A double-dip of chili to love with these award-winners

By Staff Reports - 10/14/2009


Getting a recipe from a good chili cook is a two-step process.

First, you have to convince the cook to give it to you. A warning: This step may include either your begging or convincing the cook of your worthiness.

Second, you must ask — and ask again — to make sure the cook hasn't left out anything. In cooking, some things are done so reflexively they

never make it to a written recipe.

We were lucky enough to talk two obliging chili cooks out of their recipes after the Tulsa Community College Northeast campus chili cook-off. Maybe the fact that the contest benefited the United Way had something to do with their generosity.

Jerri Clark, who won first place in the contest, was perfectly willing to share, but like so many chili cooks, she doesn't use a recipe.

"I go by color," she said. "When it turns that special color, I know it's right."

Clark has been making her chili, a tomato-based, highly spiced, ground sirloin chili, for about 30 years. She called it "Award-Winning Chili" before it won any awards.

Though we weren't able to get Clark's recipe, we can share the TCC contest's second- and third-place win

ners, who also made excellent chili.

Marquetta Finley's recipe comes from her father, Carl, who proudly passed his chili-making gene down to his daughter. Finley won second place.

CARL'S CHILI

2 pounds lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 package Williams chili seasoning
1 (6-ounce) can tomato sauce with 1 can water
1 (6-ounce) can V-8 juice
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes or half a 16-ounce jar Pace picante sauce
Cayenne pepper
Salt
Pepper

1. In a skillet, combine the ground beef, chopped onion and Williams seasoning. Cook until meat is browned. Drain off the grease.

2. If using diced tomatoes, while the meat is cooking, take the can of tomatoes and blend to a juice consistency in blender.

3. Once your meat is prepared, transfer to a cooking pot, and add tomato sauce. Pour an equal amount of water in the tomato-sauce can. Add water to pot. Add V-8 juice and tomatoes or Pace picante sauce. Simmer for 30 to 45 minutes. Toward the end of cooking, add cayenne pepper, salt and pepper, to taste.

4. Once the chili has simmered, place entire pot of chili in refrigerator to sit overnight. Heat and serve the next day. You can also freeze and serve at a later date.

Ed Cizek won third place for his chili, which he made for years in a restaurant in California. "It's easy," he said. "It takes about 20 minutes to make the whole thing."

CALIFORNIA RED CHILI

Serves 4 to 6

1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, diced
2 to 3 tablespoons chili powder
2 to 3 tablespoons cumin
2 to 3 tablespoons beef base
2 to 3 tablespoons Italian seasoning
2 to 3 cloves garlic, diced
2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
2 (16-ounce) cans chili beans

1. Brown ground beef along with onion, jalapeno, chili powder, cumin, beef base, Italian seasoning and garlic until ground beef is cooked.

2. Add tomatoes and chili beans, and heat for 20 to 30 minutes.

Note: For best results, refrigerate overnight, heat and serve.


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Tulsa World Reader Comments
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Mar, Tulsa (10/14/2009 11:54:09 AM)
A cool, rainy, dreary day. A great day to make some chili! And also bake some chocolate chip cookies. :-)

KJNOKIE, TULSA (10/15/2009 7:19:31 AM)
Have that, I agree. Of course, in my five years in Tulsa, I have learned that people here do not know how "real chili" tastes.

FUTURE WORLD, Tulsa (10/21/2009 12:08:07 AM)
V-8 is the only way to go after a meal like that.

aint missbehavin, no thanks (10/21/2009 12:05:47 AM)
I dont use the pacante sauce or the v-8,but basicly its the same,chili,cause Im chili,yum dont that look hot?

M_Sizzle, Tulsa (10/14/2009 3:52:35 PM)
Chili on cold rainy days is hard to beat.

Centrist, the burbs (10/21/2009 1:01:50 AM)
Chili and cheese on a cold night always a good combination. Also nothing like a warm pot of stew and cornbread.

2ndjoyce, BA (10/14/2009 10:36:39 AM)
Made a pot of chili and cooked a couple of smoked brats last night. Ummmm. Umm. Good.

Arbythree, Tulsa (10/14/2009 2:16:05 PM)
I love chili! Send me some joyce.

Have that, America (10/14/2009 5:58:52 PM)
both of those recipies look like they would be about as bland and plain flavored as you could possibly make em. Wow...I feel sorry for anyone who would actually go through the trouble to create such garbage...even more sorry for those who eat it expecting something delicious and getting that in return.



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