Wx4: On the Role of Chili Beans...

back to Weird Willys
	*On the Role of Chili Beans in the Development of the"Go Devil"Engine and Related Matters*
Chili beans and Jeeps (Willys, of course) is a great example of the "opposites attract" theory of automotive science: Old Jeeps often break down on a new Interstate System, while new chili beans rarely break down in an old intestinal system. The above kinda sets us up for a cheap flatulence gag (I'll try to keep them to a minimum): "Y' know, my chili is so hot that my Jeep carries THREE Forest Service approved spark arrestors, if you catch my drift..." Anyway, chili beans share a long, happy relationship with Jeep vehicles. Little known today is the fondness held for chili by early W-O Motors Chief Engineer Barney Roos: Yep, Barney named the "Go Devil" engine after his favorite chili recipe. Chief Engineer Roos mentored a whole generation of engineers, who were in turn inspired to name Jeep power plants after their own chili bean concoctions: Hurricane and Tornado. But let's talk today. Chili beans are an integral part of any well-planned Jeeping activity (as is Beano: see the identifying photo of this vital product somewhere below). There's nothing like an open-topped Fall jaunt in the hills with your Harrisonford heater cranked-up to warm your toe-sies, and a couple of bowls of chili for breakfast to warm your tum-sies! While you may elect to delegate lesser tasks (such as map and beer procurement) to untested troops, never, EVER leave the chili arrangements to amateurs! Digest this equation: undercooked beans + ill-considered spices + spoiled meat = KABLOOEY! Chili bean preparation bred of caution and thorough planning is the key; it should begin weeks before you actually think up the idea of going somewhere. Be prepared: have recipes and emergency escape routes posted in all rooms of your house. Other than a good recipe (more on that in a moment), your basic need is going to be an on-board 12 quart stainless steel chili cooker. Another little known fact: In 1951, Willys offered a variation of the CJ-3a Farm Jeep called the Bean O' Matic (BOM). Along with a Monroe lift, the BOM featured a propane (methane optional) heated chili cooker under the driver's seat (the gas tank being relocated to the glove box area). The design had its problems. First, a three quart gas tank, meant that the BOM had limited range. Second, while that underseat cooker was great at radiating heat to one's bun-sies, there were many disturbing reports of severe burn injuries resulting from the unwise placement of the device beneath an alternative fuel source (the driver). Later it was rumored that the BOM fiasco directly lead to Kaiser's take-over of Willys. One technical note about on-board chili cookers: You have three aftermarket choices, 1) Gas fired, (NOT under driver's seat! 2) all electric – safe and sane except in high water siuations 3) the new Advance Adapters Kitchen King six burner stove adapter for you power freaks. Now, we arrive at the central issue: the recipe. Actually there are probably thousands of good chili recipes posted on the Internet. Try a few to see what suits you. Some recipes even involve oranges!?? Search engine users: be sure NOT to include the following key words in your criteria: Taliban, anthrax, Martha Stewart. The following trail version of Go Devil Chili is designed to be cooked at home, or out in the wilds (but, if you choose the latter, I would still recommend that you cook the hamburger at home -uncooked hamburger doesn't hold up well in an ice chest - it would be quite embarrassing to gas a paramedic team on the way to the hospital.
E.O.'s Handy-Dandy, Really Easy Trail Version of Barney Roos Go Devil Chili:
	Fixings: 2 lbs. hamburger, fried 1 or more large onions, chopped & fried 1 28.oz can black beans, drained 1 28 oz. can ranch style beans (also called ranch style chili beans), drained 1 28 oz. can diced or crushed tomatoes 1 10-12 oz. can tomato sauce 1 7-8 oz can chipotl sauce, add according to taste (see below) Garlic powder to taste Italian seasoning to taste (or, maybe dill and oregeno to taste?) Two shots of Jack Daniels Whiskey (use other brands at your own peril) Salt to taste
Combine all of this stuff in a pot and cook for an hour, or so. Go easy on the chipotl sauce if you're not used to hot stuff. Add it last, starting at about 1/2 can. This is absolutely the key ingredient and is hard to find outside of the Southwest. You may have to go to a supermarket specializing in Mexican food. After that, refrigerate it in Tupperware if you made the stuff at home - on the trail it should stay good without refrigeration for quite awhile, but use common sense. True outdoorsmen open their cans of beans on the trail, however. Re heated, or cold, you're gonna love it!
	Another favored recipe of mine is Cheapers Jeepers' Chili Beans au Jous. For those of you unfamiliar with haute cuisine, au jous is a sauce made from several weeks worth of table scraps, kitchen floor scrapings, and a variety of cleaning products accidentally dumped into the pot (of course, you then add beans, onions and hamburger). I speak as an ex cooking professional, here: 30 years ago, I spent 1-1/2 weeks as a cook's gopher at a fancy-schmancy lodge in Grand Teton National Park. I saw what went into the pot: everything, including road kills and unclaimed luggage. Incidentally, during my short tenure there, I had the high honor of baking cornish game hen for the Supreme Court of the United States (it's no lie!). I burned myself in the process of removing them from the oven – causing me to dump the done-to-a-turn fowl on to the floor, which already held about a week's worth of au jous ingredients. Worse, I did this in front of his majesty, the head chef. Rather than dismissing me, he directed, "Clean them off with some Handy Wipes, son. Our guests will never know the difference." To my fellow Baby Boomers: As this was the court of Earl Warren, I probably should have applied to the John Birch Society for some kind of medal, or something...don't you think?
Well, that's it, except that Daimler-Chrysler-AT&T-CBS-Jeep is contemplating a retro Bean O' Matic along the lines of the PT Cruiser. Good luck guys! OH YEAH...don't forget the Beano! MORE RECIPES back to Weird Willys

Chili beans and Jeeps (Willys, of course) is a great example of the "opposites attract" theory of automotive science: Old Jeeps often break down on a new Interstate System, while new chili beans rarely break down in an old intestinal system.

The above kinda sets us up for a cheap flatulence gag (I'll try to keep them to a minimum): "Y' know, my chili is so hot that my Jeep carries THREE Forest Service approved spark arrestors, if you catch my drift..."

Anyway, chili beans share a long, happy relationship with Jeep vehicles. Little known today is the fondness held for chili by early W-O Motors Chief Engineer Barney Roos: Yep, Barney named the "Go Devil" engine after his favorite chili recipe.

Chief Engineer Roos mentored a whole generation of engineers, who were in turn inspired to name Jeep power plants after their own chili bean concoctions: Hurricane and Tornado.

But let's talk today. Chili beans are an integral part of any well-planned Jeeping activity (as is Beano: see the identifying photo of this vital product somewhere below). There's nothing like an open-topped Fall jaunt in the hills with your Harrisonford heater cranked-up to warm your toe-sies, and a couple of bowls of chili for breakfast to warm your tum-sies! While you may elect to delegate lesser tasks (such as map and beer procurement) to untested troops, never, EVER leave the chili arrangements to amateurs! Digest this equation:
undercooked beans + ill-considered spices + spoiled meat = KABLOOEY!

Chili bean preparation bred of caution and thorough planning is the key; it should begin weeks before you actually think up the idea of going somewhere. Be prepared: have recipes and emergency escape routes posted in all rooms of your house.

Other than a good recipe (more on that in a moment), your basic need is going to be an on-board 12 quart stainless steel chili cooker. Another little known fact: In 1951, Willys offered a variation of the CJ-3a Farm Jeep called the Bean O' Matic (BOM). Along with a Monroe lift, the BOM featured a propane (methane optional) heated chili cooker under the driver's seat (the gas tank being relocated to the glove box area).

The design had its problems. First, a three quart gas tank, meant that the BOM had limited range. Second, while that underseat cooker was great at radiating heat to one's bun-sies, there were many disturbing reports of severe burn injuries resulting from the unwise placement of the device beneath an alternative fuel source (the driver). Later it was rumored that the BOM fiasco directly lead to Kaiser's take-over of Willys.

One technical note about on-board chili cookers: You have three aftermarket choices, 1) Gas fired, (NOT under driver's seat! 2) all electric – safe and sane except in high water siuations 3) the new Advance Adapters Kitchen King six burner stove adapter for you power freaks.

Now, we arrive at the central issue: the recipe. Actually there are probably thousands of good chili recipes posted on the Internet. Try a few to see what suits you. Some recipes even involve oranges!?? Search engine users: be sure NOT to include the following key words in your criteria: Taliban, anthrax, Martha Stewart.

The following trail version of Go Devil Chili is designed to be cooked at home, or out in the wilds (but, if you choose the latter, I would still recommend that you cook the hamburger at home -uncooked hamburger doesn't hold up well in an ice chest - it would be quite embarrassing to gas a paramedic team on the way to the hospital.