the best chili

i love this chili

its chunky and hearty

and a little bit spicy

and perfect for any day under 60 degrees

and today its 45 degrees

and i have the entree for community group

perfect

so i am going to tell you step by step how to make it

it serves 10 people

or 8 big hungry men

or 12 people who are counting calories

or 12 women who dont eat a ton

here is what you need

dont be scared by the list

you already have half of it in the pantry/fridge

• 2 pounds ground beef chuck
• 1 pound italian sausage
•  2 (15 ounce) cans chili beans, drained
•  2 (15 ounce) can chili beans in spicy sauce
• 2 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 jalapeno chile, seeded and chopped
• 4 cubes beef bouillon
• 1/2 cup beer
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons of tabasco or texas pete hot sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon white sugar

 

first prepare yourself

brown the meat in the pan

in stages if you have a lot of meat

i know, i need a dutch oven

this was addressed in my previous post

and i know i should have browned the meat in a stainless pan 

but i didnt feel like it

another thing to wash

so semi-browned meat it is!

  

after you brown it

drain off the excess grease 

by pouring on to a paper towel piled plate

chop up the peppers

or if you have one of these magic choppers use it

or maybe even buy one

cause they are so great for chopping

  

  

and chop up the onions

  

  

and chop up the spicy little jalapeno

and keep the seeds and white parts in it if you like it hot

and take them out if you don't

it still adds great flavor

then throw them all in the pan

on medium-high heat

that is still a little greasy from the meat

that you took out to drain

 

 

get all of your canned goods

and open them up and pour them in

  

so that you have a big pot of red

  

then add the meat back in

  

  

 then the beer

(my husband sacrificed one of his bigfoot ales for my chili

the community group will thank you chan)

  

so it gets all fizzy 

  

then put in the best part

lots of garlic

and use a press if you have one

so your fingers dont smell for days

  

then dump in all the dry ingredients

for flavorings

did i just make that word up?

maybe

  

once you get it good and bubbling

turn down the heat

pop on the lid

and let simmer for 2 hours

and then let sit overnight to blend

and magically become a perfect february pot of dinner

 

voila!

the best chili

my recipe is an altered version of this recipe from the internet

shh don't tell