This dandy chili mix makes great chili. It is one of the best things I have tasted in a long time. It has a clever concept, which explains why it is a `kit'. The bag has 4 separate packets: a main chile packet (the chili powder has almost no heat, but lots of flavor), a small packet of cayenne, a small packet of salt, and a larger one with masa harina. This way, you adjust the heat, salt, and thickness to your liking; some chile mixes has everything combined, and you cannot change it. One kit is enough for 2 pounds of meat, so larger batches will require more kits.Course, I did not follow the included recipe. I tossed the salt (I used sea salt instead) and masa flour (it was plenty thick without it) packets, used beef chuck cut into 1 ½ inch cubes instead of ground beef (course, it took that much longer to cook, but so what?), and all of the cayenne packet. Boy was it good.
The flavor created by the spices in the main packet is the best attribute. Lots of deep, low, earthy tones that have excellent complexity and subtlety.
Another great feature is the brilliant strategy of putting the cayenne pepper in a separate pouch. I only put in a little. My wife likes her chili slightly warm: warm enough to be interesting. So, I put about 1/8th of the cayenne pouch when I cook the chili, then I sprinkle extra on only my serving when I eat my bowl-full. I like a little more warmth to add to the complex flavors without so much heat that I begin to loose the ability to taste all those wonderful layers of tastes.
It is another exceptionally brilliant idea to put the salt in yet another separate pouch. Again, my wife does not like very much salt at all, so I don't put any in while cooking. I salt my bowl-full with some sea-salt, and in my opinion a little sea-salt REALLY brings out the complex flavors in this chili mix. I hope more products begin to put the salt in a separate packet. I think most folks would be appalled to see exactly how much salt is in the average meal-mix they buy: like Hamburger Helper for example. Plus for some reason good sea salt just tastes better than the cheap salt.
Lastly, Mr. Shelby puts a packet of thickening powder in his kit in addition to the main chili pack, the cayenne packet, and the salt packet. The thickening agent is simply finely ground corn meal and it does a nice job of thickening the chili if that is what you like and prefer. I have prepared this kit many times both with and without the thickening, and I like it both ways. I now just alternate for variety.
PREPARATION TIPS from my personal preferences:
*Saute LOTS of onion to go in the chili. At lease one large yellow onion, and I sometimes do one-and-a-half.
*Always use the optional 15oz can of diced tomatoes (don't forget to reduce the amount of water used, like the direction on the box say.
*Always use the optional 15oz can of beans. My favorite are dark kidney beans, but greatly enjoy black-beans, pintos, or about any chili-style bean. TIP: drain the liquid from the can of beans into a bowl, and use the liquid as substitute for part of the "water" called for in the recipe.
*Some favorite toppings in the bowl: sea salt, cayenne powder, diced white onions, pepper jack or cheddar cheese, black olives, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, tortilla chips.
I will address some of the complaints by negative reviewers:
1)A few said the chili was not very flavorful. Unfortunately in the USA most folks confuse "salt" with flavor. Since the mix has separate salt packet and none in the mix, I believe that nay-sayers have just not put in the prodigious amount of extra salt that they are used to associating with "flavor". As I wrote earlier, the chili benefits from some sea salt, but for my taste, does not need large amounts.
2)Some may say the lack of heat is not flavorful enough. Well, there are folks who like things thermo-nuclear-hot, and you just can't get there with the little extra cayenne packet supplied in the kit. The chili with no cayenne at all is slightly warm, and varying amounts of the cayenne powder will satisfy the tastes of 99.999% of folks. For those who like more heat, add whatever crazy-hot stuff you require to get the heat you want.
3)If your complaint is that it does not taste exactly like you want right out of the box (like some other brand perhaps), I disagree strongly, because I believe that the customization offered by the different pouches included, is a greatly beneficial feature. If they made it to taste exactly like YOU want, then it probably wouldn't taste like many other folks want.
Buy Carroll Shelby's Original Texas Chili Kit, 4-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 12) Now
I'm on the website today to order a second twelve-pack of this mix. I haven't shopped around a lot; Carroll Shelby's is the first and only mix I've tried, and I'm very happy with it. I found it on Amazon earlier this year after being unable to find it in local stores, and I've just recently gone through the first twelve-pack (okay, I gave one pack to my mother-in-law).I've converted my daughter and my mother-in-law to it, as well; they're both chili lovers and we use this recipe together with dark red kidney beans, diced tomatoes, a small can of tomato sauce, and ground turkey (healthier, and cheaper, and there's a small difference in texture and none in taste from ground beef). We recommend going with the recipe option that calls for a large can of diced tomatoes, and about half the cayenne packet, and about 32 oz of canned dark red kidney beans, drained (the recipe only recommends 16 oz), and between 2 and 3 lbs of ground whatever.
Ground beef, not too lean, or chopped chuck, or cubed pot roast are all good candidates for the meat. As the package used to say, fifteen years ago, don't waste your money on expensive cuts of beef here.
The directions are pretty basic and perfectly adequate to produce a good hearty meal. Use a _big_ frying pan, 13" if you've got one, and have a larger stew pot/saucepan of some kind standing by in case your ingredients are too much for the pan. Do stir frequently once you've added the spices and flour, because there's some tendency for the mix to thicken up and form a skin on the bottom of the pot, and you'll lose good flavor that way (not to mention the bottom might get burned and ruin the whole recipe).
With 2-3 lbs of meat, two cans of beans and a large (28 oz) can of diced tomatoes in tomato juice, the whole thing makes six or seven _really_ generous portions (12-14 oz each). I make it and freeze most of it in individual portions, taking it in to work and microwaving it at lunch.
Read Best Reviews of Carroll Shelby's Original Texas Chili Kit, 4-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 12) Here
I've been using this Carroll Shelby chili mix for years, but finding it in local stores has been hit or miss. It had gotten to where I was buying several packages at a time whenever I could find it anywhere.I was amazed to find it here on Amazon, and for considerably less than I've paid in stores in the past. I love chili, and usually make 1-2 batches per month during the winter, and at least a batch every couple of months during the summer.
There's a recipe on the package, but I don't know anyone who actually follows it to the letter. I suppose if you've never made chili before, it's a good starting place. You can then decide how you might want to modify it.
I usually use half ground beef and half ground turkey (approx. a pound of each), a chopped onion, a 28-oz can of "redi-cut" tomatoes, a small can of tomato paste, a small can of black beans, a small can of pinto beans; then, from the chili kit, I add the spice packet and the entire cayenne pepper packet. They used to include a tiny bottle of tabasco sauce; they discontinued that in favor of the cayenne. I like things a little spicy, and the amount of cayenne here makes for a low-medium "burn" level.
Only occasionally do I find I need to use the masa flour. Usually, my chili is thick enough without it.
Finally, I top it with shredded colby-jack cheese, and serve it with cornbred muffins. We're talking serious yum here.
It makes amazing chili dogs, too. And chili mac. And chili cornbread casserole (thicken the chili a little, put it in a square baking dish, top with dollops of cornbread batter, bake at 350 until cornbread is puffed and starting to brown).
Carroll Shelby's mix has just the right combination of spices to make the best tasting chili I've ever had. I'll so glad that it's available right here on Amazon.
Want Carroll Shelby's Original Texas Chili Kit, 4-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 12) Discount?
As the father and head cook in a home with many children, we grew fond of trying various chili recipes and methods over the years. This mix has become my favorite go to mix. I use it as a base and then add the many things we like in our special chili. It really tastes good and has always come through with a great flavor and wonderful tasting chili.When making the chili for visiting family that might not like it as hot as we prefer, you can leave out the packet of hot spices, or perhaps add just half ;-). We prefer it with a little kick and find adding all of the spices in this kit to really work well.
We like to add many special things to this mix. Since some may be curious how ours tastes, I'll include the essential ingredient list:
2 lbs chuck roast cut into small cubes. Use your favorite cut
A green pepper or two (depends on what we have in our garden)
A hot pepper or two (again from our garden)
A jalepeno pepper for flavor ;-)
A couple of large onions
1 28oz can crused tomatoes in puree
2 15oz cans pinto beans
2 15oz cans black beans
Of course all of the seasoning including the hot packet
Salt and Pepper to taste
5 stars, great mix we always keep some in our home.
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