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History of Chasen’s Chili:
Chasen’s Restaurant in Hollywood, California probably made the most famous chili. The owner of the restaurant, Dave Chasen (1899-1973), ex-vaudeville performer, kept the Chasens Famous Chili recipe a secret, entrusting it to no one.
1936 to 2000 – For years, he came to the restaurant every Sunday to privately cook up a batch, which he would freeze for the week, believing that the chili was best when reheated. “It is a kind of bastard chili” was all that Dave Chasen would divulge.
Chauffeurs and studio people, actors and actresses would come to the back door of Chasen’s to buy and pick up the chili by the quart. Other famous people craved this chili such as comedian and actor Jack Benny (1894-1974) who ordered it by the quart. J. Edgar Hoover (1895-1972), former Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), who considered it the best chili in the world, and Eleanor Roosevelt (1894-1962) wife of the 32nd President of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt, sought the recipe but was refused (a complimentary order was dispatched to her instead). It is said that Chasen’s also send chili to movie actor Clark Gable (1901-1960), when he was in the hospital (he reportedly had it for dinner the night he died).
During the filming of the movie Cleopatra in Rome, Italy, famous movie star, Elizabeth Taylor, had Chasen’s Restaurant in Hollywood, California send 10 quarts of their famous chili to her. She supposedly paid $200 to have it shipped to her in Rome:
Writing to Dave Chasen about his Chasens Famous Chili Recipe by Elizabeth Taylor, on location in Rome, 1962:
“The chili is so good. All gone now. Please send me ten quarts of your wonderful chili in dry ice to 448 Via Appia pignatelli. – Love and kisses, Elizabeth Taylor.”
The original Chasen’s restaurant closed in April of 1995, and the new Chasen’s on Cañon Drive closed permanently in April of 2000.
Learn about the history and legends of Chili, Chili Con Carne.
Chasen's Famous Chili Recipe:
Chasens Famous Chili recipe from the cookbook Chasen’s – Where Hollywood Dined, by Betty Goodwin, published by Angel City Press, 1996.
Course:Side Dish
Cuisine:American
Keyword:Chasens Famous Chili History and Recipe
Author: What's Cooking America
Ingredients
- 1/2pounddry pinto beans
- Water
- 1(28-ounce) candiced tomatoesin juice
- 1largegreen bell pepper,chopped
- 2tablespoonsvegetable oil
- 3cupsonions,coarsely chopped
- 2clovesgarlic,crushed
- 1/2cupparsley,chopped
- 1/2cupbutter
- 2poundsbeef chuck,coarsely chopped*
- 1poundpork shoulder,coarsely chopped*
- 1/3cupGebhardt's chili powder
- 1tablespoonsalt
- 1 1/2teaspoonspepper
- 1 1/2teaspoonsFarmer Brother's ground cumin**
Instructions
Rinse the beans, picking out debris. Place beans in a Dutch oven with water to cover. Boil for two minutes. Remove from heat. Cover with lid and let stand one hour. After one hour, drain off liquid and discard.
Rinse beans again. Add just enough fresh water to cover the beans. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered, for one hour or until tender. Stir in tomatoes and their juice and let simmer five minutes.
In a large skillet, saute bell pepper in oil for five minutes. Add onion and cook until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in the garlic and parsley. Add mixture to bean mixture. Using the same skillet, melt the butter and saute beef and pork chuck until browned. Drain. Add to bean mixture along with the chili powder, salt, pepper and cumin.
Bring mixture just to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for one hour. Uncover and cook 30 minutes more or to desired consistency. Chili should not be too thick - it should be somewhat liquid but not runny like soup. Skim of excess fat and serve.
NOTE: You can freeze this chili for several months. When reheating refrigerated leftover or frozen chili, add a few tablespoons of water to regain proper consistency.
Serves many.
Recipe Notes
* Chasen's used the best beef chuck, center cut, trimmed completely of fat. The restaurant used a special meat grinder, but for the home cook, meat chopped into one-quarter to one-half-inch chunks is much better than ground meat for this chili.
** Sometimes cumin seed is used in place of the ground cumin. It is a matter of personal preference.
Famous and Not-So Famous Chili Recipes:
Arnold’s “Old Leatherthroat” Chili Con Carne
Bowl Of Red – Classic Chili
Chasen’s Famous Chili
Chili H. Allen Smith
Linda’s Chili Con Carne
Pedernales River Chili
Spicy Chili with Peppers
Tolbert’s Original Bowl of Red
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Categories:
Beef Chili Recipes Chili Recipes Dinner Dried and Canned Bean Recipes Far West Pork Shoulder Roast Pot Roast Southwest Food History Winter
Comments and Reviews
FAQs
What primarily distinguishes Texas chili from other chili recipes you might find is a lack of beans, but it also doesn't feature any tomatoes. It is, largely, a ground beef dish that's seasoned with a spicy chili paste made of dried peppers.
What is traditional chili made of? ›
Standard (as in commercial or canned) chili made in its simplest (easiest) form is ground beef, tomato sauce of some kind, kidney beans, and chili powder. Commercial chili powder contains red (cayenne) pepper, cumin, garlic powder and oregano. Some also have onion powder and various other spices.
When was the first batch of chili made in America? ›
The earliest written record of chili was made by J.C. Clopper who lived near Houston in 1828. Multiple outdoor market places increased the popularity of the bowls of red which were sold by women who acquired the names of “Chili Queens.” For 10 cents you received a “bowl of red,” a piece of bread and a glass of water.
Is chili American or Mexican? ›
The modern dish we know as chili, also known as chili con carne (chili with meat), does appear to have roots in the American West, particularly the State of Texas. An old legend holds that immigrants from the Canary Islands brought a recipe for chili with them when they settled San Antonio in the early 1700s.
What is the difference between Cincinnati style chili and Texas chili? ›
Texas chili is full of chili powder, often home-made and and may have cumin, but doesn't have a lot of nuance. Texas chili may be served with saltines and probably with cheese and onions, but isn't served on rice or spaghetti. Cincinnati chili is milder and sweeter and may have some seasonings like allspice.
What's the difference between Tex-Mex chili and original chili? ›
Tex-Mex chili does not include beans; most other regional chilis do include beans.
What not to put in chili? ›
Beans and non-vegetable fillers such as rice and pasta are not allowed." If that sounds a bit uptight, the ICS's Homestyle Chili competition defines chili as: "any kind of meat, or combination of meats, and/or vegetables cooked with beans, chili peppers, various spices, and other ingredients.
Does authentic chili have beans? ›
As purists would have it, traditional red (chili con carne) hasn't changed much over the years. It still consists of meat, red chili peppers, and spices—no beans, rice, pasta, or other fillers, aside from vegetables, according to ICS criteria.
What is the best meat for chili? ›
What is the best meat for chili? The best meat for chili depends on the type you're making, but professionals generally use a combination of ground chuck, brisket, short ribs, or diced tri-tip sirloin mixed with bacon and sausage to layer multiple textures and flavors.
What state does not put beans in chili? ›
Beans in chili? Not if you're from Texas! While some people claim that chili can be made with a variety of ingredients—including beef and bean chili, chipotle chicken chili, or dare we say veggie chili—anyone from the Lone Star State would argue that traditional chili simply does not contain beans.
If you go pretty much anywhere in Texas you will find chili ingredients simple and rarely differing: meat, sauce, peppers and spices. Carol Hanco*ck, President and CEO of the International Chili Society, told Texas Living there is a specific reason why Texas chili contains no beans: it's tradition.
What is the nickname for Texas chili? ›
Chili Con Carne, a.k.a. Texas Red
The chili that was invented in San Antonio is said to be a bowl of "red": tender, individual stewed chunks of beef swaddled in a spicy, cumin-spiked sauce made from red chiles, which lend the dish an appealing russet hue. Texans take this heritage very seriously.
Did cowboys put beans in chili? ›
Cowboys mixed chili and beans on their tin plates according to the Chili Appreciation Society International. San Antonio's chili queens serve their namesake dish in this undated photograph. The famous painting Chili Queens at the Alamo by Julian Onderdonk depicts a classic San Antonio scene.
Do Texans eat beans in their chili? ›
Not universally, but many Texans today tend to eschew beans and even tomatoes in their chili con carne. Where did this tradition arise? Native American, Spanish and Mexican cooks have used the basic ingredients — including beans — for centuries.
Did cowboys eat chili? ›
Suppression only fueled this fire and in the 1800's chili was a staple food for cowboys, ruffians, and Adventurers on the Western Frontier. It was even served up in jails. Originally made of dried beef, fat and spices carried in saddlebags, then reconstituted over campfires. It was cheap and hearty and filling.
What are some interesting facts about Texas chili? ›
The Texas prison system made such good chili that freed inmates often wrote for the recipe, saying what they missed most after leaving prison was a good bowl of chili. Texas chili spread nationally when Texans from San Antonio set up a chili stand at the Chicago Exposition in 1893.
What is the difference between Texas chili and Colorado chili? ›
And while Texas chili is usually all beef, people often cook their chile colorado with pork instead.
Why doesn t Texas chilli have beans? ›
If you go pretty much anywhere in Texas you will find chili ingredients simple and rarely differing: meat, sauce, peppers and spices. Carol Hanco*ck, President and CEO of the International Chili Society, told Texas Living there is a specific reason why Texas chili contains no beans: it's tradition.
What's the difference between Texas chili and chili con carne? ›
An authentic Texas Chili, or chili con carne, will not have beans. Simple answer. When this recipe/dish originated, there were no beans, no onion, no tomato added. There was a concern that it would resemble a stew and not a chili.
