IN THE KITCHEN: Chef Clyde Van Arsdall IV tells how chili is done

By Clyde Van Arsdall IV Photos by Karina Passos

Texans refer to chili as a bowl of red due to the color imparted by the abundance of chilis. Real chili is a cowboy thing with roots deeply embedded in Texas cattle culture. Captain’s chili took a move to the Lone Star state, and 10 years of trial and error to perfect.

Nothing makes a cowboy more ornery than some yahoo putting beans in a perfectly good bowl of chili. Beans can be served alongside a bowl of chili — just do not mix the two, or cowboys can get a bit cantankerous. They didn't like beans in their chili because they were considered a filler used to mask the lack of meat in their bowls.

Driving cattle is hard work. The famous Chisholm trail was 1000 miles long and stretched from the ranches of Texas to the stock yards of Kansas. To herd 3000 head of cattle there was usually a crew of 10 cowboys that worked in shifts. Cattle could only move between 15 and 25 miles a day, causing most drives to take over a month. Hangry would sum up how these cowboys felt at the end of a long day. The cooks and their chuckwagons were essential to keep these cattle drives in motion — the chili they served was tasty, nourishing and well-suited for the trail.

Traditionally, Texas chili consisted of dried meat, fat, salt and chili peppers. The ingredients were pounded into bricks that could be stacked for storage then rehydrated. Tomatoes are a common ingredient in most bowls of chili today but because tomatoes perished too easily on the trail, they were not present in the earliest versions. Legend has it the cooks would plant chilis, oregano and onions in mesquite patches along the trail. This would allow the cooks some fresh ingredients to add the chili.

My father loved to make chili, but it wasn't until he moved to Texas that he finally perfected his recipe. He bought his beef from Eades Custom Meats, a legendary butcher shop in Amarillo. Good chili is made from whole cuts of beef, not ground meat used for hamburgers. Dried chilis make up a decent portion of the flavor. He used a chili powder called Chimayo Pure Red, which came in both mild and medium heats. The chilis were from the small town of Chimayo, just north of Santa Fe, New Mexico. He went to great lengths to source good chili powder as most supermarket versions lack depth and soul. Dad took the time to grew and fire roast his tomatoes. He saved the trimmings from the beef he bought to make his own broth. It was this attention to detail that made his chili memorable.

Over the years I have substituted some of the beef broth for various types of beer. Much the same way the cowboys would have done on the trail, I love making big batches for friends in my iron cauldron over an open flame. Chili takes a bit of time to make but as a one pot meal it's great for entertaining since everyone can customize their bowl with toppings.

Toppings run the gamut: shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled queso fresco, chopped onion, cilantro and sour cream. Whenever I make Captain’s chili, I always serve it with my mom’s cornbread so I can crumble some over the top. I pair the rest with a healthy amount of butter and some Steen’s Pure Cane Syrup.

Chili can and should be a thirsty business; it is a good thing beer and chili go hand in hand. While in Texas, Lone Star beers in frosty long neck bottles were the beer of choice. Here in Southern California, Mexican beers pair very nicely as they are refreshing and not too heavy. Want to take it up a notch? Try a fun beer cocktail made with a can of Tecate called a Mexican Ashtray, which gets its name from the heavy amount of Tajin, and ground pepper that is pasted to the side of the can with lime juice looking like ashes. This party favorite includes tequila, lime and a healthy amount of hot sauce. Don’t knock this until you have tried one— I guarantee the Mexican Ashtray will be a party favorite.

The big band leader Harry James once said, “Next to Jazz music, there is nothing that lifts the spirit and strengthens the soul more than a good bowl of chili.” We could all use a lift these days, and I hope you enjoy these family recipes.

• Clyde Van Arsdall is a third generation Coronado local, a chef and storyteller. For more stories and follow-ups to his articles visit his website, oliveavenuesupperclub.com. • Karina Passos is a visual storyteller and former San Diego resident who now resides in Maui. Find Karina on Instagram @ karipassosphoto and her website, karinapassos.com.

I like ordering my chili powders online but I have had good results using powders found locally. Also, canned fire roasted tomatoes work great – I seldom roast fresh tomatoes unless I have grown them myself.

Makes 5 quarts · 5 pounds of stew beef trimmed and cut into ¼ - ½ inch pieces (save trim for broth) · 6 cups chopped onions · 5 cloves of garlic minced · 8 cups of liquid use broth from trimmings and water or substitute 4 cups of your favorite beer. · 1 cup mild chili powder plus 1 Tbsp of med hot chili powder or chipotle powder. (Mild and medium

Chimayo Pure Red Chili Powder can be ordered online at madeinnewmexico.com) · 1 ½ Tbsp of dried oregano · 1 ½ Tbsp of cumin · 1 ½ Tbsp kosher salt · ¾ cup of masa harina (corn flour) · 4 (14.5oz) cans of fire roasted tomatoes

1. Place beef trim in 4 quarts of water and simmer for 30 minutes while browning the beef 2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, brown beef in small batches in as little oil as possible. Each batch should take about 4-5 minutes. Remove to a bowl with a slotted spoon to keep oil in the pan. 3. Sauté onions and garlic in the same pan in batches, scraping up as many of the brown bits as you can from the beef. 4. Place onions and beef back in the pot and add the chili powders, cumin, salt and oregano and mix thoroughly. 5. Sprinkle the masa over the meat onion mixture and mix thoroughly over a medium flame. 6. Raise heat to high and add liquid (broth and water or broth and beer). 7. Allow this mixture to come to a boil, stirring frequently or the masa will stick to the bottom of the pan. Once mixture comes to a boil turn down the heat to medium and cook for an hour, continuing to stir frequently. 8. At the end of the hour add the tomatoes, bring back to a boil then turn down to a simmer for an additional two hours. The meat should be falling apart at this point. Add liquid as needed to keep the chili from getting too thick. Make sure to stir periodically to make sure chili is not burning on the bottom.

This cocktail comes from a popular Mexican food oasis in Providence RI called Xaco Taco. My good friend, Chef Andy Pyle, serves this amazing drink alongside some of the best tacos I have ever put in my mouth. There is a southern take on this drink at a bar called the Pearl in Louisville. They called their version, served in a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon, a Kentucky Michelada.

1 can of Tecate (PBR or your favorite canned beer) 2 Tbsp Tajín (fruit seasoning containing chile peppers, lime and salt) 1 tsp freshly ground pepper 1 Lime cut into wedges ½ oz Valentina hot sauce (Tapatío works as well) ¾ oz Tequila

Start with a can of Tecate. Cut a lime and rub the length of the can from top to bottom just under the opening. Sprinkle the Tajin and pepper mixture on to a plate then roll the can in the mixture, much like salting the rim of a margarita glass. Pop the top and pour tequila into the opening, filling the gap between the beer and the top of the can (approximately half of a shot). Leave the pull tab sticking up rather than bending it back. Use this to wedge the lime behind the pull tab. Liberally pour Valentina hot sauce all over the top and opening of the can. Once you take a healthy gulp from the can you can either chew on the lime or squeeze it into the beer. Valentina hot sauce is flavorful without being too spicy; Tapatío works as well.

Sift together the following: 1 cup cornmeal 1 cup flour 1 cup sugar 1 cup baking powder ½ tsp salt

Add: 2 eggs 1 cup milk ¼ cup vegetable oil

Mix only until incorporated; it will not be smooth. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Put about 3 Tablespoons of bacon fat into an iron skillet (9”-10”). Put in the oven until extremely hot. Pour corn mixture into the iron skillet, put in the oven and bake for 20 min. Do not let the mixture stand; put directly into the oven.

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