A Special Ingredient


Chris Mulder (a longtime Roamin Angel, who recently passed away) and I were making a pot of Chili for a Roamin Angels’ function, I think it was either a Grandpa’s Memorial at Ed and Nancy Johnson’s place or it could have been the Jack & Bill Garage Tour. Chris was watching over the chili when some of the ashes from his cigar fell into the pot. Well, I looked at him and smiled and just stirred them in. We called it Buzzard’s Breath Chili. That sounded like a good name for it after a couple beers. Everyone loved it.

– Ray

This recipe appeared in the Roamin Angels’ Cookbook several years back.

Chris Mulder’s Buzzard Breath Chili

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp Bacon drippings

1 Large onion

1/2 Cup flour in a brown paper bag

4 lb. Dead Cow, ground courser or chuck cut in pieces

about the size of your little toe

5 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3 Tbsp ground hot red chile

3Tbsp milk red chile

1Tbsp ground cumin

1tsp dried Mexican oregano

1 (14oz) can diced tomatoes

1 can of beer

1 Cup water – if needed

Salt to taste

Parsley optional

2 Cup chopped green onions

2 Cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 Cup masa harina (corn flour)

1 Cup fresh chopped cilantro

1 Cigar

Directions:

Light cigar and enjoy while cooking chili.

Place meat in brown paper bag with flour and shake vigorously while melting drippiins in a large heavy pot. Add onions and cook until translucent.

Combine beef with garlic, ground chile, cumin and oregano. Add this mixture to the pot with the onions. Break up any lumps with fork and cook over medium heat for about 1/2 hour, stirring occasionally with wooden spoon (always use a wooden spoon) until meat is evenly browned.

Add tomatoes, beer, salt and (parsley). Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer uncovered for about an hour.

Stir in masa harina using wooden spoon to achieve desired consistency. Scrape the side of the pot, adding it to the fixins. The is called the pot licker.

Cook 10 more minutes. Sprinkle in the cilantro, flick a few cigar ashes into the mix for good luck. Taste and adjust the a seasonings.

Serve by itself or over precooked pinto or black beans. Now sprinkle shredded cheese and green onions over the mixture and enjoy with rolled warm tortillas or fresh warm corn bread.

NOTE: Anyone who knows beans about chili NEVER cooks beans in the chili.

You can serve sides of sliced avocados, celery sticks carrot sticks, lime wedges to cool the heat between bites.