What's Cooking America » Cooking Articles » » Chili Recipes » Beef Chili Recipes » Chasens Famous Chili History and Recipe
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
Related Recipes
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
Elevate your chili recipe by adding an extra layer of flavor. Cocoa powder, bacon, cinnamon, ground coffee and tomato paste will all add a rich sweet & salty flavors that are sure to surprise and delight.
Did Cowboys put beans in chili? ›
In all likelihood, beans have long been a part of chili, even in Texas. And while purists will argue the point until they're red in the face, that fight doesn't hold sway with historians like Guerra. Cowboys mixed chili and beans on their tin plates according to the Chili Appreciation Society International.
What is known as a bowl of red Texas chili is never made with? ›
If you did not know that the chili in Texas never, ever contains beans, then you have not discussed chili with a Texan.
Why is Texas chili different? ›
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 the most important spice in chili? ›
Most Common Chili Spices. Cumin, Chile Powders, and Paprika are the most common spices in chili followed by garlic, onion, coriander, Mexican oregano, and bay leaves. These ingredients can be combined to create a savory and well-balanced pot of top notch comfort food.
Why do you put vinegar in chili? ›
Cooking is often about finding a balance between these basic taste sensations, which is why apple cider vinegar can be exactly what you need to make your pot of chili a little brighter. Acids enhance the salty, umami-rich flavors already present in chili, and round out the sweetness, adding intricacy to the dish.
What is chili without beans called? ›
It's true that traditional Texas red chili, aka chili con carne, is a heavily spiced beef and chili pepper stew with no beans.
Why do Texans say no beans in chili? ›
Along the way, chili became associated with cowboy culture, which is, after all, an extension of Spanish and Mexican vaquero traditions. Perhaps these Texans emphasized the "carne" part of chili because beans were already overemployed at the chuck wagon.
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.
What is Devil chili? ›
Devil is an F1 hybrid variety of serrano chilli. The plant produces heavy yields of very large 9½cm (3¾in) long by 1cm (½in) wide hot peppers. Peppers are very hot and turn from glossy dark green to red when mature. Plant has green stems, green leaves, and white flowers.
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.
What is Ohio chili called? ›
The Origins of Cincinnati Chili
As its name suggests, this chili originated in Cincinnati, Ohio. In The Authentic History of Cincinnati Chili, Dann Woellert traces the original recipe to two brothers, Tom and John Kiradjieff, who immigrated from Macedonia in northern Greece in the early 1920s.
What is chili with beans called? ›
Prepared as a quick and easy feast for ranchers and cattle drivers to make out on the range, the base of the recipe is classic chili con carne, Spanish for chilies with meat. Many are quick to point out that if beans were meant to be in chili it would have been called chili con frijoles.
Why did they stop making Texas Pete chili? ›
“We quit making chili because we couldn't sell it for what it cost us to make it," says Garner. "We were actually losing money on it, and we could not sustain our business if we had continued to do that product.”
Do Texans put meat in their chili? ›
Chile con carne, the Mexican version, is spiced beans (same peppers as above) with ground or chunks of (usually ) beef, goat, or mutton. You can use cooked tomatos in either without being shot. I live in Houston, Texas and Texans say no beans in the chili. It's just ground beef or steak beef with spices.
How can I make my chili more exciting? ›
Add a secret ingredient or two
Some people swear that a shot of bourbon adds the perfect level of heat, while others use coffee, cinnamon or chocolate to add an extra depth of flavor. Sometimes, all you need is an acidic ingredient (like lime juice or vinegar) at the end to bring the flavors together.
Why do you put brown sugar in chili? ›
The brown sugar gave it a sweet/tangy flavor that reminded me of BBQ-sauce! Th chili was so good - it was hard to stop eating it! I did had some extra veggies (1 cl. garlic, 1 celery stalk, 1 carrot, 1 bell pepper, 1 hot pepper) and used a can of diced tomatoes rather than tomato juice.
What does sour cream do for chili? ›
For an extra tangy, rich bite, incorporate a dollop (or five) into your batch. This is already common practice in many white chili recipes (which, ironically, are often made with green chiles), but a dollop of stirred-in sour cream can benefit red chili, as well.
Why do you put baking soda in chili? ›
In this chili recipe, baking soda (that same thing the fluffs up cakes and cookies) tenderizes the ground beef while making it brown better. Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is alkaline.
