The Hotty Toddy Chili Bowl
Come September, down here in the landmass of Mississippi, the blood starts pumping, and our minds switch from lazy afternoons spent under shade trees to rustling leaves with whiskey rivers and punch bowls waiting to be filled.
Now, in other places, fall means a break in the heat of summer with cool and crisp mornings, candy corn colored leaves dancing in the air before gently falling to the ground. The arrival of Mums sold from the local 4-H, cinnamon brooms, and all things pumpkin spice.
In the South, the arrival of September has a different meaning to most folks. This is a hallowed time, you start to get your mind right, and the focus quickly shifts from flip flops, deviled eggs, and sweet tea in the fridge - it shifts ... to football. Specifically, SEC football and all things SEC football.
Preparations begin for tailgating - tablecloths must be ironed, the silver must be polished, and the whiskey must be stocked.
For me, I grew up in Oxford, five minutes from the University of Mississippi, and five minutes from The Square. That means that I support the Red and Blue and all things Manning, and if you know me, then you know I am a ride or die fan.
We do our tailgating on sacred ground - The Grove. No joke - we do not come to play. When you show up in The Grove, you need to be ready to show out. Your family honor is on the line.
When my wife and I were looking at dates for our wedding in September, the first thing we did was check the football schedule - I am not even kidding y’all. No one wants to be the rube who schedules their wedding on the Saturday of a home football game. The people closest to you will be “blessing your heart “ for years to come because you did not have the good sense to check the football schedule before picking a date to marry your beloved.
We were not going to be The Ones … just saying.
Tailgating is a source of pride for all the SEC schools; we just do it just a little different, and we really try to kick it up a notch. Football is religion, and in the same way, you wouldn't show up to church without a quarter or two for the collection plate, you don't show up empty-handed at the tailgate without some food or a bottle of whiskey.
Again, you do not want to be The One.
Sadly, I do not attend many tailgates in my older years. But make no mistake, I still respect the game and value the importance of chandeliers hanging from canopy tents in The Grove.
A pot of chili will be your best friend for this occasion. It can be cooked the day before (and it's actually better if it sits overnight ), and it carries well. Go buy a cheap pot with a lid that can be abandoned at the tailgate after the whiskey takes hold.
Warm chili and cool weather go together like Earth Wind and Fire. Trust me when I say your tailgating family will respect your game for actually bringing something that was cooked.
Have fun, enjoy the moment and the atmosphere, make new friends, and drink all the whiskey, pull for your team, just leave the tiger tails and the cowbells at home!
Hotty Toddy Chili
1 lb. ground chuck
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, whole
1 whole cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
1 can pinto beans
1 can black beans
1 can Ro-tel diced tomatoes with green chilis
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 can tomato puree
Juice of 1 fresh lime
1 bottle or can of your favorite beer
1 package of your favorite chili spice mix
Hot Sauce to taste
Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
Put ground chuck, onion, jalapeno, and cinnamon stick in the bottom of the pan and brown on low heat the same way you would for tacos. Do not drain. Once the onions are soft, and the beef is cooked all the way through, add all remaining ingredients. Stir well to mix, cover with a lid and cook on a low simmer for 4 hours. You will want to stir every 20 minutes or so to make sure beans do not stick to the bottom of the pot. If you need to thin it out to your liking, just add a little chicken stock or water. Garnish with avocado and sour cream or any of your favorite chili toppings!