I like chili, but not enough to discuss it with someone from Texas.
Calvin Trillin
So as I previously mentioned I’m looking forward to hearty fall dinners soups, stews braises, roasted meats, and poultry, not that I won’t bring out the grill on good weather days but for now and all the daily raining going on I found another fun dinner idea usually a fall and winter choice, but rainy days also qualify. Frito pie history is not without controversy as you can read about at the Houstonian link below, but for race and game day devotees grazing along with Halloween trick or treaters, just another fun easily managed party food.
To make it a little more grown up I am using fresh ground beef and pork or to be exact ground garlic and pepper seasoned pork tenderloin which in the end adds a big hit of flavor to the “chili”. I have a couple of go to chili recipes, but for this pot of chili, I grabbed a little of this and that from several of my favorite recipes and what I had on hand. Of course, you can make your favorite chili to add to your bag of Fritos or as we did, in bowls and topped with our favorite toppings.
I like the Garden & Gun version, but I found that I didn’t need the suggested roux in the recipe as my chili was thick enough and if you are using the masa packet in the chili kit be sure to follow the package directions and stir the chili often to prevent sticking.
Our impromptu dinner menu started with Vivian Howard’s cheese ball, delicious and I haven’t made a cheese ball in centuries and her version is new and different enough to put into the keeper file, my friend brought a wonderful salad and we finished the evening with a slice of Atlantic Beach Pie, great night with good friends once again.
Frito Pie Chili inspired by Garden & Gun
3 pounds freshly ground sirloin
1-18 ounce garlic and pepper seasoned pork tenderloin
2 tablespoons EVOO
2 cans of chili beans or pinto beans
1 box Wick Fowler’s chili kit or Carroll Shelby’s kit (takes the place of measuring a lot of spices)
( I found that I needed more seasoning, but adjust to your tastes or leave it alone)
1 teaspoon allspice
2 cans diced Hatch green chilies
1 red pepper seeded and diced
1/2 large green pepper seeded and diced
1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced
1 jalapeno pepper seeded and diced
6 fat cloves of garlic minced
1 large sweet onion, diced
1/4 cup dark soy sauce
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tube tomato paste
*optional 1/4 cup diced sun-dried tomatoes
1 bottle Corona beer
1 pod Knorr beef stock
3 1/2 cups water
however many small bags of Fritos you will need
To your big chili pot heat, the EVOO and brown the ground pork in batches, place meat into a bowl. If you need a little more oil to sauté the vegetables add a bit more to the pot toss in all of the veggies except the garlic. Sauté the veggies, stirring until softened add the tomato paste, cook for another minute or so then add the spices stirring into the veggies until blended. Add the meat back to the pot and stir in all of the liquid ingredients and beans. Simmer covered over medium-low to low heat, stir often for 45 minutes or so.
Pop open your little bags of Fritos, ladle in some chili and top with your favorite chili garnishes, serve and have fun!
Serve your chili with your favorite garnishes, my favorites, green onions, sweet onions, diced jalapeno, Mexican cheese, cilantro etc.
Print this recipe: Frito Pie
https://www.houstoniamag.com/articles/2013/12/31/the-complicated-history-of-the-frito-pie-january-2014
http://gardenandgun.com/recipe/frito-pie-alabama-style/
Cucina Magia 
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