Ricky, by way of Sarah
Wilkesboro, NC
Ricky's Chili
Sarah's dad used to make this in the pits. Not at home, at the track. Cast iron pot on a propane burner next to the hauler, lid on, ignored for most of the day while he worked on the car. He'd hand bowls out to anyone who came by. Now the pot travels to every race weekend the family keeps.
From the pit stall, mostly
Feeds a stall · He won't give up the last ingredient. We've asked.
You'll need
- 3 lbs brisket trim, cubed rough — don't be neat about it
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 poblanos, charred and chopped
- 2 anaheims, same
- 1 jalapeño, seeded if you're a coward
- 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 can tomato paste
- 1 bottle dark beer (whatever's cold)
- 2 cups beef stock
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp Mexican oregano
- Salt, pepper, to taste — be generous
- 2 cans pinto beans, drained (fight us)
- [the thing Ricky won't tell us]
How it goes
- Brown the brisket in batches in the cast iron. Don't crowd it. Pull it out, sweat the onion and garlic in the fond, add the peppers, let them go a few minutes. Tomato paste in, stir it around until it darkens. Deglaze with the beer. Everything else in. Brisket back. Stock to cover.
- Lid on, low fire, three to four hours. Stir when you walk by. Beans in the last thirty minutes.
- If it tastes like it's missing something, that's because it is. Call Ricky.
The chili's better when he makes it. Don't let him tell you otherwise. — S
The weekend we made it at home instead of the Glen. Read the story →
Wilkesboro, NC · From the Kitchen
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