Fang Food: Cincinnati Reds Edition

From the official Dbacks Game Notes for the game on July 16, 2012, by way of that day's GameDay Thread:

D-backs broadcaster Jeff Munn visited the popular local fast-food chain Skyline Chili earlier today and President Barack Obama walked in…Obama was in Cincinnati for a campaign event…Obama, a well-known White Sox fan, told Munn he "hated to hear" that the D-backs had been swept by the Cubs.

Interesting fact, we were facing Bronson Arroyo that night. Plus, it seems to have taken place during that Dark Time known as the Microwave nickname, and we were still actively wondering where Sutton was. It's interesting what you learn when you read old GDT's...

In edition to that particular event, it seems every time the team is in Cincinnati, either Schulte, Candiotti, or both, will talk about going there and running into all sorts of different Dbacks players and personnel, so it seems fitting to use a big bowl of chili to represent the Reds.

Scouting Report

 Per their website, Skyline Chili has been around in Cinci since 1949, when a Greek immigrant brought over his family's secret recipes and started serving them from a restaurant that over-looked the skyline of the the city, hence the name. Since then, they've become something of an icon. 

Now, I've never had their chili. A quick comment search of the site tells me that it's pretty popular, as long as your name isn't soco. However, soco says it's really watery, which doesn't sound very good to me, and 4 Corners Fan says it makes a great pasta sauce, which is just weird. Today's recipe is about as far from watery as you can get, however. In fact, it it was any less watery, it would probably be a solid. It packs a pretty decent punch as far as spice is concerned, and it's very easy to double, triple, or even quadruple if you're feeding a crowd, or two teenage boys, as the case may be. Also, it's very good leftover, after the flavors have had some time to mingle and mellow out a bit.

Recipe

Homemade Chili

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil or corn oil

2 onions, chopped 

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

6 cloves garlic, minced 

1/4 C. chili powder

1 Tbsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

2 lb. 85 percent lean ground beef

2(15-ounce) cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 can (28 ounces) tomato puree

Directions:

1. Over medium, heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan until shimmering, but not quite smoking. Add the onions, bell peppers,  and all the spices and herbs, stirring occasionally until the veggies are soft. 
2. Raise the heat to medium-high. Add the ground beef, break into small pieces, and cook until the beef is browned. 
3. Add in the beans, diced, undrained, tomatoes, and puree. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, and simmer for about an hour and a half, until the chili is thick and dark. You have to stir regularly, though, or it will burn on bottom, no matter how low you reduce the heat. Once it has thickened up, serve. 

I recommend topping it off with a dollop (that's a technical term) of sour cream, a hefty portion of cheddar cheese, and just a squeeze of fresh lime juice. It also goes really well with cornbread, or on top of hotdogs. Enjoy!

By consuming them, we absorb their strengths. It's just like cannibalism. Only with a lower chance of contracting a horrible brain disease. ~ Jim McLennan Join Blake, (imstillhungry95) and Patrick (Turambar) as we explore the food and drink of our opponents throughout the season. Find us on Facebook, email us at fangfood@gmail.com, or check out our past articles!!