dallashistory

Ronnie... thanks for posting. Sounds great and I will try in on my next ChiliVenture.

I also use the Gebhartds chili powder. I order the large containers from the site below. The guy that runs it used to have a TexMex restaurant in San Antonio and is very good to deal with remotely. I also get his cumin and keep it in the freezer. It is light years better than the store bought.... not sure where it's from but is is really good.

[url]http://www.texmex.net/[/url

Weird!!! Mike has tried to post 3xs here on this thread and the body of the post won't show.

Mike

You were blocked because you were going to be mean to me some more

Ronnie wrote:Clyde wrote

Not intended as an insult - just an observation.

I know Clyde but no chili head likes to hear that their chili is mild.
But you're right. It is a lot milder than what I like but that's the way judges want it and I can't blame them if they are tasting 25-40 different bowls

Well - truth ain't always what we want to hear. i mostly don't consider (after having been to a couple, though never as a judge) most of the stuff offered at chili contests to really be chili at all. It is something that probably ought to be called "Chili contest stew", maybe.

I mostly don't consider (after having been to a couple, though never as a judge) most of the stuff offered at chili contests to really be chili at all. It is something that probably ought to be called "Chili contest stew", maybe.

I don't agree at all . It's all good stuff that just has to be compromised a little to compete.
It was at a cookoff in Fort Worth that I met John Tower, a man I admired quiet a bit.

The best part of any real Texas chili cookoff is the show the cookers put on and all the other eatables judging that goes on like barbecue, beans, hot sauce and even cobblers.
Sorry I "cobbled" this thread away from Shanghai Jimmy.
Once a chili head, always a chili head.

I mostly don't consider (after having been to a couple, though never as a judge) most of the stuff offered at chili contests to really be chili at all. It is something that probably ought to be called "Chili contest stew", maybe.

I don't agree at all . It's all good stuff that just has to be compromised a little to compete.
It was at a cookoff in Fort Worth that I met John Tower, a man I admired quiet a bit.

The best part of any real Texas chili cookoff is the show the cookers put on and all the other eatables judging that goes on like barbecue, beans, hot sauce and even cobblers.
Sorry I "cobbled" this thread away from Shanghai Jimmy.
Once a chili head, always a chili head.

Ronnie wrote:

I mostly don't consider (after having been to a couple, though never as a judge) most of the stuff offered at chili contests to really be chili at all. It is something that probably ought to be called "Chili contest stew", maybe.

I don't agree at all . It's all good stuff that just has to be compromised a little to compete.
It was at a cookoff in Fort Worth that I met John Tower, a man I admired quiet a bit.

The best part of any real Texas chili cookoff is the show the cookers put on and all the other eatables judging that goes on like barbecue, beans, hot sauce and even cobblers.
Sorry I "cobbled" this thread away from Shanghai Jimmy.
Once a chili head, always a chili head.

We'll have to agree to disagree about "contest chili", though I quite agree with the comments about best part of a contest being the other things.

my Dad rather admired john Tower, as did i. Unless memory fails me, both Dad and Senator Tower were elevated to 33 Degree IGHs in the same ceremony. Which is quite an honor asa those familiar with Masonic institutions will know.

I had an idea for a new kind of "outlaw" chili cook off... with just one rule;

There are no rules.

I just re read the Roadfood thread about Jimmy. The only thing I have to add is a mention of Elvis, in a John Anders Morning News column, and that he had his chili rice with onions, celery, and... relish. Hmm, was it sweet or dill relish?

Joe

You were blocked because you were going to be mean to me some more

Ronnie.... you know that is not true.

I think that the god of Chili doesn't want chili-words coming out of North Carolina.

Let me try it again.

--------------------previous posting attempt ---------------------------
Ronnie... thanks for posting. Sounds great and I will try in on my next ChiliVenture.

I also use the Gebhartds chili powder. I order the large containers from the site below. The guy that runs it used to have a TexMex restaurant in San Antonio and is very good to deal with remotely. I also get his cumin and keep it in the freezer. It is light years better than the store bought.... not sure where it's from but is is really good.

http://www.texmex.net/

Mike, the chili rice still served at the fair is in the old Gebhartdt's booth. It still says Gebhartd's above the booth. And, thanks for the link!
Joe

Joe.... thanks for the info on the Gebhardt's stand at the Fair. The fair is now just a distant memory.

The above link has some interesting things... Some are pretty hard to find in the TEXMEX disadvantaged parts of the country.

One thing that caught my eye... probably won't find at your local Whole Foods.... Four pounds would last some folks two or three weeks.

MikeM wrote:Joe.... thanks for the info on the Gebhardt's stand at the Fair. The fair is now just a distant memory.

The above link has some interesting things... Some are pretty hard to find in the TEXMEX disadvantaged parts of the country.

One thing that caught my eye... probably won't find at your local Whole Foods.... Four pounds would last some folks two or three weeks.

Your doc wouldn't like you to do it, nor your dietian, but the very best and flakiest pie crust is made with lard. Good in biscuits, too.

Ronnie,

First of all, thanks again for posting your recipe and comments. I don't see why you should apologize for taking the conversation away from SJ. If anyone is at fault there it is me for asking, but I'm glad we had your insites on chili making for competition or personal eating.

So far as your recipe is concerned, I recently followed an old recipe by Joe Cooper which is in his book, With or Without. IIRC your personal recipe with added spices is much like his recipe, or at least one option where he uses only store bought seasoning like Gebhardt's and no peppers worked from scratch. I believe Cooper is basically a stewer or grayer also although he calls for a little olive oil. His recipe makes a chili that is more highly seasoned than my wife likes.

To make another comparison I also think your recipe would produce a very meaty chili with little or no fat like Tolbert's in Grapevine serves at present. Their seasoning level is probably more like your competition chili than your personal chili.

To me your recipe would make a Texas type bowl of chili with out too much fuss or bother after the meat is cut. The amount of tomato you use should not worry most people. I think I agree with your comments about the some times elaborate chili contest recipes sometimes published. They might make a good product but if you were running a chili parlor you would hope to make something people would buy, but with less trouble on your part.

I suspect that is what SJ did. I think he worked out a really good combination of ingredients that were more or less off the shelf.

SJ was in and out of Dallas sometimes, or at least he would move to a new location and you could not find him for a while. I had moved away from Dallas and was not able to locate him on some return visits. I recall one time I found him and he said he had been visiting somewhere (I think he had a daughter on the West Coast at the time) and had made a batch of chili there. To me that implies he could make a good bowl of chili almost anywhere and that he was not collecting wild peppers off a mesa in New Mexico or somewhere.

Again, I appreciate your input and any time you want to talk about chicken fried steak or a pot of beans I am ready for that also. Ditto for the others who have contributed to theis thread also or who might want to do so about chili or some othr texas food.

And if anyone ever gets a handle on the availability of SOB stew, please let me know!

Mike, the old letters above the fair booth do say Gebhartd or Gebhartd's but it is not the Gebhart's boot any more. It must have been at one time in history. It has been this way since I was a kid 50 years or so ago. I raised show pigeons back then and had a season pass to the fair. The chili rice was just across the walkway from where the pigeons were being shown. I ate lots of chili rice!

Bill, John Anders must have known Jimmy pretty well. I have heard mention that he talked about Jimmy in his column sometimes. I am not sure where I heard that. The deal about Elivs and the relish is one p1 at Roadfood. I have no memory of relish but that does not surprise me.
Joe

Bill
I should have stated up front that when I talk about chili and chili competition I'm talking about CASI (Chili Appreciation Society International) sanctioned events and events in Texas only. CASI has strict and straightforward rule about how cookoff chili is made. CASI awards points for the best chili dishes and a cooker must accumulate enough CASI points to participate in the championships at Terlingua in November.
I've been a chili judge and it's not near as much fun as judging ribs or brisket and you get lots more to eat.

Is it CASI where you start with a certain amount of coarse ground beef?

Is it CASI where you start with a certain amount of coarse ground beef?

I don't think so. CASI has rules about what cannot be used but I think the only rule about meat is that it has to be beef....I think.

Here's the CASI web address. They used to have a rule book pdf that explains it all.
http://www.chili.org/chili.html

Ronnie, I have judged a CASI event and it was great. And, I got full!Getting to sample 20+ chilis was like heaven to me. :~)
Joe

I did some new Googling for;

"Shanghai Jimmy"

And come up w/ some new forum mentions of Jimmy at;

Poneyfans.com

Netcookingtalk.com

I joined and responded at both places. who know, someone might know something new?
Joe

Edit; I have found two folks at the poneyfan site that have had Jimmy's chili rice.

I see someone I know from here at the poneyfans site. And someone new, who remembered jimmy's as a kid, just posted.

I did not go to SMU but I could throw a rock from my pet store and hit it. Lotsa SMU students and teachers were my customers. This was 1970-82.
Joe

Anyone still here? Whats the deal w/ the old history site?

Shanghai Jimmy's secret ingredient... Teriyaki Sauce! Maybe?

I made some chili and added one tbs per lb. of meat. Tasted like my memory of Jimmys chili... kinda. Hey... it was good and one of my Grandzillas said it was my best chili ever. She has had maybe 30 batches.

Oh, and I used some celery salt... not sure how much but not enough to taste but... enough to make a difference. For sure Jimmy's chili had a unique flavor. There had to be some kind of secret ingredients. That's all I know for sure. :~)
Joe