Chili Seasoning Mix
Originally posted 22 Sep, 2009 on old blog
IMO *ALL* Chili is good for the heart as well as the soul! In N/E Oklahoma, Chili is considered “out of season” during the summer – I think that is why the whole family has now moved out of that state, most are hanging out in TX, FL or CA these days where such things are unheard of. 
Those in Texijuana keep telling me “there are no tomatoes in real chili” – I don’t give a blessed thinkers damn about “real chili”, just what makes me happy. 
One thing we all agree on is that it starts with the spice mix.
Homemade Chili Seasoning Mix
While I prefer to use Carroll Shelby’s original Texas chili mix as the “base” for my chili, (then kick it up a notch based on how ornery I’m feeling at the time), my Aunt Ann always kept a sealed jar of “chili powder mix” on a dark shelf in her kitchen – and you could barely tell the difference in the end result of either one. Having your spices “already mixed” helps to minimize mistakes – especially if you are cooking around a campfire or in an RV/Trailer somewhere.
In this context – I am talking about pre-mixing selected spices with some kind of chili powder to produce a reasonable mix which can be added to your chili based upon your own taste as you cook it. Naturally, the more of the mixture you add – the more “kick” your pot is going to have, so I recommend just experimenting until you find something that suits you, (which is the fun of making chili to begin with).
Virtually all such chili spice mixes are based upon some kind of commercial chili powder, cumin and oregano. A good, although basic, “mix” consists of 3 tablespoons of chili powder, 1 tablespoon cumin and 1 tablespoon oregano – which would match about 4 servings of chili without burning anyone. (I would just *have* to add black and cayenne pepper and garlic powder to this – about 1 tablespoon of each).
Here is a mix that is a bit more “sophisticated”:
10 tablespoons Anaheim or guajillo chile powder
3 tablespoons ground cumin
3 tablespoons ground dried oregano
3 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons cayenne chile powder or other hot chile powder, such as chiltepin or Thai
2 tablespoons pasilla or other mild chile powder, such as ancho
Here is another Chili Powder Blend that is pretty closet to Aunt Ann’s secret mix – highly recommended:
12 tablespoons mild ground Chile powder (homemade)
3 tablespoons ground dried oregano
3 tablespoons ground cumin
3 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon of black pepper
Combine all ingredients and mix together well. Store in a tightly sealed glass jar, away from heat and light.
Here are some other things folks like to throw in their own “chili mix” – although I don’t hold with much of this:
Ground coriander seed, ground celery seed, clove, thyme, rosemary (ugh!), ginger, ground (toasted) teicherry black peppercorns and just about any other spice/herb you can imagine.
SCRATCH Made Chili Powder:
If you just “HAVE TO” scratch make your own chili powder (and I don’t do this) folks usually use some kind of combination of the following peppers:
Anaheim (New Mexico Anaheims are said to be the best)
Ancho
Chimayo
Mulato
Pasilla
The “purists” boil Anchos – then scrape the meat from the inside of the pepper for further drying/powdering. If you go that far, I don’t think we would enjoy one another’s company around a campfire if the subject of conversation migrated into doing so. Fanaticism is bad for your health unless it involves mass quantities of beer.
A more “reasonable” way to handle the above peppers (again if you just have to do this):
Rinse your chilies with cold water, dry on paper towels or a rack. Place chilies on baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 2 or 3 minutes, until stiffened, turn frequently. Cool. Remove and discard stems, seeds, inner veins and any dark spots. Place chilies in electric blender, process at high speed until ground. Sieve powder to remove large flakes if desired, (although I wouldn’t). Jar and store in a cool, dark place.
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(Note: Some of the stuff above was stolen from folks who write better than I ever will – but have been “tweaked” to my own specifications/pleasures). -=dave=-