Some recipes need more love than others. This one needed a fair bit of love. I’ve never had to offer suggestions, reminders and a method in one recipe before.
But apparently the recipe was good enough that the owner had it copied in multiple places. Here’s one of them:
The front:
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The back:
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The State Bank was run by a local family, and it’s still there, in a slightly different form; in 2006, it merged with Union State Bank. A member of the family that ran the State Bank is now the Vice Chairman of Union State Bank.
A picture of the actual building depicted on the… blank check? Is that what that is? …is online here.
From the box of L.S. of Joplin, Missouri.
| For 40 | For 13 |
| 6 lbs. ground beef | 2 lbs. ground beef |
| 6 cans #2 tomatoes | 2 cans tomatoes |
| 3 lbs. beans | 1 lb. beans |
| Chili powder | Chili powder |
| 3 onions | 1 onion |
For the 40-person version, use nine Tablespoons of chili powder. For the 13-person version, use three tablespoons of chili powder.
I’d further suggest:
| For 40 | For 13 |
| nine jalapenos | three jalapenos |
| 12 cloves of garlic | 4 cloves of garlic |
| 6 Tablespoons cumin | 2 Tablespoons cumin |
| 6 teaspoons dry oregano | 2 teaspoons dry oregano |
| 3 beef bouillon cubes | 1 beef bouillon cube |
Add the jalapenos and garlic when you add the onion; add the cumin when you add the chili powder; and add the boullion and oregano when you add the tomatoes. (The boullion just gives you a head-start in salting the chili. After all, it’s basically beef-flavored salt.)
Reminder
- A #2 can of tomatoes holds 20 ounces.
Method:
- If using dry beans, soak in three times their volume of water for five or six hours (not overnight). In the alternative, put dry beans in three times their volume of water in a stock pot, bring to a boil, then let sit for one to two hours.
- Brown beef over medium heat; remove beef and all but 6 Tablespoons of the fat. (If using the 13-person version of the recipe, remove all but 2 Tablespoons of fat.)
- Saute onions (and jalapeno and garlic, if using) in the remaining fat till tender. When tender, add the chili powder (and cumin, if using) and saute for 2 minutes longer.
- Add tomatoes (and oregano and bouillon, if using) and return beef to the pot. Turn to low. Simmer for two hours. You’ll need to salt it more.