Place hamburger meat in large skillet. Now the secret: Cover with water, bring to a simmer and stir to break up the meat into very small pieces, about 5-10 minutes. Drain meat and return to skillet. Add the ketchup and spices, rinsing out ketchup bottle with water and adding the water to the chili mixture.
Stir and simmer for about 15 minutes. If it gets too thick, add a little water. If it gets too thin, simmer a little longer.
Freeze leftovers in a zip-top bag, or make beef nachos by placing 1/2 tablespoon chili on each tortilla chip, topping with shredded cheddar and Jack cheese and sliced jalapeno peppers, and microwaving or broiling until cheese melts.
Source "Nothing makes a soup moment like a rainy day" By ANN BURGER, Post and Courier Food Editor, Sun, 08-Feb-1998. http://www.charleston.net/pub/entertain/cookin/soup0208.htm
Notes: Makes about 24 servings, 2 ounces each. John Avinger of Shem Creek Bar & Grill writes, "Eddy Tobin, who ran Tobin's Pool Hall back in the '60s, shared his secret for chili. Note I said 'secret,' not 'recipe.' There's a simple little twist in making this chili smooth and almost fat-free - the latter being an added bonus with today's health concerns."
Recipe by: Tobin's Pool Hall
Posted to MC-Recipe Digest by KitPATh <phannema@wizard.ucr.edu> on Feb 08, 1998
