Boomerangs, Chile Heads and Chili
It seems like at lot of the boomerang enthusiasts out there also have an affinity to hot or spicy foods. In the time I have been maintaining this website, I have met quite a few "chile-heads" and actually exchanged sauces, recipes and boomerangs with some of them. It all started with an article in Chile Pepper magazine about East Texas Hot Links, a specialty sausage made in the area around Pittsburg, Texas. I wanted to try these hot lnks and contacted Pat Steigman about them. (he lives in East Texas) Pat and I exchanged several emails and soon there was a flurry of interstate shipments involving boomerangs and hot links. (the hot links really are good and I recently brought some more back from Texas to Pennsylvania) I then wrote to Chile Pepper magazine describing the effort to obtain these sausages and they published the letter in the next issue. All of a sudden I started receiving email from chile-heads who throw boomerangs or had been previousy interested in boomerangs. Most notable of these is Dave Hughes who re-kindled his interest in boomerangs and became a frequent contributor to the rang-list emailing list. From these humble beginnings, the boomerang chile-head honor roll was formed. If you are a boomerang enthusiast and a chile-head, you too can be added to the honor roll. Just drop an email to Dave Hendricks at bvdrangs@rcn.com and he will see that you are added to the list. The list is in alphabetical order and links to personal websites have been added. Note: Those of you confused by the use of the words chile and chili should note the following. Chile is the name of the plant that produces what we call chile peppers. (hot or sweet) Chili is reserved for the dish made by using ground chiles and other spices. (this mixture is known as chili powder) Of course, hot peppers are really chiles and not peppers, but that's another story. (Thank you, Mr Know-it-all)
Boomerang Chile-head Honor Roll
John Bordelon, Chili Chef and award winner. See recipe below.
Steve Conway, maker of
Aboriginal Steve's Boomerangs and Parrothead! See chili recipe below.
Chris Cotter, Boomsmith and LD thrower Recipe coming soon.
Michael S Cooper, Chili Chef, see recipe below.
Dave Hendricks, maker of BVD'Rangs
Dave Hughes, the lefty boom tossing chile-head
Zoran Jarnovic, is our boom tossing chile-head from Slovenia!
Carlos Lopez Mariscal, "our un-official Chief Chile-Head". His family in Mexico actually grows chiles for a living! Recipes from Carlos are coming soon, hold on to your tastebuds! Carlos tells us that "Jalapenos are like candy to me!" Be very afraid!
Paul Milner loves Jemez Pueblo Fireballs. Ms. Pino's Napalm Chili and
Thai 5 star anything! Great glorious chili gods are everywhere. The hotter the better!
Ed Sarlls, admits to liking it hot!
William Sotak, provider of lap joint boomerang kits for the masses.
Pat Steigman, The man with the boomerang hats and East Texas Hot Link fan!
A recent turn of events was several of us entering Chili Cook-Offs and placing well. In an effort to expand your horizons, we are going to share the recipes with you. If you have a chili recipe (or any good "chile-head" recipe that you want to add) feel free to send to Dave at bvdrangs@rcn.com and he will see that it is added to the list.
Want to experience a real chili cook-off? Click here and read this first! The Chili Judge
Dave's "Black Hat" Chili
The church I belong to had a chili cook-off on February 27th, 1999 and I was asked to enter. The following recipe is the one I made and it was good enough for 2nd place (only one vote out of first!) This recipe is pretty close to a "traditional Texas bowl of red". and I hope you enjoy it. This recipe was then used to win both the Hottest CHili and the Best Overall Chili at the Chili Cook-off at the place I work in May 2000.
3 LBS Beef Chuck, cut into 1/2"cubes
3 Dried Numex Chiles
3 Dried Ancho Chiles
2 Dried Chipotle chile (not canned)
2-3 slices bacon
12 oz Porter or stout
1 cup Gold Tequila
Chicken stock (or beef) as needed
1 Texas sweet onion (or other sweet onion)
1 TSP oregeno
1 TBL salt
1 TBL ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced
Tabasco Sauce
2 TBL masa harina (corn flour)
Brown the bacon slices, chop and set aside, save the drippings. Brown the beef chuck cubes and saute the onions in the bacon drippings. Drain off as much fat as possible. Grind the chiles and add 1/2 to the beef and onion mixture along with the beer, tequila, chopped bacon and enough chicken stock to completely cover the meat. Simmer for 45 minutes.
Add the remainder of the chiles, the oregano, cumin, garlic and a shake or two of Tabasco sauce. Add more chicken stock (or water) if needed. Simmer 45 minutes.
At this point you will need to taste and adjust the seasonings if necessary (salt, chiles, Tabasco?). You may also attempt to scoop off any fat that is on the surface. Add the masa harina and simmer for about 15 minutes. If the mixture gets too thick, add water to avoid sticking.
Serve over beans (cooked separately)and garnish with tortilla chips, grated Monterey jack cheese and the reserved bacon bits.
Notes: I used several different dried chiles for a more complex flavor. The chiles I used were particularly large and three each were enough. If your peppers are kind of small you may want to use four. I also found that 2 chipotles were plenty of heat for me. The added flavor and smokiness they impart is a real bonus. If you want less heat, cut back to one, but you really don't want to eliminate them. The beer I use is a homemade porter. I like the full rich taste it has. You may also substitute an amber, brown ale or even regular beer (how boring). You really want to use home made stock for this, as canned stock is very salty. If you must used canned, cut back on the salt in the recipe (taste and see).
John's Cajun Style Chili
The same week that I was entering the cook-off, fellow boomerang enthusiast, John Bordelon, was entering another at his church. His recipe place 2nd in both the "Best Chili" and "Healthy Chili" catagories. He was kind enough to provide his recipe for a Cajun style chili for our enjoyment.
2 pounds ground beef, browned and drained
1 large (yellow, red, or white) onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped (a Cajun touch)
1 green bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, chopped
1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies (try two sometime)
1 can tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste if you want a little more red color and tomato flavor
1 can black beans, drained
1 can pinto beans, drained (you can use red beans if you prefer, or all three)
1 Tbl spoon cumin, maybe even more
1 Tbl minced garlic (I buy the kind in the little glass jars in oil)
1/2 cup fine yellow corn meal, or corn flower (masa) if you can get it
1 to 3 Tbl spoon chili powder (I use about one and add other stuff)
Several good whacks on the back of a Tabasco bottle (the heat cooks off)
Maybe a teaspoon of black pepper
Dump everything but the corn meal into a crock pot, cover and cook on high for about an hour, stirring once or twice. Turn the heat down to low and cook for another 8 to 10 hours. Near the end, slowly stir in the corn meal. Add some more chili powder or Tabasco if it seems too mild.
(Mine was too mild, but was full-bodied and good eating)
Serve with corn bread, preferably Mexican corn bread, or some good
crusty French bread and butter.
"Gracious! I'm making myself hungry!" John
Michael Cooper's Chili
Okay... this is the recipe for my FTH Chili. Anyone caught adding beans to this chili will be shot on site.
I cheat a little because I start with a pre-packaged chili mix, but everything else just adds to its "charm". One of these days I'll actually sit down and measure out the ingredients so the recipe seems more
"homemade". The honey counteracts the effects of the habanero as well as adding its own distinctiveness.
Ingredients: (Can be easily doubled)
1 Package Wick Fowler 2-Alarm Chili Mix
2 lbs. Coarse Ground Chili Meat
8 oz. Tomato Sauce
1 Small Yellow Onion (or a medium if doubling)
1/16 tsp Dried Ground Habanero Pepper (can substitute dried ground jalapeno - but double amount)
1/4 to 1/2 c. Honey
Additions:
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Saltines (crumbled)
Fix the chili according to the directions on the package. Prior to simmering the chili, add the ground habanero and the onion (cut into 1/8ths and separated). After the chili has been thickened by the masa, stir in 1/4 cup honey and taste. You want to be able to taste the honey, but not have the chili too sweet.
Let the chili simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes. To serve, add 1/8 cup shredded cheese and 1/4 cup crumbled saltines to the bottom of a bowl, then spoon the chili over the cheese and crackers. Serve with copious amounts of iced tea.
Steve Conway's Chili
Here's the long and short of it. Really simple, but absolutely the best.
I use pork butts or pork shoulder. Trim it and cube it into 1-2" cubes.
Brown the meat and set aside. Take at least 6 -10 Anahiam dried chilis
or whatever dried chili's you like. I use two types myself. Buy them
whole and dry, not powder.
Bring about 1.5 quarts of water to boil and added the chilis to it. Let
them simmer about 10 - 15 minutes until soft. I use a spoon to weight
the buggers down while simmering. Now remove the chilis, and keep all the
water. Pull off the stems (and the seed sack if you wish). Now blend
the chilis in the water that was reserved with 10 cloves of garlic and salt
to taste ( 1 teaspoon or so). Now pour the chili paste/water/garlic mix
over the browned pork. Now simmer until down 1 - 1.5 hours....
Enjoy. I make mine so that sweat forms on my brow and has a kick to it.
No beans or cheese or other stuff to disolve the true essence of the
chili.
Australian Dinkum Chili (Original Recipe)
This recipe was located on the internet and must be the ultimate boomerang enthusiast's chili. It contains many ingredients found only "down under" but would be a real treat to make if you can locate everything. Toss some on the barbie and pass me a Foster's! Fair dinkum!
500 g Walleroo bacon
2 tb Oil,vegetable
1 Brown onion,medium,chopped
1 White onion,chopped
2 Celery stalks,chopped
1 Green pepper,diced
1 kg Kangaroo shank,red,coarse chopped
500 g Kangaroo shank,gry,coarse chopped
500 g Emu ham,ground
2 Garlic cloves
31 1/2 g Tasmanian light red chile
31 1/2 g Wooroorooka chile
26 1/2 g Mount Isa dark red chile
140 g Oregano
1 g Cumin(fluid measure)
Australian beer(740ml btl)
1 cn Tomatoes,whole(4l ea)
Brown sugar(3 fluid drams)
1 Boomerang
1. Fry the bacon in a skillet over medium heat. Drain the strips on paper toweling and cut into 10cm dice and reserve.
2. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, and green pepper and cook until the onions are translucent.
3. Combine all the Kangaroo meat & Emu ham with the ground chile, garlic, oregano, and cumin. Add this meat-and-spice mixture to the pot. Break up any lumps with a fork and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is evenly browned.
4. Add the beer, tomatoes, and reserved bacon to the pot. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1 1/2 hours. Wave a boomerang over the pot 14 times each hour from this point on. Stir for 3 minutes. Taste, adjust seasonings, and add to taste. Makes eight servings
Australian Dinkum Chili
This one looks a little easier for those of in the USA to make. Yield: 8 servings
1/2 lb Bacon,packaged
2 tb Oil,vegetable
2 Onions,med,coarsely chopped
1 Celery stalk,coarse chopped
1 Bell pepper(s)
2 lb Top beef sirloin,1" cubes
1 lb Beef,hamburger grind
1 lb Pork,hamburger grind
4 tb Red chile,hot,ground
3 tb Red chile,mild,ground
2 Garlic cloves,med,fine chop
1 tb Oregano,dried,pref. Mexican
1 ts Cumin,ground
2 cn Beer,pref. Aus.(12oz ea)
1 cn Tomatoes,whole(14 1/2oz ea)
3 ts Brown sugar
Fry the bacon in a skillet over medium heat. Drain the strips on paper toweling and cut into 1/2" dice and reserve.Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, and green pepper and cook until the onions are translucent. Combine all the beef and pork with the ground chile, garlic, oregano, and cumin. Add this meat-and-spice mixture to the pot. Break up any lumps with a fork and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is evenly browned. Add the beer, tomatoes, and reserved bacon to the pot. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1 1/2 hours. Stir for 3 minutes. Taste, adjust seasonings, and add more beer if desired. Simmer for 2 1/2 hours longer. Add the brown sugar and simmer for 15 minutes longer.
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