Cooking - Roadkill

Ok... everyone thinks they have the best chili recipe ever made, but here ya go.

It's a tradition in my house on winter weekends, or freeze it for summer camping trips!

1.5 to 2 pounds ground beef (the cheap stuff)

1 pound "hot" ground sausage (use wild game stuff if you have it... roadkill, ect.)

1 or 2 small cans chopped black olives

1 can or jar small Green olives (Yes green) get sliced if possible or do the work

1 large can kidney beans

1 can black beans

1 can white beans

1 can kernel corn

1 can French cut green beans (trust me)

2 large cans diced stewed tomatoes

2 medium white onions - diced

2 garlic gloves - fresh! diced

A few jalapeños slices - diced finely (quantity to taste)

Cook up the meat with lots of salt and pepper (don't over cook) and drain off some grease!

Open the beans and drain off juices and rinse off with water (they'll be better - trust me)

Cook up the onions, garlic and jalapeños with olive oil and butter (caramelize a bit)

Dump it all in a crock pot or big stove pot and cook on low as long as you can stand not eating it (at least 2 hours). Add liquid as desired, use beef broth. Season with chili powder and cumin powder to your taste or if you must; packaged chilly spice mix. Add some... taste, add some... taste... It will cook down in, be careful.

You can add beef broth if too dry, but take it easy... it will juice up as it cooks down. You can also add another can of beans or two if more campfire buckaroo's pop in or you want to stretch out the ol' camp meal while in the woods.

The corn and green beans add a lot of substance and extra flavor. Serve with graded cheddar Monterey jack cheese, fresh chopped onions and crackers of choice... and a big glass or two of ice cold milk!

Enjoy! you'll back for 2nd's!

1.5 to 2 pounds ground beef (the cheap stuff)

1 pound "hot" ground sausage (use wild game stuff if you have it... roadkill, ect.)

1 or 2 small cans sliced black olives

1 can or jar small Green olives (Yes green) get sliced if possible or do the work

1 large can or jar of your favorite Spaghetti sauce (I recommend something on sale)

1 small can of tomato paste

1 or 2 large cans diced stewed tomatoes

2 medium white onions - diced

2 garlic gloves - fresh! diced

A few jalapeños slices - diced finely (quantity to taste) Optional...

Cook up the meat with lots of salt and pepper (don't over cook - it will cook in the sauce also) and drain off grease!

Cook up the onions, garlic and jalapeños with olive oil and butter (caramelize a bit)

Season with your favorite brand Rosemary, Thyme and Oregano - about a teaspoon each.

Hint: Always use fresh seasonings. Replace every few months once opened. Seasonings get stale and loose their favor.

If your one of those grow your own retired types, even better.

Dump it all in a crock pot or big stove pot and cook on low as long as you can stand not eating it (at least 2 hours). Add liquid as desired, use beef broth.

You can add more canned sauce if needed to stretch it out a bit for the army of people on the feed-line once they taste this slop! I put it on everything from pizza to eggs in the morning. It's even good cold!

If you think this recipe looks a lot like my chili recipe, it's just your imagination, get over it.

Enjoy! you'll love it!

The object is to have all the wood turn into coals at the same time. This gives an even fire with no flames reaching up to burn your food or blacken your cookware.

1. Prepare the site - Select a fire site at least 8' from bushes or any combustibles. Be sure no tree branches overhang the site. - Make a U-shaped perimeter using large rocks or green logs. If using logs, they'll need to be wet down from time to time. If breezy, have back of firepit face the wind. - Put a large flat rock at the rear of the firepit to act as a chimney. The "chimney rock" will direct the smoke up and away from the fire area.
2. Lay the kindling - Fill the fire area with crumpled paper or tinder. - Lay kindling over paper in layers, alternating direction with each layer. Use thin splits of wood or small dead branches. Do not put kindling down "teepee style". The whole fire area should be covered with the kindling stack. - Set a bucket of water near the fire area. Light the paper to start your fire.
3. Build the fire, grade the coals - When kindling is in full blaze, add firewood. The wood should be all the same size, as much as possible. Use hardwood or hardwood branches if available. Distribute wood evenly over fire area, not just in the center. - As soon as the last flames die down leaving mostly white coals, use a flat stick to push the coals into a high level at the back end and low level at the front. This will give you the equivalent of 'Hi', 'Med' and 'Lo' cook settings.
To cook, set the grill on rocks or green logs. Put food directly on grill or in cookware and prepare your meal. If cooking directly on the grill, a small spray bottle or squirt gun is handy for shooting down any rogue flames, usually caused by food drippings. As the fire diminishes, bank the coals to get the most heat from them. After cooking, throw on a log or two for your evening campfire. Before retiring, extinguish thoroughly and soak with water. Turn rocks in on fire bed. It will be easy to reassemble the next day if required.