili. My pies are made with attention to ingredients, that few people understand, and also have won contestants, as have my bread. and baked beans. Everyone knows my pancakes.

I make things the way I do because it works, and tastes great, and gives me superior results, be it cooking pork ribs, chili, or baked beans. I even give it the extra effort when making gelatine deserts. They aren't same ole, same olee.

I will be giving Texas style, real chili a go. I just need a good recipe. Just don't tell me that it's the only way to make it. I have eaten great Yooper chili all of my life, and love its flavor and texture. Just as Texas style chili is chili to you, Yooper style chili is chili to me. I just use hotter peppers than most people, in either Texas, or Michigan.

Oh, and I use masa harina as a thickener in my chili as well. So my chili is kind of a hybrid, taking some great flavors from multiple types to make something really good. And I like cornbread with my chili, not in it.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
 
Last edited:
CWS4322 said:
Of course we got snowed in again--I was planning to go to the memorial for the Mom of a friend from high school. Second time this has happened since New Year's. Since it is such a frigging wintery day, decided it is chili time. I am wondering if the KN will notice I used TVP instead of ground beef. Wondering if he will notice I used pomegranate molasses, thinned down, instead of tomato paste. And what is he gonna think about the absence of beans? I mixed up my own chili powder. Personally, I would put in black beans, kidney, navy, chick peas, and frozen corn. He will only accept kidney beans in chili, but alas, there are none in the house. I will toss in some Masa--gotta work with what you got in the house when you are snowed in.
Click to expand...
Score. The KN liked the chili--he didn't realize I used TVP instead of ground beef or pomegranate molasses instead of tomato paste. Calling this version of chili "a wing and a prayer" since we were snowed in and I had to use what I had on hand. I would have added black olives...but he won't eat those except on pizza and in salad.
 
Chief Longwind Of The North said:
I'm from Upper Peninsula Michigan. I am a Yankee, and love my Upper Michigan style chile. Tomato loss is a sacrifice for me. The varied, and clean tasting Lake Superior fish is also something that is a Yooper thing. I can't eat Mississippi catfish, or carp. They taste of mud to me. I am spoiled to live in a fairly pristine state, with lots of wild game, the best drinking water on the planet, and amazing freshwater fish. The only downside is that I have to endure long, cold, and very snowy winters. On those cold fall and winter days, the Yooper style chili just warms you from head to toe, and tastes great. I don't like sweet chili, i.e. Ohio chili. I haven't had a good bowl of Texas red to know if I like it or not. No one around these parts makes it. And I'm not one of those that has to have traditional just because only qY else says that it's the traditional way of making something. If I find a version that tastes good to me, then that is what I'm going to make.

My egg rolls are different than anyone else's, and everyone who has had them tells me they are the best they've eaten. I've wond chii contests with my chili. My pies are made with attention to ingredients, that few people understand, and also have won contestants, as have my bread. and baked beans. Everyone knows my pancakes.

I make things the way I do because it works, and tastes great, and gives me superior results, be it cooking pork ribs, chili, or baked beans. I even give it the extra effort when making gelatine deserts. They aren't same ole, same olee.

I will be giving Texas style, real chili a go. I just need a good recipe. Just don't tell me that it's the only way to make it. I have eaten great Yooper chili all of my life, and love its flavor and texture. Just as Texas style chili is chili to you, Yooper style chili is chili to me. I just use hotter peppers than most people, in either Texas, or Michigan.

Oh, and I use masa harina as a thickener in my chili as well. So my chili is kind of a hybrid, taking some great flavors from multiple types to make something really good. And I like cornbread with my chili, not in it.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
Click to expand...

Chief, your OP said you needed to make a chili with no beans and no tomatoes. I'm just saying a whole lot of people make it that way all the time. So, you don't have to reinvent the wheel.

BTW, I use tomatoes and pinto beans in my own chili. That's "Caseydog Style" chili.

Now, if you put pineapple on Pizza... we can't be friends. :ermm::LOL:

CD
 
Last edited:
Pineapple will never be found on my pizza, unless it is a fruit-desrt pizza with a sweetened sour cream sace/base, made for my grand daughters. As I said, I.m looking forward to tryin a good Texas chili, and would love to see & try your recipe.

If you are interested, I could share with you both my best modified Yooper chili, and my prize winning white chili (and yes, it tastes like real chili).

Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North.
 
Chief Longwind Of The North said:
Pineapple will never be found on my pizza, unless it is a fruit-desrt pizza with a sweetened sour cream sace/base, made for my grand daughters. As I said, I.m looking forward to tryin a good Texas chili, and would love to see & try your recipe.

If you are interested, I could share with you both my best modified Yooper chili, and my prize winning white chili (and yes, it tastes like real chili).

Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North.
Click to expand...
Been thinking about this. I probably would play with making "sauce" using beets, carrots, and strawberries. Add Anchuur or tamarind for the tang. Roasted sweet red peppers.
 
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