Award Winning Chili

The name for this chili comes from the fact that this recipe was my first chili dish to win a chili cookoff as “best in show.” Previous attempts successfully took home the “hot as hades” award. This is a very simple recipe that can be made in about 15-20 minutes and even includes kidney beans.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound of 85/15 ground beef and 1 pound of ground sausage

  • 1 green pepper

  • 1 onion (white or yellow)

  • 1 hot pepper (anaheim, serrano, jalapeno, etc.)

  • 2 cans of kidney beans (unless you believe beans don’t belong in chili)

  • Tabasco® or favorite hot sauce

  • 2 x 28 oz cans of crushed tomatoes

  • 1 packet of McCormick® chili seasoning

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil

Directions:

  1. Finely dice the onion, green pepper, and hot pepper and place in Dutch oven with olive oil, Tabasco® or favorite hot sauce, crushed tomatoes, and chili seasoning. If you believe chili can include beans, add the kidney beans to the Dutch oven.

  2. Combine ground beef and ground sausage into a football shaped loaf.

  3. Place Dutch oven on the lower rack of a grill like a Kamado Joe or Green Egg. Place a set of grates above the Dutch oven and then place the meat loaf on the upper grates. Alternatively, you can create the same set up in an oven. I recommend a low and slow temperature like 250 degrees. The important goal is to position the meat so that its drippings fall into the Dutch oven.

  4. Cook until the meat reaches target temperature.

  5. Remove the meat and Dutch oven from the grill or oven.

  6. After the meat rests for about 15 minutes, crumble the meat into the chili and simmer for at least two hours.

  7. Garnish with cheese, onions, and sour cream.

  8. Note -- this chili tastes better the next day so plan accordingly.

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Entrees, Beef, PorkLindsey LeistKlemchuk PLLC