OL’R.A./B.A.

R.A. CHILI SEASONING
FIXINGS, HELPFUL HINTS, AND RECIPES FOR OL’ R.A. CHILI SEASONING

MEAT: Some recognized chili authorities say, “Any meat is allowed” This could mean anything from Rabbit Rumps, Turkey Wattles and Lizard Lips to Gator Tails. Personally, I’m real fond of Chuck Roast Meat. I usually buy a big slab – 4 to 41/2 pounds-and bone it myself to yield 3 pounds meat. Cut the meat into 1/2 inch cubes and leave a little fat so you don’t have to grease up your chili pot to start the browning. Next best choice is chili-cut ground chuck, it’s extra course and gives a good texture to the chili. In desperation I’ve even used store bought hamburger. Special note for pork lovers: A pork shoulder cut into 1/2 inch cubes makes a delicious chili. The meat will be very tender and you can back off a bit on the cooking time.

You go ahead and do your own thing. If you have me over just don’t let on about your neighbor’s pet coon being gone.

BEANS: Let’s take a minute for tribute to the lowly bean. My personal choice to cook-with or add-to chili is the Pinto; a close second is the Small Red Bean. However, there are some misanthropes who think only of the humble `Kidney’. The choice is yours, but care must be taken in the preparation. I favor soaking dry beans overnight and adding them to the browned meat, onions and OL’ R.A. Seasoning; cook the whole thing at a slow simmer about three hours until the beans are tender.

QUICK-COOK BEANS: In case you get a hankering for good chili today and don’t want to wait overnight for soaked beans, try this. Put one pound of dry beans in a three quart pot, cover with two inches water, bring to a rapid boil, remove from the heat, let’em sit for two hours, then add them to the browned meat, etc. and simmer as above. In an emergency, the use of canned beans could be authorized. Remember that only Pintos, Small Reds or Kidneys should be considered and added the last 15 minutes of cooking. The only thing that is strictly verboten is flavored Beans-No “CHILI HOTS”, or tomato flavored, smoked, molasses disasters.

CORNBREAD, PASTA, EGGS: I like fresh cornbread in the bottom of the bowl covered with OL’ R.A. Chili. When it comes to pasta, I use elbow macaroni all the time, but I’m sure others will work. For brunch, lunch, munch or late night stags, OL’ R.A. Chili over scrambled eggs – well, they ‘ain’t no better. A Chili Dog with OL’ R.A. & chopped onions is eat’n high on the hog.

COOKING n’ STUFF: What kind of pot do you use for cooking chili? It purely depends on how much you are going to cook. Up to the church one time we used five old copper wash boilers on the stove top to make up 100 gallons of chili. I have seen ‘em use old oil drums, apple butter kettles, stock pots, etc. I use an old black cast iron eight quart Dutch Oven with a tight lid – it holds all the chili and beans and is ideal for tile slow simmer cooking.
About the heat and cooking: When 1 say simmer, I darn well mean it. I ain’t gonna take the rap for bad chili when it was you what burned the pot. Another thing, don’t over cook it. When the meat and beans are tender, get it off the fire. If you have chili leftover, it will freeze well, so go ahead and make a Big Batch.

I really don’t mean to hit on you. It’s just that we’re proud of our Chili and want you to be just as proud of your Chili. All it takes is a bunch of TLC.

Now, just because you are the proud owner of a jar of OL’ R.A. Chili Seasoning, don’t think the only thing you can do with it is make up chili. It is a seasoning and I use it in any recipe that-calls for-Chili powder.

Aunt Debbie has wrote down a few of our special recipes that we pass along to friends, and people we hope to see again: We sure enuf wish you to have fun with OL’ R.A. Chili Seasoning, and enjoy these fine recipes.

Have a good life,

Tumbling T & Aunt Debbie

OL’ R.A. Chili Seasoning Co.
200 East Koeln Ave
St Louis, Mo 63111