LSU pulled off a 27-24 win over Arkansas on Saturday, evening their record at 3-3 on the season. Now, the Tigers hit the road for the second straight week with a visit to 5th-ranked Texas A&M.
The Tailgate Tuesday options for Texas A&M were pretty robust, but instead of going with the obvious — brisket or beef ribs — I wanted to find something different that still has ties to the state at the very least. I landed on Frito Pie.
A Brief History
According to The Local Plate, Fritos themselves were started in Texas “when Charles Elmer “C.E.” Doolin bought a five-cent package of Mexican corn chips at a gas station in San Antonio. After liking what he ate, C.E. Doolin bought the recipe and small company and started frying up the chips at home while his mother, Daisy Doolin, crafted recipes for them. He called the chips Fritos, an Anglicized version of the Spanish fritas, or “fried.”
However, there is some controversy over where Frito Pie actually came from. New Mexico claims it started in their state by Teresa Hernandez in 1960, but Frito-Lay records show it was serve to the Dallas Dietetic Association in 1949.
Per Houstonia Mag, in 1962, Frito-Lay put the recipe on the bag of Fritos, instructing customers to “heat can of chili, pour into bag of Fritos, and sprinkle with grated cheese, and chopped onions.” And thus, a cult classic was born.
Chances are, you’ve had it at a high school football game. Texas school lunch programs have featured the Frito Pie. Barbecue joints across the country feature it on their menu (try it at Fox Bros next time you’re in Atlanta). No matter who actually invented it, it’s a classic recipe with just a few ingredients that you can eat as described above or put your own spin on.
Aside from the actual Fritos, the main ingredient is chili, and this is where you can really get creative. Everyone has their own chili recipe, and while I typically prefer chili with beans, I decided to stay true to the Longhorn state with this recipe and used a Texas chili.
The Recipe
Since I didn’t use my own chili recipe — which has won three chili cookoffs, by the way (one of which was on Capitol Hill) — I went with a recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks, The Chili Cookbook by Robb Walsh. If you like chilis and trying different ones, pick up this book. I’ve made several of the recipes here and they have all been great.
For this one, I used Richard Bolt’s “Deviled Beef” recipe, which, according to the book, “is cooked in the old style without searing or browning the meat…Richard Bolt worked until the 1970s as a chuck wagon cook for the 6666 Ranch in Guthrie, Texas (known as the Four Sixes). He learned at the knee of a master — his father was an old-time trail drive cocinero, as chuck wagon cooks are known in Spanish. His dad called his chili “deviled beef” and cooked it in a cast-iron Dutch oven over the smoldering coals of a campfire.”
One thing I love about this cookbook is the historical inlays included, and on this page it details how chili parlors served chili with saltines or oyster crackers to make the grease more palatable.
Start out by melting 4 ounces of suet or rendered tallow in a Dutch oven, then add 2 pounds of ground beef and enough water to cover about 1 inch above the meat. Let that simmer for about 1 hour, until the meat is tender.
Next, add 1 chopped onion, 1/4 cup of chili powder, 2 teaspoons of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, and a bottle of dark beer. I used Great Lakes Christmas Ale, but use whatever you want. Mix well and let go for 30 minutes. You may need to add water to maintain consistency.
You will have lots of grease, so you can mix in 2 tablespoons of masa harina (or the traditional cracker meal — 30 crushed up Saltines and 1 cup of water) to thicken it up a little bit.
Once your chili is ready, lay out a layer of Fritos in a cast iron pan, then cover it with chili. Add a layer of raw diced onions and a bunch of shredded cheddar cheese. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes until the cheese is melted, then top with sliced jalapeños and sour cream.
Serve along with some High West Double Rye, which is one of my favorite ryes.
Frito Pie
A staple of high school football game concession stands across the country, Frito Pie is a solid and hearty tailgate food, especially on cold days
- 4 oz Suet
- 2 pounds Ground beef
- 2 Onions (chopped & divided)
- ¼ cup Chili powder
- 2 tsp Kosher salt
- ½ tsp Cumin
- ½ tsp Garlic powder
- 2 TBSP Masa harina
- 1 bottle Dark beer
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- 2-3 Jalapeños
- Sour cream
- 1 bag Fritos
Heat up 4oz of suet or rendered tallow in a Dutch oven on the stove or on your grill
Add 2 pounds of ground beef and enough water to cover about 1 inch over it
Let simmer at medium heat, uncovered, for about 1 hour, until the meat is tender
Once the meat is tender, add 1 chopped onion, ¼ cup of chili powder, 2 teaspoons of Kosher salt, 2 teaspoons of garlic powder, and a bottle of dark beer
Mix together and let simmer for 30 more minutes. If it starts to dry out, add more water to maintain consistency
After 30 minutes, add 2 tablespoons of masa harina to thicken it up
Once your chili is ready, preheat your oven to 350 and dump a bag of Fritos into a cast iron pan
Top with your chili, the other diced onion and shredded cheddar cheese
Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes until cheese is melted
Top with sliced jalapeños and a few dollops of sour cream
Scoop into individual bowls and serve