A Decent Packaged Chili?

RE: A Decent Packaged Chili? (PapaJoe8)

Sat, 11 Nov 2006 14:28:16 GMT

There are sooo many chili mixes. How to choose? I usually just use Shelby's but save the red pepper for other uses. Im sure there are beter mixes out there, like the one above.
Joe

RE: A Decent Packaged Chili? (oltheimmer)

Fri, 10 Nov 2006 20:31:26 GMT

I've found a new mix that is pretty good - Zach's Spicy Chili Mix:

It's a family company based in La Porte, a suburb of Houston, and apparently has been around a long time. I read about them a few months ago on eGullet.

The packet says it's good for up to 2 pounds of chili but I think it's stretching it to go over 1.5 pounds. Its a very aromatic mix. I've made the best chili with it using 2 packs on about 3 pounds of meat, saving the second packet for a second dump, as the chili competition cooks term it.

I first started finding it in butcher shops. In grocery stores that carry it, it tends to be close to the meat department rather than the spice aisle or the isle with the gravy mixes, etc., where you tend to find Wick Fowler, Carrol Shelby and Shotgun Willie's, etc.

They also sell their mixes in 1 lb. bags; maybe they're really oriented more towards institutional sales. I make a lot of chili but I can't imagine how long it'd take to use up a pound of chili mix. I've paid between $1.27 and $1.34 per packet.

P.S. I think it's a little oversalted.

http://www.zachspice.com

RE: A Decent Packaged Chili? (oltheimmer)

Fri, 10 Nov 2006 20:21:32 GMT

I used the Wick Fowler mix for years but haven't in some time. I've been re-reading Frank X. Tolbert's Bowl of Red; Tolbert called Fowler the best chili cook in the world.

A couple of things stand out in Tolbert's discussion: Fowler never served his chili on the day he made it. He refrigerated it overnight, skimmed the fat off the top the next day, THEN decided whether to add masa to thicken it. That's different from the package instructions which completes the whole process in about 3 hours.

RE: A Decent Packaged Chili? (HotDogHead)

Tue, 20 Sep 2005 18:06:37 GMT

quote:
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.

Hi spamlamb:

I am from Colorado as well. Your suggestion sounds yummy . Out of curiosity, what brand of "good rubbery vermicelli" do you use?

RE: A Decent Packaged Chili? (sinnocent)

Tue, 20 Sep 2005 17:03:08 GMT

Thank you so much. I did a search for a Wick Fowlers Site a couple wees ago and the best thing I found from that search was this place.

I lived in Tx for 20 years so not a native but close enough. LOL I will have to tame it some for my nw native friends.

quote:
Originally posted by dublinmark

My quick search on the net for my favorite, Wick Fowler's, found:

http://www.luzianne.com/template_buy_product.cfm?ID=60&

Note you can either purchase over the net, or click on the "Find Store" button and local stores in your city will be listed.
(If problems with the above address, just chop it off after .com/
and then navigate the the Wick Fowler page.

I write as a native Texas and, perhaps, as a distant relative of Fowler's. A couple of tips: Use only half the red pepper packet if your tongue isn't used to very spicy, hot, seasoning. And/or serve the chili over a bed of rice to 'stretch' the chili, have more servings, and dilute the heat.

Enjoy!

RE: A Decent Packaged Chili? (dublinmark)

Tue, 20 Sep 2005 16:34:56 GMT

My quick search on the net for my favorite, Wick Fowler's, found:

http://www.luzianne.com/template_buy_product.cfm?ID=60&

Note you can either purchase over the net, or click on the "Find Store" button and local stores in your city will be listed.
(If problems with the above address, just chop it off after .com/
and then navigate the the Wick Fowler page.

I write as a native Texas and, perhaps, as a distant relative of Fowler's. A couple of tips: Use only half the red pepper packet if your tongue isn't used to very spicy, hot, seasoning. And/or serve the chili over a bed of rice to 'stretch' the chili, have more servings, and dilute the heat.

Enjoy!

quote:
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...

Eric

RE: A Decent Packaged Chili? (bigwheel)

Sun, 18 Sep 2005 18:39:12 GMT

Got a good repoat one time on Rotel brand chili fixings..comes in a jar I think. Lady who was telling me about say it was real tasty and would flat light a person plumb up on the heat scale. Anybody ever tried that one?

bigwheel

quote:
Originally posted by Fieldthistle

Hello All,
Adolph's Chili Mix Seasoning is the Word.
Take Care,
Fieldthistle

RE: A Decent Packaged Chili? (Fieldthistle)

Sun, 18 Sep 2005 04:53:30 GMT

Hello All,
Adolph's Chili Mix Seasoning is the Word.
Take Care,
Fieldthistle

RE: A Decent Packaged Chili? (bigwheel)

Sat, 17 Sep 2005 21:44:02 GMT

Hi Connie..great to make your acquaintance. Sounds like you know your way around a chili pot. Wick Fowlers is about the only pre-packaged ingredient mix I have tried and in my book its very good. Now got an old pal who swears by Carol Shelbys mix but aint never tried that one personally. Why dont you consider coming out and stirring up a pot o red from scratch with us? Next big event planned for Oct 29th at the Albertson's Food Store..4000 Glade Rd. in Colleyville (that be on the N.E. corner of Glade and Hwy 121 N. right at the edge of both Grapevine and Euless) Cooks meeting at 9 AM..turn-in at 2 PM. Gonna have a little Halloween theme so it be a good excuse to dress up in your spook suit. If you not up to cooking we can always use some help with the judging.

bigwheel

quote:
Originally posted by TxConnie

Welcome Bigwheel! I am in Fort Worth also.

RE: A Decent Packaged Chili? (TxConnie)

Sat, 17 Sep 2005 15:45:08 GMT

Welcome Bigwheel! I am in Fort Worth also.

RE: A Decent Packaged Chili? (mbrookes)

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 14:20:28 GMT

The one I like is Tabasco Brand chili. It comes in a jar labeled either spicey or mild. I always get the spicey and add some Gebhardt's chili powder. The directions say use tomato juice, water or beer. Go for the beer. It really is good.

RE: A Decent Packaged Chili? (bigwheel)

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 14:03:30 GMT

Hey folks. My name is bigwheel (Jeff Wheeler) from Foat Wuth, TX. Just stumbled over this forum and mighty glad to be here might I add. I am an old comp bbq hobbyist who got into comp chili a year or two back mainly cuz I am a lazy boy and chili is much less labor intensive than bbq. Some of my old bbq pals and I started a new comp chili organization called the Texas Chili Association. We endeavor to promote and sanction Cash Chili Contests mainly in the DFW area. If any of you nice folks want to learn more about what we do or where we will be doing it next feel free to check out our website. Looking forward to some lively chili discussions on here. Have also been known to mail out frozen brick-chili to nice yankees with money...hankering to have a bowl of Januine Texas Red:)
Thanks.

bigwheel

http://www.geocities.com/texaschiliassociation

RE: A Decent Packaged Chili? (TxConnie)

Wed, 14 Sep 2005 20:43:25 GMT

One more vote for Wick Fowler's. Years ago, when my dad move to Atlanta I had to ship cases to him twice a year.

RE: A Decent Packaged Chili? (Greyghost)

Wed, 14 Sep 2005 06:33:56 GMT

Yet another vote for Wick Fowler's Two Alarm Chili. As attested to here by many posters, Wick Fowler's makes the basis for a great chili. Even if you make it according to package directions with no extra additions, it is still a decent chili.

RE: A Decent Packaged Chili? (sinnocent)

Wed, 14 Sep 2005 05:20:45 GMT

I can't find wick Fowler's in the stores here in the Seattle area. Any ideas?

RE: A Decent Packaged Chili? (txtwister)

Mon, 11 Jul 2005 16:58:23 GMT

Sheesh, forgot to mention - PLENTY of salt, and occasionally I toss in a handful of corn meal - which I learned because back in our Texas Expatriot days, someone once sent us a case of Wick Fowler's - which isn't bad, and it was the first time I thought of "masa" in chili.

RE: A Decent Packaged Chili? (txtwister)

Mon, 11 Jul 2005 16:56:00 GMT

We always use Morton's Chili Blend chili powder (which makes great red enchilada sauce as well). There's nothing fancy about my chili, but when I owned a small cafe a few years back, this sold out everytime I made it and we had to start carrying carry-out containers for soup because of it (of course, being the smart chickie than I am, I made it on days when it was going to be cold and windy).

I use a combination of ground beef (about 85/15) and coarser ground "chili meat" that is just a very coarse ground beef. (Yes, yes, I know, but that is not the worst sacrilege, there's more to come - shhhhhh, these secrets were never revealed to "real chili" people!) I can't make a small batch of chili, but that's fine because it freezes well if my large family doesn't finish it off in a couple of days. So the smallest batch I can make starts with about 6-8lbs of meat, about half and half of each grind, though just hamburger meat will do as long as you mix roughly half 85/15 and the REALLY fatty stuff. Brown that with two large onions, chopped, and if you're ambitious, save the fatty runoff for red enchilada sauce. Otherwise, just drain out "most" of the fat with a ladle - you don't want to drain it completely, chili needs some fat.

At this point, I add about, oh, 1/2 to 3/4cup Morton's chili blend for that much meat, but it could be more - go easy since you're probably not making my huge batch - the 1st important thing to learn is to judge the color correctly. You want this to be nice and dark red/brown, but not brown/black. Then add in enough water JUST until you get an almost "spongy" texture when you press a spoon or ladle on the top of the mix. Here's more chili-heresy... I add about 1/2 to 3/4's of a container of tomato paste, and since that is a thickener, I add in more liquid - but this time it's strong black coffee, to bring it back to that "spongy" texture. (You can make it with all coffee, but I prefer a water/coffee mix.) I also add a good "shot" of white vinegar. Then slowly cook it down, adding more coffee or water if necessary, skimming off fat as it cooks down a bit if it's too fatty.

When I'm making it now, I also add a can or two of chopped green chilies, and if I mess up and add too much water, I'll occasionally use a few shakes of a weird product we have available - "dried" refried bean mix. (Which makes great refried beans, oddly enough.) If I mess up and add too much chili powder, I generally cook more meat and toss it in, or just serve it with sour cream and cheese for the kids. ;-)

RE: A Decent Packaged Chili? (Born in OKC)

Thu, 23 Jun 2005 06:12:32 GMT

IMO Wick Fowler makes the best dry mix, but I'll try Peco Red if I see it. I have one friend who really likes the little packages of Williams chili spice, but it is hard to find outside the SW.

Another way to tone down Wick Fowler is to make it with twice the amount of meat that is called for.

You'd have to figure a way to ship it, but if you are in Fort Worth, Resky's (sp?) Refsky's (sp?) has a very good brick chili. I'm going to bring some home next time I'm there.

RE: A Decent Packaged Chili? (Mark in VT)

Thu, 23 Jun 2005 00:01:38 GMT

I don't have any problem getting Wick Fowlers 2 Alarm mix here in Burlington, VT.
If anyone would like me to mail your some, just ask !
Mark

RE: A Decent Packaged Chili? (Sundancer7)

Tue, 19 Oct 2004 16:00:06 GMT

In Knoxville Tennessee, Houser's chili in a tube is wonderful. It has been in Knoxville for at least 50 years and it is good with tamales, hot dogs or just by itself.

I enjoy it with home made tamales which are hard to find in Knoxville. Food City sells some but they are dry and somewhat tasteless.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

RE: A Decent Packaged Chili? (carlton pierre)

Mon, 18 Oct 2004 16:41:12 GMT

I think Skyline frozen chili is the best deal, it's already been mentioned a time or two in earlier posts. If you have a Kroger nearby, they may/may not carry it. I have 2 Kroger's near my house. One carries it, the other does not.

carl reitz

RE: A Decent Packaged Chili? (wheregreggeats.com)

Sun, 10 Oct 2004 15:30:00 GMT

VibrationGuy (if he lives near Seattle) should try the chili at Mike's Chili Parlor in Ballard -- just up the road from Seattle. It reminds me of Ohio chili, served over pasta with onions and cheese. But they growl at you if you make the comparison.

Also valid: The chili parlor at Pike's Market.

RE: A Decent Packaged Chili? (Farfromhome)

Sun, 10 Oct 2004 15:26:49 GMT

Here to add another vote for Wick Fowlers 2 alarm chili mix, although I have a hard time finding it in Southern California. The one store that does carry it from time to time is the Von's (which is Randalls or Tom Thumb back in Texas) and when I find it I load up on the mix.

RE: A Decent Packaged Chili? (a noid)

Sun, 10 Oct 2004 14:25:51 GMT

For what it's worth, here is a review of "Backwoods Bound" chili mix:
http://www.hunting-trail.com/Hunting_Trail_Approved/Backwoods_Bound_-_Chili_Season/backwoods_bound_-_chili_season.html

RE: A Decent Packaged Chili? (Rick51NH)

Fri, 03 Sep 2004 23:50:30 GMT

Try Shotgun Willie's made by DL Jardines in Buda, TX. Can order online. Go easy on the masa flour if you dont like it too thick. The heat is up to you <g>.

Rick

RE: A Decent Packaged Chili? (Jennifer_4)

Wed, 01 Sep 2004 14:07:43 GMT

I've found a better way of thickening than masa..if you aren't beanphobic a can or two of refried beans makes an excellent thickener.. as for frozen chilis my fave has to be XLNT brand.

RE: A Decent Packaged Chili? (fcbaldwin)

Wed, 01 Sep 2004 13:39:52 GMT

quote:
Originally posted by greasewheel

Frank, I just tried it last week. I wasn't too impressed. Too much tomato flavor (sweet) for me. Then again I like lots of chili powder in my chili.

The too sweet tomato flavor is pretty typical of Campbell's products. I was afraid of that.

Frank

RE: A Decent Packaged Chili? (greasewheel)

Wed, 01 Sep 2004 13:26:55 GMT

Frank, I just tried it last week. I wasn't too impressed. Too much tomato flavor (sweet) for me. Then again I like lots of chili powder in my chili.

RE: A Decent Packaged Chili? (fcbaldwin)

Wed, 01 Sep 2004 13:01:17 GMT

Campbell's has just introduced a canned chili: "Campbell's Chunky Chile w/Beans". Has anyone tried it yet?

Frank

RE: A Decent Packaged Chili? (Chef F)

Mon, 30 Aug 2004 19:38:24 GMT

quote:
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 used to eat at that old skyline starting in the mid 60's. It was THE place to go after closing the bars, most noteably the old College Inn, next to the firehouse, diagonally across Clifton Ave. from Skyline. Used to go to the original location atop Price's Mountain on Glenway Ave. A comment on having Skyline cans shipped to Colorado. Isn't the freight pretty high? Another GREEK "joint" in Clifton was the Clifton-Ludlow Restaurant, next to Keller's IGA. Nick the owner taught me to make Cincinnati Chili, while working there some summers. I then developed a spice mixture that tastes "dead on" Skyline. It only requires the addition of a pot, water, ground beef and tomato puree, plus the use of a stove for a couple hours. Ships cheaper, too!

Nice to talk to an old Cliftonite! Talk to you soon!

Chef F