Chilithe Famous Chasens Recipe Loved By Liz

CHASEN'S ORIGINAL CHILI RECIPE

Steps:

• A secret ingredient added by a chef (after Dave Chasen stopped making the chili himself) is a quarter cup or 4 tablespoons of Kahlua liqueur. I heard someone won a chili championship with the recipe, including that addition.
• *Chasen's used the best beef chuck, center cut, trimmed completely of fat. The restaurant used a special meat grinder, but for the home cook, meat chopped into one-quarter to one-half-inch chunks is much better than ground meat for this chili. Alternatively, ask the butcher to put the meat through a "chili plate" ONE time - this is a very coarse grind, and works well for chili.
• ** Chasen's used Gebhardt's Chili Powder and Farmer Bros Cumin. Sometimes cumin seed is used in place of the ground cumin. It's a matter of personal preference. You might toast the seeds in a dry skillet, and crush them before adding to the recipe.
• Rinse the beans, picking out debris. Place beans in a Dutch oven with water to cover 2' above beans. Boil for two minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand one hour. Drain off liquid.
• Rinse beans again. Add enough fresh water to cover beans. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered, for one hour or until tender.
• Stir in tomatoes and their juice. Simmer five minutes. In a large skillet, sauté bell pepper in oil for five minutes. Add onion and cook until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in the garlic and parsley. Add mixture to bean mixture. Using the same skillet, melt the butter and sauté beef and pork chuck until browned. Drain. Add to bean mixture along with the chili powder, salt, pepper and cumin.
• Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for one hour. Uncover and cook 30 minutes more or to desired consistency. Chili shouldn't be too thick - it should be somewhat liquid but not runny like soup. Skim of excess fat and serve.
• NOTE: You can freeze this chili for several months. When reheating refrigerated leftover or frozen chili, add a few tablespoons of water to regain proper consistency.

CHASEN'S CHILI (HOLLYWOOD NOSTALGIA RECIPE)

Steps:

• Cook dry beans according to package directions.
• Stir the tomatoes with juice into the cooked beans, and simmer 5 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet and saute the bell pepper for 5 minutes.
• Add the onion, reduce the heat to low, and cook about 15 minutes until tender, stirring frequently.
• Stir in the garlic and parsley; add this mixture to the beans.
• Using the same skillet, melt the butter and saute the beef and pork, in two batches, if necessary, until browned. Drain.
• Add meat to the bean mixture along with the chili powder, salt, pepper to taste and cumin.
• Simmer mixture, covered, for about an hour.
• Uncover and cook to the desired consistency, about 5 minutes.
• The chili should not be too thick.
• Skim off excess fat and serve.

CHASEN'S FAMOUS CHILI

Steps:

• Rinse beans, put in a bowl and add water so that it extends 2 inches above beans.
• Allow to soak overnight.
• Transfer beans AND water to a large stock pot.
• Simmer, covered, in the same water until tender, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
• Add tomatoes and simmer 5 minutes.
• Heat oil in large skillet and sauté green peppers slowly 5 minutes.
• Add onions and cook until tender, stirring frequently.
• Add garlic and parsley.
• In a second large skillet, melt butter and sauté beef and pork 15 minutes.
• Add meat to onion mixture, stir in chili powder and cook 10 minutes.
• Add meat mixture to beans in large pot.
• Season with salt, pepper, and cumin.
• Simmer, covered, 1 hour.
• Remove cover and cook 30 minutes longer.
• Skim fat off top.
• NOTE: This chili freezes very well.

CHASEN'S FAMOUS CHILI

Steps:

• 1. PREPARING THE BEANS: Rinse Pinto Beans in a bowl & add enough Water so that it extends 2 inches above beans. Allow to soak overnight.
• 2. Rinse off Beans & using FRESH WATER, never mind what recipe says about using that old beanie water, add the beans to fresh water into a large stock pot. Bring to boil & simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. I would add water as needed if the water level gets too low.
• 3. AFTER COOKING THE BEANS 2 TO 2 1/2 HOURS: Add the Tomatoes & simmer for 5 minutes.
• 4. THEN YOU CAN SAUTE IN THE FIRST SKILLET: Heat Vegetable Oil, in a large skillet & saute Green Bell Peppers slowly for 5 minutes. Add the Onion & cook until tender, stirring frequently. Add Garlic Cloves, & Parsley.
• 5. SECOND SKILLET THE MEAT MIXTURE: in a second large skillet, melt the Butter & saute the Ground Beef & Ground Pork for 15 minutes. (get er done). Add Meat Mixture to Beans in the stock pot.
• 6. SEASONINGS: Season with the Salt, Pepper, & Cumin. Uncover & cook 30 minutes longer. Skim fat off top. (easier to do this part once you put into the refrigerator, as the fat will congeal up and can be easily scooped off). This freezes rather well.
• 7. Browsing the Internet about Chasen's Chili and saw one recipe that used the SAME SKILLET that the veggies were sauteed in to cook the meat with the butter. Hey, if you have room in that skillet you aren't going to hurt a thing. Oh, said Liz liked to have this chili shipped around the world to every set she was working at.