Porubsky Chili and Horseradish Pickles

If any of you own a copy of the Stern's book entitled BLUE PLATE SPECIALS & BLUE RIBBON CHEFS, and you enjoy chili, I would encourage you to give their recipe for "Porubsky Chili" and "Horseradish Pickles" a try.

I prepared the chili and the pickles (which accompany the chili) on Friday morning for a dinner party that evening. Everybody loved the chili, but the pickles were the biggest hit! Luckily, we had some pickles left over, and we can't stay out of container. They're great.

The chili, as the Sterns say, is on the mild side. I put in more chili powder than the recipe called for; I also used a mixture of ground beef, pork, and veal (1lb. beef, 1/2 lb. each of pork and veal) instead of just all ground beef.

The colder weather is here...time to cook up a batch of chili.

Can you share the receipe here, or is that a copyright violation or something?

MikeS.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeSh

Can you share the receipe here, or is that a copyright violation or something?

MikeS.

MikeSh: It might be a copyright violation for me to post the recipes for the chili and pickles. In any case, your local library probably has a copy of the book. Or, it might be an even better idea to buy the book, because the stories and recipes are great. It's the kind of book that I call "a keeper", because I refer to it often for just good reading or for an interesting recipe to try. My dinner guests like to hear the "story" behind the recipe. So, last Friday, they heard all about Porubsky's.

quote:

Originally posted by KimChee43

quote:

Originally posted by MikeSh

Can you share the receipe here, or is that a copyright violation or something?

MikeS.

MikeSh: It might be a copyright violation for me to post the recipes for the chili and pickles. In any case, your local library probably has a copy of the book. Or, it might be an even better idea to buy the book, because the stories and recipes are great. It's the kind of book that I call "a keeper", because I refer to it often for just good reading or for an interesting recipe to try. My dinner guests like to hear the "story" behind the recipe. So, last Friday, they heard all about Porubsky's.

I really do not think it a violation. I went to a site that has sample recipes from many cookbooks and the recipe that you asked about is a "sample recipe" from their book called CHILI NATION...so here it is as given on the internet.


Porubsky's Grocery Store Chili - Kansas
From Chili Nation with permission of Broadway Books. Copyright (c) 1999 by Jane and Michael Stern.

Charlie Porubsky's Chili has been a lure to north Topeka since his mother started making it in the back of the family grocery store in 1951. Charlie learned to make it from his mother, and now his grown-up kids carry on the tradition - brewing up a few dozen gallons on an old four-burner stove behind the meat counter every morning for the lunch time crowd. Porubsky's is still a neighborhood grocery store, and the dining area is just a small enclave off to one side, meaning the place gets mighty crowded every day starting at about 11 A.M. No chili is made on Fridays to keep the aisles clear for locals to do their shopping.

Porubsky's chili is Midwestern style, meaning it is made with ground beef, it contains beans, and it is mildly spiced. Not one of the Porubsky family was able to write down the recipe for us for the simple reason that there is no recipe. It is a dish made by taste, feel, and experience; a little of this, a jot of that, a dash more of something else. We did spend morning watching Charlie Jr. prepare a day's worth, so here is our educated version of Porubsky's pride. Its heat level can be adjusted by using hot or mild chili powder and by adding more or less hot sauce.

Porubsky's connoisseurs crumble a handful of saltines atop the bowl and garnish it with a scattering of hot horseradish-flavored pickle chips, which are also a Porubsky-made specialty.

For the Chili

1 cup chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds coarsely ground chuck
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups tomato sauce
Two 16-ounce cans red kidney beans, drained
Tobasco to taste (we use 10 drops for a faint heat)
Saltine crackers
For Horseradish Pickles

One 32-ounce jar kosher dill pickle halves (about 4 large pickles), with brine
1/2 cup prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon cayenne
Make the chili

In a big, heavy skillet or Dutch oven, sauté the onions and garlic in the oil until they are soft. Add the beef and salt. Cook until the beef is completely browned, breaking it up with a fork as it cooks. Drain off any excess fat. Add the chili powder, cumin, Worcestershire, sugar, tomato sauce, and 2 cups water. Bring the chili to a low boil and summer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the beans and simmer 15 minutes more. Add the Tobasco and more salt, if desired.

Make the pickles

1. Pour the brine from the pickle jar into a large bowl. Mix the horseradish and cayenne into the brine. Cut the pickles into large bite-sized pieces and reimmerse them in the spiced brine. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

2. Serve the chili with saltines crumbled on top of each portion and garnish with pickle pieces.




I use this recipe quite often and substitute half the ground beef with hot Italian sausage and our family loves it this way. I have everyone of the Stern's cookbooks and believe me, they are an absolute delight to read and some of the recipes are really great for a real "down home meal".......I suggest that you put some of them on your Christmas wish list!

Thank you, chezkatie! Our recipes differ a bit, though. Mine calls for 3 cups of tomato sauce (instead of 2) and 2 cups of water.

Good grief I had forgotten completely about Porubsky's in Topeka, and it's one of the best things about the town...you have to really look for it, and even then you'll probably have to ask someone for directions, as it's not on anyone's idea of a beaten path. Yet daily it is packed to the rafters for lunch...mostly for chili which is truly transcendent, and the pickles which will peel the paint off the most durable of buildings. I don't wax nostalgic for Topeka too often (at least if I can help it) but Porubsky's Deli is defnitely a bright memory.

Actually the recipe is posted on the internet, so somebody has permission:

http://www.recipelink.com/cookbooks/1999/0767902637_1.html

While I know this will only lead to another outbreak of the Chili Wars, let me just say that this is my favorite chili recipe EVER. Think I'll make some this weekend . . .

The recipe is pretty close to my normal one, though I add more spices and qty. of spices.. Also dont use the Worcestershire or sugar in my mix... Sounds good either way! Now I'm anxious to try out the horseradish pickles.. Do they have as much zing as my tastebuds are predicting?

Porubsky's chili is good, but I don't think it is worth going out of your way.

On the other hand, the pickles are worth going out of yuor way... unless you don't like horseradish.

Keith

I've read that Porubsky's doesn't make their chili during the summer. Or Fridays, for that matter. Does anyone know when they start making the chili again? I am going to be in Kansas City in September and I would definitely make the short trip over to Topeka if they were serving it.

Sorry, but September will be too early.

Even in season, I wouldn't make a special trip without calling them first, to make sure. They sometimes don't make it on the days (Mon-Thur) scheduled. The fist time I went, there was a sign on the door saying they didn't have chili that day.

Keith

Sfreader-
Thanks for the reply! I will just have to come back over the winter. And I will definitely call first.

I made some of the pickles using the recipe in the link above but have a question. I used grated Extra Hot Horseradish which is white in color and very grainy. The brine turned out very milky looking which is no surprise. In the restaurant review section for Topeka Kansas there is a picture of Porubsky's pickles and the brine does not look milky at all. I'm curious as to how they infuse the horseradish flavor without turning the brine milky. If I used fresh horseradish would it not make the brine milky? I'd also like more kick to the horseradish.

Or, you can buy them online.
http://www.picklelicious.com/cart/index.php?cPath=34

BR,

I don't know how they do it, but you are correct, the liquid is not milky.

It would make a great "dirty" martini.

Keith

Tonight I made this chili recipe and then....I couldn't stop eating it! It is a very good chili -- will be the go to recipe for me for a while. The only change I made was to sub 1 can of pinto beans for 1 can of the kidney beans. I even measured the chopped onions - and I never do that!

Thanks, chezkatie!
teresa

WOW, this thread was started almost exactly 6 years ago. It seems to have a magical life all it's own.

I've copied and saved the receipe, maybe in another 2 years I'll try it and post a review. :)