Subj : VFW/Legion was:Road Tripp To : Ruth Haffly From : Dave Drum Date : Sun Oct 06 2024 05:46:00 -=> Ruth Haffly wrote to Dave Drum <=- RH> I rarely buy mixes for anything like that. Usually do my own home RH> made for a lot of things, just tastes better to us in the long run. DD> I have made my own. But, I've tried enough "short-cuts" over the years DD> to know what works and what doesn't. And the advantage of using a mix DD> fro a supplier is *repeatability*. Same reason I spec garlic granules DD> rather than cloves of garlic. Known flavour profile. Bv)= RH> I've never entered serious competitions, and like the DIY flavoring. RH> Most often I'll use an assortment (rarely exactly the same assortment) RH> of fresh peppers, powdered peppers and other spicing. Makes life RH> interesting. (G) DD> As I said the repeatability is 'portant. And I sample as I go - so DD> if I need to tweak things, BINGO. A little trick I learned is to DD> add a small amount of cinnamon. Not a lot or you'll get accused of DD> being from Cincy. But, often a pinch or two (never more than 1/8 DD> teaspoon in 5# meat) will help the flavours wake-up and blend. RH> We've done that, or sometimes a bit of dark (at least 70%) chocolate. I use Hershey's cocoa powder - not the drink mix. And I'm careful to keep The chcoclate flavour as an undertone. I mis-measured as a cook-off once and the judges sheets gigged me pretty hard for it. DD> This is on the agenda for tomorrow night. DD> Title: Uncle Dirty Dave's Red Pork Chilli DD> Categories: Pork, Chilies, Stews DD> Yield: 5 Servings I'm making that again tonight using some pork steak that was on sale @ U$1.49 per pound. RH> Looks good. Steve had to cook for the VFW last night. Since he had his RH> first cataract surgery on Monday and we're still getting resettled from RH> the trip, we let "Uncle Sam" do the cooking. We got chicken pot pies, RH> Caesar salads, fruit trays and a big cookie tray. He came home with RH> just a bit of pot pie (we'd bought 3) that will be tonight's supper, 2 RH> (of 6) bags of salad, one (of 2) fruit trays and about 18 (of 84) RH> cookies. Overall, guess-timated quite well, and the left overs will be RH> incorporated into our meals. I'm not eligible for either VFW or American Legion as my tour in Uncle Sugar's Yacht Club was during a period of no wars - although Castro was getting ready to do his thing just south of Florida. My brother Phil, on the other paw is Past Commander of American Legion Post 32. Which, by the by, has a most excellent restaurant. They are well-known in the area for their Thursday night fried chicken. I like their Tuesday 20% discount on your food check for veterans. I *AM* eligible for that if not for membership. Bv)= Here's one of my chilli recipes that uses both cocoa and cinnamon. You've probably aleady seen it - but it does make a nice pot of red. MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06 Title: Uncle Dirty Dave Drum's Prize Winning Chilli Categories: Beef, Chilies, Stews, Mine Yield: 6 Servings 4 lb Chilli grind chuck 4 ts Garlic granules * 1 lg Onion; chopped fine 1 ts Cocoa powder; unsweetened 3 tb Minor's (GFS) Beef Base Salt; if needed 48 oz V8 (straight or picante) 1 ts Cayenne pepper 8 tb Mexene Chilli spice 4 ts Cumin 14 oz Can Red Gold diced tomatoes - w/chilies +=Or=+ 1 lg Tomato; diced w/juice +=AND=+ 4 oz Can of green chilies ** 1/2 ts Brown sugar; opt 1/8 ts (scant) cinnamon; highly opt * I use garlic granules because they are consistent as to taste and strength. I like fresh as much as the anyone. But, it's nice using ingredients that are the same from batch to batch. ** Apropos of fresh ingredients - you can substitute Anaheim (aka New Mexico) chilies for the canned chilies. Processed New Mexican chilies are what is in the can anyway. The fresh chilies are fairly mild (low heat) and quite flavourful. Use a 12" cast iron Dutch Oven. Toss 4 lb. of chilli grind into the pot and start browning it. Add 1 tsp. of garlic powder per pound of meat. While meat is browning chop a large onion reasonably fine. When ground chuck no longer shows pink add the diced onion and cocoa. Stir in 3 Tb. of Minor's/GFS Beef Base. If using super market (Kraft or whatever) beef base - watch the salt. Most beef bases are mostly salt. Minor's is mostly beef. Add a 48 oz. can of V8 (straight or picante') juice and 1 ts. of cayenne pepper. Continue to simmer and stir. When onions are clear toss in 2 Tbs chilli spice per pound of meat. (I use Baron's, Mexene, or Gebhardt's) and 1 tsp cumin per pound of meat. Add the Red Gold diced tomatoes with chilies or a 4 oz. can green chilies (chop and seed if you grabbed whole peppers by mistake). Add the diced tomato and its juices. Continue to simmer and stir until onions are tender and completely transparent adding V8 juice as necessary. If you run out of V8 use either unsalted 'mater juice or chicken broth to add liquid. Total cooking time about 90 minutes. If you're cooking at home you can serve this batch at this point. See below for longer schedules and the "kicker". If you're on a 3 hour schedule - most cook offs are - turn off stove and let your pot marinate for about an hour. About 30 minutes before turn-in time relight the stove and bring the chilli back to a simmer. Taste carefully and critically. This is final adjustment time. If it's too salty try adding about 1/2 tsp of brown sugar. If the chilli has died or gone flat add 1 tsp chilli spice and 1/2 tsp cumin per pound of meat and simmer right up to time to put in judging cups. As evidence that any receipe is a living, breathing organism this one was revised and updated immediately after the Mount Auburn Volunteer Fire Department cook- off. Second place isn't anything to sneeze at. It beats kissing your old maid aunt on the lips. Meal Master Format by Dave Drum - 07 September 1999 Uncle Dirty Dave's Kitchen MMMMM .... January 20, 2021 - The end of an error! --- MultiMail/Win v0.52 * Origin: SouthEast Star Mail HUB - SESTAR (1:3634/12) .