Rancho Gordo Chili Manifesto
Chili is one of America's favorite dishes. It's a marriage of the new and old worlds and it acknowledges our huge debt to our neighbors south of the border.
Each cook can do little things to make it his or her own but the heart and soul of the dish is chile with meat. Chile con carne. As with most good food, if you use the right ingredients, you need to stay out of the way and let them shine.
I love chili in almost all of its forms and the story isn't over yet. This dish keeps evolving and I hope that your next pot continues the tradition of being a magnet for good friends. It's hard to be in a bad mood with a "bowl of red" in front of you and pals all around.
WHAT'S INCLUDED:
- VAQUERO BEAN A classic chili bean that is soft but won't fall apart through long, slow, cooking, and exudes a generous, dark, rich broth.
- MIDNIGHT BLACK BEAN A versatile, essential black turtle bean. It holds its shape through lots of cooking yet retains its famous creamy interior.
NEW MEXICAN RED CHILE POWDER Bright, traditional New Mexican flavor from new crop chiles.
100% pure with medium heat.
SABOR VAQUERO CHILI POWDER BLEND Our exclusive blend of chiles and herbs for chili con carne and other favorites. - MEXICAN OREGANO A Mexican pantry staple loaded with bright, almost citrus-like, earthy flavor.
Q: BEANS OR NO BEANS?
I always poke fun at Texans who insist on "no beans" in chili. It's tradition! You don't mess with that! I think you should do what you like, but consider making a beanless chili and really understand why Texans, and others, are so passionate about their traditions (recipe on back).
As explained in A Bowl of Red by Frank X. Tolbert, the "original" chili was "simply bite size or coarsely ground beef or other mature meats cooked slowly
in Spanish and sometimes so labeled), and chopped garlic."
This should be our guide when making any chili.
It's fine to add beans, tomatoes, and onions, omit the meat, and innovate, but it's important to keep in mind the roots of the dish.
I love some beans in my chili and I especially love using bean broth instead of some of the water. It's a rich, velvety base that takes nothing away from the chile or meat.
Q: IF I AM USING BEANS, WHICH ONES ARE BEST FOR GREAT CHILI?
You want a bean that will hold its shape through long, slow cooking, but still will be tender and release some of its bean broth back into the chili pot. Vaque-ro, Santa Maria Pinquito, Domingo Rojo, Pinto, Eye of the Goat, Rebosero, Moro, Midnight Black, and Rio Zape are the obvious choices, but don't discount Buckeye, San Franciscano, or runner beans like Ayocote Morado, Ayocote Negro, Royal Corona, or Scarlet Runner. They aren't traditional but they can be delicious. For a white bean chili, you could use Alubia Blanca or Cassoulet.
Q: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHILI POWDER AND CHILE POWDER?
Chili powder has herbs, spices, and other ingredients (sometimes not so nice ones), while chile powder is a pure ground chile. They are not interchangeable!
Rancho Gordo New Mexican Red Chile Powder is 100% pure New Mexican chile powder, ground from new-crop dried chiles with medium heat. Rancho Gordo Sabor Vaquero Chili Powder Blend is a blend of chiles, oregano, cumin, and salt.
I used to be a purist and only would use whole chile pods but I have to admit, the powder is great. The secret is to make sure there's enough time to cook the sauce or you can have a grainy, almost chalky texture and this is not a nice thing
Normally 1 "fry" my powder in a little olive oil or lard with garlic and oregano, almost as they fry spices in India.
Q: DO I START WITH DRIED BEANS OR COOKED BEANS?
Most chili recipes call for cooked beans, so you'll usually want to cook the beans first (see below) and then add the cooked beans and some of the beans broth to your chili base.
COOKING DRIED BEANS IN THE RANCHO GORDO MANNER
There's no right way to cook beans, and there's only one actual rule: Simmer the beans in liquid until they re soft.
Soaking can speed up the process. Adding broth, seasonings, or vegetables will make the beans more flavorful. It's really that simple. There are different methods and small changes you might make, but basically, this is it.
Heirloom and heritage varieties don't need a lot of fussing if they are used fresh, which I'd define as within two years. You can use a ham bone, chicken stock, or as I prefer, simply a few savory vegetables. A classic mirepoix is a mix of onion, celery and carrot diced fine and sautéed in some kind of fat, often olive oil. A crushed clove of garlic or a bay leaf doesn't hurt.
DRIED BEANS ON THE STOVETOP
1 pound dried Rancho Gordo beans
I tablespoon olive oil
½ of a small onion (preferably white), finely chopped 1 carrot, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon salt (or to taste)
MAKES ABOUT 6 CUPS COOKED BEANS
Check beans for small debris and rinse in cool water.
Depending on how much time you have, you can soak the beans or cook hem right away. Soak ng the beans will reduc the cooking time. If you choose to soak, cover beans with 2 inches of water and soak for 4 to 6 hours.
In a large pot over me-dium-low heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic and saute until soft. Add the beans and enough water to cover the beans by about 2 inches. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil; boil for 10 to
15 minutes. After so many years, I think this is the moment that really mat-ters. You have to give them
a good hard boil to let them know you're the boss and then reduce them to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently until beans are soft. This can take from 1 to 3 hours, depending on the bean. Slow and low is best!
Check the water level often, adding more boiling water to the pot as needed to keep the beans covered by at least an inch. Once the beans are soft, add the salt, then continue to cook until done to your liking.
So you're done! Once you've mastered this method, go ahead and try some different techniques. Your bean friends will swear by this or that method and you should take their advice, keeping in mind there are few absolutes when it comes to cooking beans, only that it's very hard work to mess up a pot of beans.
DRIED BEANS IN THE SLOW COOKER
1 pound dried Rancho Gordo beans
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ of a small onion (preferably wmte), chopped 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano, preferably Rancho Gordo Oregano Indio
1 tablespoon salt
MAKES ABOUT 6 CUPS COOKED BEANS
Check beans for small debris and rinse in cool water.
Depending on how much time you have, you can soak the beans or cook them right away. Soaking the beans will reduce the cooking time by 1 to 2 hours, depending on the bean
variety. If you choose to soak, cover beans with 2 inches of water and soak for 4 to 6 hours.
Place the beans in the slow cooker and cover with about 2 inches of water. Add the garlic, onion, and olive oil. Add the dried oregano, crushing it with your hand before adding it to release the flavor.
Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook the beans on "High" for 3 to 4 hours (for soaked beans) or 4 to 5 hours (for unsoaked beans). Cooking times will vary depending on the make of your slow cooker. Check the beans occasionally for doneness to avoid overcook-ing.
Once the beans are soft, add the salt, then put the lid back on and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes.
DRIED BEANS IN THE PRESSURE COOKER
It's best to consult the manufacturer's instructions for your pressure cooker's preferred method. If your manual is lost in the junk drawer, this is the basic idea, although you may need to experiment with timing and ratios in order to discover what works best:
Place cleaned beans in the pressure cooker and cover with 3 to 4 parts water. Add aromatics like garlic, onion, etc., and salt, if desired. Cook under pressure for 20 to 50 minutes (depending on the sean. Allow pressure to release naturally. It have the time, simmer, with the lid off, for another 20 minutes to develop the broth.
CHILI con CARNE
The star of chili should be the chiles, either from pods or ground to a powder. You can use a chili powder (like Rancho Gordo Sabor Vaquero Chili Powder Blend), or 100% pure chile powder plus your desired amounts of ground cumin and dried Mexican oregano.
SERVES 4 TO 5
¼ cup olive oil
2 pounds chuck roast, cut into ½- to 1-inch cubes
2 white onions, chopped
4 to 6 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons Rancho Gordo Sabor Vaquero Chili Powder Blend -OR- a mixture of 1 tablespoon Rancho Gordo Mexican Oregano, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and ¼ to ½ cup Rancho Gordo New Mexican Red Chile Powder
3 cups water
1 bottle Negra Modelo (or other dark beer)
3 cups cooked Rancho Gordo Vaquero, Domingo Rojo, Good Mother Stallard beans, or other hearty heirloom beans, with about 1 cup of cooking broth Salt to taste
1 tablespoon of Masa Harina (optional)
Garnishes of your choice
In a stockpot over medium heat, warm the oil.
Brown the meat pieces in batches, removing them as they brown.
When all the pieces are browned and seared, lower the heat and sauté the onions and garlic until soft.
Add the chili powder blend or the oregano/cumin/ chile powder mixture; fry the spices for a few min-utes, and then slowly add the water and then the beer.
Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Add the meat back to the pot and allow to simmer gently for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Add the beans and their broth, and salt to taste.
Cook for another 10 minutes or so. The texture should be somewhat soupy but if the liquid is too thin, dissolve the masa harina in about ½ cup of water. Stir well to avoid any lumps. Slowly add the liquid to the chili. Cook on low for another 15 minutes or so.
Ladle out hot with garnishes of raw chopped onion chopped cilantro, chile powder, etc. Serve with ho four tortillas, buttermilk biscuits, or your favorite cornbread.
CHILI Sin CARNE
Tomatoes add a pleasant sweetness and some body to chili, but they take the focus off the chile powder.
This tomato-less, meatless chili will make anyone happy, even a Texan.
SERVES 6 TO 8
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves
½ of an onion, chopped
2 tablespoons Rancho Gordo Sabor Vaquero Chili Powder Blend -OR- a mixture of 2 tablespoons Rancho Gordo New Mexican Red Chile Powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon Rancho Gordo Mexican Oregano
2 cups vegetable broth
4 cups cooked Rancho Gordo Vaquero, Domingo Rojo, Scarlet Runner, or other hearty heirloom beans, with about 1 cup of cooking broth
4 small zucchini (or 2 large), sliced into rounds or at a bias
Fresh corn kernels from 3 ears of corn
Salt to taste
Sugar (if needed)
Limes andlor creme fraiche for serving (optional)
In a large pot, like an enameled cast iron Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat until it ripples. Add the garlic and onion and saute until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the chili powder blend or the oregano/cumin/chile powder mixture and mix well, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. You should have a dense paste.
Very slowly, mix in the vegetable broth, stirring constantly until well blended. Gently add the beans and their broth. Mix and cook on medium-low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Test seasonings and add salt if needed. If the broth is overly bitter, add sugar, a teaspoon at a time, until the flavor is correct.
Continue simmering on medium-low, stirring occasionally, until the chili has started to thicken and the there is no grainy texture from the chile powder.
Add the zucchini and corn and cook for another 15 minutes.
Serve with lime wedges and a bowl of creme fraiche, if you like.
Rowan family BLACK BEAN CHILI
You probably know Peter Rowan as a great "roots" musician and member of the Rowan Brothers. You probably know he's played with all the greats from Bill Monroe to Jerry Garcia. I know him as the husband of my old high school chum Candy!
In the Rowan household, eating is a family affair but I get the sense that Mrs. Rowan rules the kitchen.
What follows is her version of chili, made with Ran-cho Gordo's Midnight Black beans.
SERVES 6 TO 8
1 pound dried Rancho Gordo Midnight Black beans, picked over and rinsed
2 medium onions, diced
Olive oil
2 red bell peppers, preferably roasted and skinned, cut into medium dice
4 jalapeño peppers, seeds and membranes removed, cut into fine dice
I pound ground beef
I pound ground pork
2½ pounds roma tomatoes, cut in half (skins can be removed by a quick blanch in boiling water)
2 tablespoons Rancho Gordo Sabor Vaquero Chili Powder Blend -OR- a mixture of 2 tablespoons Rancho Gordo New Mexican Red Chile Powder, I teaspoon ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon Rancho Gordo Mexican Oregano
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons sugar
Garnishes of your choice
Place the beans in a pot and add water to cover by about 2 inches. Bring the beans to a boil; boil for 10 to 15 minutes, then reduce to a simmer.
In a large stock pot over medium-low heat, sauté the onions in olive oil until lightly golden. Add the bell peppers and jalapenos, and cook for about 3 minutes.
Begin adding in the ground beef and pork, and cook until the meats lose their red color, stirring often.
Over medium heat, add in the chili powder blend or the oregano/cumin/chile powder mixture, along with the tomatoes, salt, and sugar; stir well to incorporate.
Once the beans are tender, transfer them along with their cooking liquid to the pot with the chili base.
Simmer for about 1½ hours. Taste and adjust sea-soning. Serve with chopped onions, salsa, shredded cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips.
Classic Texas BOWL OF RED
Frank X. Tolbert's A Bowl of Red is one of our favorite books on chili. We've taken liberties and adapted his recipe to work with our chile powder in your kitchen. Tolbert recommends 4 tablespoons chile powder per pound of meat. We're stopping at a half-cup here!
SERVES 6 TO 8
3 pounds stewing beef, lean
¼ cup rendered beef suet or a neutral cooking oil like canola or grapeseed
¼ to ½ cup Rancho Gordo New Mexican Red
Chile Powder
1 tablespoon Rancho Gordo Mexican Oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon powdered cayenne pepper
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 yellow onion, diced medium fine
2 tablespoons masa harina
2 cups cooked Rancho Gordo heirloom beans and their broth
In a large Dutch oven, preferably cast-iron, heat the suet or oil and then sear the beef in batches until the outsides are brown. Remove and reserve the meat.
To the fat left in the pot, add the garlic and onions and saute until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the chile powder and allow it to toast, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes. Add the oreganos, crushing them with your hand, and the cumin and salt, and stir so the ingredients are toasted but not scorched.
Return the reserved meat to the pot and add enough water to cover all the ingredients by about 2 inches.
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Test for seasoning. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer for 45 minutes. Occasionally stir gently to mix the ingredients, but be gentle with the beef pieces.
In a small bowl, make a slurry with the masa harina and a little warm water. Mix well and then add it to the chili. Bring back to a simmer and continue cooking for another 30 minutes.
If there are no Texans present, add the optional cooked beans and broth to the pot and stir gently and simmer on low for about 10 minutes. (You can take the pot off the stove and chill the contents, then degrease it. If you used the suet, it's probably a good idea. If you didn't, it's not necessary, especially if you used lean meat.) Serve with cornbread.
CHILI Verde
Chili Verde is simply a green chile stew. There are countless variations but the best ones use a good mix of poblano chiles and tomatillos. We've tried this without the pork and it was delicious! Serve with corn tortillas, rice, and even coleslaw.
SERVES 6 TO 8
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ of a medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin seeds
One 3-pound boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of excess
fat and cut into ¾-inch pieces (optional)
8 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded, and cut into strips
8 fresh tomatillos, husks removed and chopped Handful fresh cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish 1 teaspoon Rancho Gordo Mexican Oregano or Oregano Indio
1 to 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 cups cooked Rancho Gordo Vaquero beans, or any other of our heirloom beans for chili, in their broth (if not using pork, increase to 5 cups)
In a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion, garlic, and cumin and saute until the vegetables are soft and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add the pork (if using), roasted chiles, to-matillos, cilantro, and oregano. Pour in enough broth to cover everything. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer.
Cover and cook until the pork is tender and shreds easily with a fork, 1 to 1½ hours. (If not using pork, cook until the tomatillos are soft and the mixture has thickened.) Add the beans and cook for 30 minutes.
Adjust seasoning with more salt if needed. Ladle the chili into warmed bowls and garnish with chopped cilantro.
(You can also cook the chili up to the point of adding beans, allow it to cool and then refrigerate over night and remove the fat that has risen. Add the beans and then gently heat until warmed through.)
Boetticher Fumily CORNBREAD
My pal Taylor Boetticher of Fatted Calf loves chili con carne. If you think Texans are passionate about their chili, you should hear them rant about cornbread. From Taylor, via his mother (thank you, Ma'am!), here is the Boetticher family cornbread recipe.
2 tablespoons butter
1⅓ cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups milk
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
Preheat oven to 400°F. Place the butter in a 9- or
10-inch cast-iron skillet and place in oven for 5 min-
utes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix the cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Stir in 1 cup of the milk and the buttermilk. Add the eggs and blend thoroughly. Pour the batter into the hot skillet and carefully pour the remaining 1 cup of milk into the batter. Don't worry that it looks too runny. DO NOT STIR. The milk will sink and form a custard-like layer.
Bake until golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Serve while hot.
https://www.ranchogordo.com/blogs/recipes
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