Texas jail chili (circa 1950)

6 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
½ pounds Beef suet -- ground
2 pounds Coarse ground beef
3 Garlic cloves -- minced
1½ tablespoon Paprika
3 tablespoons Chili powder
1 tablespoon Cumin seeds
1 tablespoon Salt
1 teaspoon White pepper
1½ teaspoon Ground dried sweet chile
Pods
3 cups Water

Directions

Texas prison chili got its good reputation from Sheriff Smoot Schmid's truly fine recipe for the Dallas County Jail. Recently, however, a Texas prison chili contest was won by Huntsville Penitentiary with a godawful recipe that called for twice as much cumin as chili powder and "2 handfuls" of monosodium glutamate. In Texas, this is called crime deterrence.

Dallas County Chili

Fry suet in a heavy kettle. Add meat, finely diced garlic and seasonings; cover. Cook slowly for four hours, stirring occasionally.

Add the water and continue cooking until the chili has thickened slightly, about one hour. Serve plain or mixed with equal portion of cooked pink or red beans.

Recipe By : John Thorne Sep/Oct Chile Pepper Magazine

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