A Decent Packaged Chili?

Is there anyplace of note that sells a frozen or otherwise shippable chili of note? Decent chili is as rare in the Northwest as someone who eschews both coffee and beer. My tastes tend towards the richly-flavored and cumin-laden, rather than searingly-hot-with-no-other-redemptive-flavors, but I'm versatile, and I'm willing to consider options that include such concepts as beans and ground beef, despite their not being True Chili.

Eric

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Originally posted by VibrationGuy

Is there anyplace of note that sells a frozen or otherwise shippable chili of note? Decent chili is as rare in the Northwest as someone who eschews both coffee and beer. My tastes tend towards the richly-flavored and cumin-laden, rather than searingly-hot-with-no-other-redemptive-flavors, but I'm versatile, and I'm willing to consider options that include such concepts as beans and ground beef, despite their not being True Chili.

Eric

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You might want to consider Wick Fowler's Two Alarm Chili. It comes in a small bag that contains flavoring, chili powder, salt, cayenne and masa harina. You provide the meat. You can make it three or four alarm, or more, by adding extra cayenne. I make it every once in a while when I don't want to have to spend too much time making my own. I think it's excellent. By the way, I use beef round steak if I don't happen to have any venison round steak on hand. I cube, flour and brown the meat before adding the rest of the ingredients.

As long as I can remember, I've heard raves about Chasen's chili in Los Angeles, though I've never eaten there. Anyway, you can order their chili here: http://www.chasenschili.com/

For a dry mix, try Pendery's: http://www.penderys.com/ The website is a little hard to navigate and order, so I recommend going to the site and requesting a catalog. I like to get the No-Salt Chili Blend and use that as a base, but it'll do fine on it's own.

Last year, I found a truly incredible mix called Pecos Red. It's expensive, but by far the best tasting mix I've ever had. http://www.pecosred.com/

Hanover frozen foods, along with their other soup mixes sells a chili mix. It's the beans, onions, seasoning etc. You add the meat. I double the meat called for. It makes a passsable chili in a hurry. I don't know if it's available online but check out Hanover foods online http://www.hanoverfoods.com/HOME.HTM. They might be able to tell you where to find the product.

Wick Fowler's is a pretty good place to start. A friend made some Texas Red this weekend for my wife and me. He started with Wick Fowler's and added some other spices. It was some darn good chili.

Another vote for Wick Fowler's, it makes a great place to start.

For Cincinnati chili (an acquired taste, but addictive) order at www.skylinechili.com. We get minimum 2 cases per year shipped out to Colorado. It's cans, and you have to find a good rubbery vermicelli, ridiculously strong onions and "fancy" shredded medium (or sharp) cheddar, but it's as close to Clifton & Ludlow as we can get out west.

Let me recommend[url='http://www.brookingschili.com/']Brooking's Chili[/url]. Coach Adolph Rupp of the Kentucky Wildcats supposedly proclaimed Brooking's (founded 1938) as having the best chili in Lexington. The place went out of business in 1991, but somebody just started packaging this mix.
One warning- the directions produce very greasy chili. I'm going to brown the meat first next time.

I have heard good things about this frozen chili.....

http://www.markschili.com/Ordering.php

For those of you that have never read it, Wick Fowler became a famous "chili guy" thanks to a newspaper writer and humorist named H. Allen Smith. THere is a really funny book about their years long running battle about proper chili and the best chili (it is WAY more complicated than beans vs. no beans) called "The Great Chili Confrontation". I checked my local library system inthis backwater Southern Parish, and we have it, so I am thinking those of you from more "enlightened" areas will have it too. It is a short, laugh out loud kind of read. It also involves the origination of the Terlingua cookoff.

Packaged chili is an oxymoron.

Another vote for Wick Fowler's mix. I started using it in college. You can also omit some of the chili powder and red pepper if 2 alarm is too strong for you. Once you get the basic ingredients down, you can buy them separately and make variations as you wish. I haven't bought the mix in several years. I usually use chili-grind round steak, which I grind myself; sometimes I use chili-grind sirloin.

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Originally posted by Mayhaw Man

For those of you that have never read it, Wick Fowler became a famous "chili guy" thanks to a newspaper writer and humorist named H. Allen Smith. THere is a really funny book about their years long running battle about proper chili and the best chili (it is WAY more complicated than beans vs. no beans) called "The Great Chili Confrontation". I checked my local library system inthis backwater Southern Parish, and we have it, so I am thinking those of you from more "enlightened" areas will have it too. It is a short, laugh out loud kind of read. It also involves the origination of the Terlingua cookoff.

Thanks for reminding me. I read H. Allen Smith in high school - and that's a long time ago! Went digging thru my boxes of books never unpacked since I moved into this place and found it! I'll have to reread it.

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Originally posted by chilidawgguy

Packaged chili is an oxymoron.

I know, I know, but it's a more substantial lunch than a lot of the options out there. Our labs are in the middle of nowhere, and we don't have much of a kitchen, ergo I need something that can be nuked/convected in a few minutes, doesn't stink up the office too much, and requires no actual cooking. Should I just give up and have a nice piece of quiche instead?

Eric

I know, I know, but it's a more substantial lunch than a lot of the options out there. Our labs are in the middle of nowhere, and we don't have much of a kitchen, ergo I need something that can be nuked/convected in a few minutes, doesn't stink up the office too much, and requires no actual cooking. Should I just give up and have a nice piece of quiche instead?

Eric

Oooops....I hit the wrong button on the post above. Eric, rather than rely on a packaged disaster, take this opportunity to make your own and freeze the indiviual portions in ziplock bags. You'll be the envy of the lunch room.

I guess Wick Fowlers sets the standard for complete premixes.

A note on Brookings above.
I ate breakfast and lunch there on Euclid throughout the 60s and 70's and it was an institution.

Mr. B lived in the little house adjoining the back,I think on Walnut.

It was really a chili dog chili,which was also served in a bowl-sometimes over a little spaghetti with oyster crackers from the jar on the counter.

Tom

Try Carroll Shelby's Chili Preparation (brown bag). If you can't find it locally, go to: http://www.gritlit.com/FoodsA-C/g390.html

Real Texas Chili Mix is a foil package of spices that makes up a Lot of chili when you add the beef, beans, tomatoes and whatever else you wish. If you freeze individual cool whip size bowls of the stuff it is great when you microwave it! Neiman Marcus used to sell it in their Christmas book but now I think you can get it in specialty stores.

There's a chain of chili parlors in the DC/Virginia/Maryland area that has excellent chili. Their Cincinnati chili is pretty damned good, as close to Skyline as there is anywhere.

They sell packets of spice mix online. I live in Massachusetts now and always have at least a box of two of their Cincinnati mix on hand. Visit their website at http://www.hardtimes.com

I don't feel as if I'm cheating when I use their spice mix, I still do all the hard work, and add my own extras as I cook.

Keith

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Originally posted by spamlamb

For Cincinnati chili (an acquired taste, but addictive) order at www.skylinechili.com. We get minimum 2 cases per year shipped out to Colorado. It's cans, and you have to find a good rubbery vermicelli, ridiculously strong onions and "fancy" shredded medium (or sharp) cheddar, but it's as close to Clifton & Ludlow as we can get out west.

I can speak for the Carrol Shelbys Chili mix, I use chunk meat, Not ground. Beef and pork, 3 beef to 1 pork , And beer instead of water. Not at all bad.

Hey Bushie,
Coming from a fellow Texian, I will have to try the Pecos Red mix. It must be excellent if it beats Wick Fowler's.

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Originally posted by clothier

how about a packaged white chili?

clothier, don't go there unless you are prepared to take your concotion of turkey and white beans before the tribunal........but I think Lone Star and others will have you lynched...

Watch out clothier...they may use the tie you have offered in the Christening contest to hang you!!

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Originally posted by clothier

how about a packaged white chili?

Death to the infidel.

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Originally posted by roy51

Hey Bushie,
Coming from a fellow Texian, I will have to try the Pecos Red mix. It must be excellent if it beats Wick Fowler's.

Roy, it's really good. You might want to contact the company and see if they'll be at any festivals in your area. I found them at the Fiery Foods Festival here in Austin a year or two ago. That would save the "minimum" order and shipping costs.

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Originally posted by Maroon

Let me recommend[url='http://www.brookingschili.com/']Brooking's Chili[/url]. Coach Adolph Rupp of the Kentucky Wildcats supposedly proclaimed Brooking's (founded 1938) as having the best chili in Lexington. The place went out of business in 1991, but somebody just started packaging this mix.
One warning- the directions produce very greasy chili. I'm going to brown the meat first next time.

What a shock that Brooking's chili is mentioned here. Roadfooders will have to take my comments with a grain of salt since Maroon has actually tried the mix and likes it.

A chili mix that replicates Brooking's chili is a product I wouldn't think of buying OR trying.

Several times over the years I ate the chili at Brookings. Except for the first visit, it was always because someone with me wanted to try the chili (including my Mom). I always thought it might be better next time, but it never was. Brooking's may have served the world's blandest chili. Mostly meat, it had very little flavor and no spiciness at all.

Brookings was a place where some neighborhood folks stepped in for a beer or a light meal, like chili. I don't think they had much business when school was out. I always thought the serving size was parsimonious.

I believe Brookings was on the local culinary map only because the legendary Adolph Rupp ate there when he was Kentucky's basetball coach. The place was on the same street as the gym. At Brookings, Coach Rupp poured the catsup - a lot of catsup - to the chili. That was reported in an article about the place, and I remember seeing a picture of him doing just that. I think he added so much catsup because that chili needed all the help it could get.

For a long time there's been talk of franchizing Brookings chili. I'm amazed that its proponents think anyone would buy a second bowl.

I wouldn't be so hard on Brookings, but the owner and the restaurant are long gone, and I'd hate to see friends here waste money on a mix bearing the name. What the heck would be in such a mix? The authentic item had no spiciness and hardly any flavor.

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Originally posted by Moss Miller

Try Carroll Shelby's Chili Preparation (brown bag). If you can't find it locally, go to: http://www.gritlit.com/FoodsA-C/g390.html

Carroll Shelby's is my absolute favorite! I never make chili without it. I keep two bags on hand at all times. Every year we have a chili cook off here at work in the winter, and all bragging aside, I've won 1st place twice, 2nd once, 3rd once. I don't follow the directions on the package, I use all of his seasonings though except the masa, as I let mine cook for several hours and it thickens. I also add 3-4 jalapenos, gives it great flavor. I do use ground beef, but I simmer some cayenne and crushed red pepper in with the meat. Yum....

Put me in the amen corner for Wick Fowlers--not bad not great but not bad. Last Saturday I ran up a batch of Carroll Shelby's chili. not bad if you don't have the time for some real chili.