What's cooking?

Greg, that's a sort of "original" type of chili. They didn't have meat grinders on the trail west. "Original" chili also had large amounts of fat.

If I'm grinding meat for chili I use a plate with honkin' huge holes for the extremely coarse grind, or chunk it as you're doing.

Greg, that's a sort of  "original" type of chili. They didn't have meat grinders on the trail west. "Original" chili also had large amounts of fat.

Neat. I did not know that, nor think of it. Makes sense though.

OK, this next could start a heck of a conversation... It also didn't contain tomatoes. Basically it was a meat sauce served over beans. Tomatoes and tomatillos were in very short supply in the bumpy wagons of the day. :-)

I used to be a purist with my chili. Then a gent at work made some and asked me to try it. I told him that I've never cared for to chili that has tomato in it, but he asked me to try it anyway. His was the first chili that I'd ever tasted that contained tomato that I liked. I make it from time to time today and I'm salivating thinking about it. It uses some unusual ingredients like peperoncino (sp?).

If you want a recipe for a more or less original trail chili let me know and I'll send it. I'll need an email address. That goes for anyone. Be warned, it's high fat content. But right next to it I have a modified recipe for our modern diet. I can't post the document. The original recipe was originally printed by "Starnes" in an outdoor magazine I got 50 years ago and he got it from who knows where, but he said that it was extremely close to the genuine article.

OK, this next could start a heck of a conversation... It also didn't contain tomatoes. Basically it was a meat sauce served over beans. Tomatoes and tomatillos were in very short supply in the bumpy wagons of the day. :-)

I used to be a purist with my chili. Then a gent at work made some and asked me to try it. I told him that I've never cared for to chili that has tomato in it, but he asked me to try it anyway. His was the first chili that I'd ever tasted that contained tomato that I liked. I make it from time to time today and I'm salivating thinking about it. It uses some unusual ingredients like peperoncino (sp?).

If you want a recipe for a more or less original trail chili let me know and I'll  send it. I'll need an email address. That goes for anyone. Be warned, it's high fat content. But right next to it I have a modified recipe for our modern diet. I can't post the document. The original recipe was originally printed by "Starnes" in an outdoor magazine I got 50 years ago and he got it from who knows where, but he said that it was extremely close to the genuine article.

I'm using tomato sauce, diced tomato (canned), and two fresh tomatoes sliced in chunks. I'd like to try the recipe you mention, however, I do not do high animal fat.

I know, most modern recipes for chili use tomatoes. That's soup, not chili. I told (warned) you that I was a purist. :-) I've given it out at work and everyone came back to tell me they were surprised from the short ingredient list and how good it was. Chili is simple stuff to make, as it had to be after a very long day on the trail. Chili is meat sauce over beans. The folks on the trail had those ingredients along with dried peppers and other items that were rugged and didn't require special handling.

Yeah, I don't either do high animal fat either. That's why I converted the recipe for our modern diet. PM me your email and I'll send it. DO NOT put your email in this thread.

On many mornings I have a bowl of oatmeal with walnuts and blueberries.  When I was a kid my grandfather used to say that oatmeal was the perfect breakfast to "stick to your ribs," and while I laughed at him then, I've realized that he was right.

This mornings breakfast. Home made elk sausage, egg, and cheddar breakfast sandwich. So good!

On many mornings I have a bowl of oatmeal with walnuts and blueberries.  When I was a kid my grandfather used to say that oatmeal was the perfect breakfast to "stick to your ribs," and while I laughed at him then, I've realized that he was right.

John, do you ever make oatmeal pancakes? So easy and so tasty! The batter is made in the blender, from the oat flour to the final mix.

Elk sausage... I'm not at all hungry and I'm still salivating.

That sounds (and looks) delicious Dinder1!

On many mornings I have a bowl of oatmeal with walnuts and blueberries.  When I was a kid my grandfather used to say that oatmeal was the perfect breakfast to "stick to your ribs," and while I laughed at him then, I've realized that he was right.

John, do you ever make oatmeal pancakes? So easy and so tasty! The batter is made in the blender, from the oat flour to the final mix.

Elk sausage... I'm not at all hungry and I'm still salivating.

I do, Brian, but not often. I'm actually more of a waffle fan.
That elk sausage does look delicious. In my experience (back when I was eating meat), elk was the tastiest red meat of all, better than beef, buffalo, or deer. And having a freezer stocked from an elk hunting trip was a great feeling.