My chili drew kind compliments from SayUncle. I noticed Les Jones going back for more.  Richard at Guns, Holsters & Gear was all smiles and has me beaming from his praise.  Glenn at Instapundit and Helen–I am so, so sorry you had to leave just before suppertime but I saw you needed to rest up to do the George Korda radio show. Something about, Stop Calling Him Honey and Start Having Sex, so I figure that required your getting some–rest. We missed you sitting around the fire.  Considering the merits of night-shooting and chili-eating, combining good guns and great company, we’ll just have to hold the blogger chili-shoot again.

Here is the ever-evolving recipe for Chili by MJM, for cooking in a cast iron kettle, over an open fire.  I hope you have as much fun fixing it and sharing it as I do.

There are speed-preparation shortcuts included below if you look at all of this and decide it’s just too much work.  But, it’s a lot of fun, particularly if you can get a buddy to come out with you.

Finally, if I’ve been unclear with the instructions–very likely–you’re welcome to post a comment or contact me through the blog and I’ll be happy to consult.

Mike

Hillbilly Chili, en masse, (that’s French for all thrown in there together) cooked in cast iron kettle, outdoors, over bed of coals, by MJM, blogging at http://mjm.luckygunner.com

First, you need to have inherited your mom’s heirloom iron kettle like I did.  However, short of Mom’s demise and bequest of the kettle, you can use Lodge or similar cast iron ware or a large soup pot.

You need some land.  Mountain land, preferably but I suppose flatlands will do.

You need a pickup truck so you can use the tailgate for all of this.  Besides, you just need a pickup truck.  You really do, just to haul all of this stuff out there to your land.

Get some ammo and do some shooting while you’re out there.  This is America!

Preparation

Gitcha some farwood.  Best to have too much instead of too little.  Find hickory if you can.  That’s why you have the land.  Trees fall all the time and you have to get up and out of that chair, away from that keyboard and chainsaw them up.  If you survive that, you’ve got some good firewood.

Set the afternoon aside.  This is work!  Allow about 4 hours between time you start fire and start serving chili.

Start fire 1 ½ to 2 hours before cooking.  Use plenty of wood.  A dozen 2 foot logs, 6” in diameter should be enough but I would use some more.  You will shovel and break coals from larger burning pieces after about 1 ½ hours to create a bed of uniform coals.  Create separate smaller fire with the larger chunks which will continue to produce coals for you to use to stoke fire if needed.  Later, in colder, Yankee climes, you can move the kettle to that warming fire and re-kindle your cooking fire (or vice-versa depending on where you cook) to make a bonfire and warm the guests.

Tip: Check for the direction of the prevailing wind so your guests don’t get smoked out.

Warning: You want to “set the woods on fire” only figuratively.  Like Smokey Bear says: Be prepared.  (I’m speaking from personal experience and misadventure.)

Cooking

In kettle, combine meat, chopped onion, chopped green pepper, and garlic (if used) together until meat is browned and vegetables are tender.  Break up chunks of beef throughout.  Once browned, stir in all remaining ingredients, adding beans last.

Simmer 1 hour, stirring periodically and adding liquid—either water or beer—to keep consistency thicker or thinner as is your taste.  You can imagine my liquid preference.  You can do this without the beer, but come on!  The beer adds depth and robust earthy flavor.  Drink one beer for every beer added—all after shooting, of course!

Fish the bay leaves out and serve.  If served at night, alert the guests and pass out door prizes to everyone who gets a bay leaf.

Complement with regular, good ole, honest soda-crackers and cheddar cheese.

You may add Fritos corn chips, lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese, chopped onions and sour cream if you must.

Make sure you have enough beer and ice.

Ingredients for about 20 people: _____ 6# ground beef, lean since it’s difficult to drain the fat _____ 3 cups chopped green pepper (about 4 or 5 large peppers) _____ 6 cups chopped onion _____ 6 garlic cloves, minced finely (garlic optional) _____ 96 oz canned tomatoes, cut up: difficult to cut up in small chunks) with juices; consider buying canned, diced _____ 96 oz canned dark red kidney beans, well-drained, rinsed if you can _____ 48 oz tomato sauce _____ 6 oz tomato paste for more tomato taste _____ 3 tsp basil _____ vinegar, for extra tang, maybe 3 tablespoons _____ salt to taste, sparingly at first, add more later as needed _____ chili powder to taste, sparingly at first, add more later as needed _____ optional: use jalapeno or chili peppers—caution re quantity! _____ bay leaves, 6 (one for each pound of beef) _____ sage and other spices to taste; maybe Patti’s but it is salty. I like lots of sage, only a little basil _____ about 4 or 5 cans of beer added at different times, 1 or 2 just before serving: This is to keep sufficient liquid in chili. _____ lots of crackers, at least a box—top quality, Nabisco _____ sliced cheddar cheese, top quality _____ bottle Tabasco sauce for those who want more pepper _____ black pepper for those who want more pepper Options: Serve with grated cheese, sour cream, corn chips, diced fresh tomatoes, diced fresh onions; good with hot dogs. Flavor with cumin, Tiger, Kitchen Bouquet, Soy Sauce, Austin Nichols Wild Turkey (sparingly), a can of Bush’s Chili Beans substituted for some kidney beans Checklist for Preparing Outdoors ___kettle, Mom’s, oiled, lard preferred ___wooden paddle for stirring ___taste-testing spoon ___big measuring bowls for vegetables ___can opener ___ladle for serving ___bowls ___spoons ___cheese slicer ___matches, lighter ___kerosene or fire starter ___firewood, hickory is best ___firewood for bonfire after chili ___pads for handling kettle ___cardboard for transporting kettle back ___cardboard, plywood to cover kettle ___ shovel or rake to control fire ___ 5 gal water for putting fire out ___1 gal water for general use cooking ___ hand cleaner or disposable towels ___ paper towels–lots ___ sharp knife and ___cutting board, large ___ trash bags, 2 big ones ___ trash cans, 2 ___ colander for draining beans ___ chair for you ___chairs for others if not bringing ___cooler for drinks ___water, bottled ___beer, for chili and drinking ___cap lifter for bottles ___ scotch, bourbon, etc. ___ Killepitsch? ____ shot glasses ___soft drinks ___ice ___cups if above are not canned ___bucket for clean ice if needed ___table ___plastic tubs for all above ___lantern & fuel (check the mantles) ___saw to trim limbs, cut kindling Tips for the hard-pressed-for-time Fastest: Cook all at home in advance and simply warm it over the open fire. Fast: Chop vegetables, brown all on stove top at home. You could use bagged charcoal. (Hint: too much beer—in you, not in the chili—will slow you down.) Thanks to all for your interest and here is link to  Chili by MJM (pdf format) Mike