| The answer could depend on how you | | | | combined with certain spices and herbs |
| define "chili". For this article, I am | | | | worked wonders with these poor cuts of |
| defining chili as "any stew made with | | | | meat. The meat was cut into very small |
| significant amounts of chiles". The | | | | pieces and then boiled with the chiles |
| Americanized recipe consisted of dried | | | | and spices. |
| beef, suet, dried chile peppers, and | | | | In these Southwest jailhouses, chili |
| salt, which were pounded together and | | | | became such a popular dish that former |
| left to dry into bricks. Through | | | | inmates, from time to time, wrote to |
| research, I have found three possible | | | | prison systems requesting the recipe, |
| origins of chili. | | | | claiming that they could not find a |
| Back in the early 1840's, many Texan | | | | chili as good on the outside. |
| cowboys headed west for the California | | | | One of the most believable original |
| gold fields or out for a big cattle | | | | chili recipes came in 1828 when J.C. |
| round-ups. These cowboys pounded beef | | | | Clopper observed what poor people in San |
| fat and dried beef with chili peppers | | | | Antonio were doing. They would cut what |
| and salt to make a sort of a paste. This | | | | little meat they could afford into very |
| paste was easy to carry, and it made a | | | | small pieces and stew it together with |
| food that wouldn't spoil quickly. They | | | | as many pieces of peppers. |
| would boil this concoction with water | | | | Now, a few questions about you . . . |
| while they were on the trail to make a | | | | Do you know the origin of your favorite |
| hearty, hot meal. | | | | chili recipes? When you make chili, do |
| Others claim that these cowboys would | | | | your friends always rave about it or ask |
| plant oregano, chiles, and onions along | | | | you for your recipe? Have you ever |
| their well heavily traveled trails in | | | | thought of creating a book of your |
| patches of mesquite. This kept the | | | | favorite chili recipes? |
| foraging cattle from eating them. As | | | | It's a lot simpler than you think, |
| they moved along the trails, they would | | | | especially when you use the Internet. |
| harvest the spices, onions, and chiles | | | | I'm talking about you creating and |
| that they planted and combine them with | | | | selling your own products. Like a |
| beef to make a dish called "Trail Drive | | | | collection of your favorite chili |
| Chili". | | | | recipes or a newsletter announcing |
| Another version of the origin of chili | | | | upcoming cook-offs. I'm talking about a |
| says that the first chili recipe was | | | | real business, with real products that |
| made in the Texas prison systems, since | | | | you can be proud of. And a real |
| only the cheapest meats were served in | | | | potential for significant long-term |
| prison. Prison cooks of the Southwest | | | | income. |
| discovered that the chili pepper | | | | |