Donnas Award Winning Chili Recipes

AWARD WINNING CHILI

Steps:

• In a medium Dutch oven over medium-high heat add the olive oil. Add the ground meat and cook, breaking up into pieces, until browned. Add the onions, bell pepper and jalapeno and cook until softened. Drain excess grease.
• Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder, salt, cayenne, paprika and 1 cup water. Mix to combine.
• Add the kidney beans and black beans, mix and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 1-2 hours.
• Serve with desired toppings.

TEXAS CHILI - AWARD WINNING CHILI RECIPE

Steps:

• Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat 1 T ghee in a very large pot over high heat. Brown beef in batches, taking care not to overcrowd your pan (each piece of beef should have space around it; too much in the pan will steam your beef, not sear it; searing and browning is what adds so much flavor). Add additional 1 T ghee as needed with each new batch.
• Add onions and garlic, cook, stirring frequently, until very soft and just starting to brown.
• Stir in tomato paste. Cook, stirring frequently and scraping bottom of pot with a wooden spoon, until tomato paste is caramelized, about 12 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute.
• Add beef back to pot along with 5 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until meat is tender, about 2-3 hours.

AWARD WINNING CROCKPOT CHILI

Steps:

• Heat oil over medium-high heat in a medium-sized skillet. When the oil shimmers, stir paprikas, cumin, chili powder and onion powder into the pan. Cook for 1 minute or until spices are very aromatic and remove from heat.
• Add beef, sugar, oregano, onion, vinegar, garlic, tomatoes, green chilies, beef broth, beans and salt to the slow cooker. Transfer spices from the skillet into the slow-cooker and stir to combine.
• Cover and cook for at least 4 hours on high or until the meat is tender-- 6 hours on low.

AWARD-WINNING SWEET AND SPICY CHILI

Steps:

• In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Reserve the bacon grease for later.
• In a large Dutch oven, brown the beef and sausage over medium-high heat. Season with salt and pepper. Drain the grease and set the meat aside.
• In the same pot, drizzle about a tablespoon of the reserved bacon grease and sauté the diced peppers and onion. Season with salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder and cook until translucent and tender, about 5-8 minutes.
• Add the beef and sausage back to the pot, then add the remaining ingredients: V-8, ketchup, tomatoes, kidney beans, brown sugar, lemon juice, worcestershire, vinegar, mustard, molasses, and sriracha. Mix well.
• Cover and simmer over low heat for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Add the bacon in the last 30 minutes of cooking.
• Add chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve with bread or crackers and top with sour cream, cheese, or any of your favorite toppings. Enjoy!

EDDIE'S AWARD WINNING CHILI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to broil (500ºF) Set an oven rack at the top, directly under the broiler. Spread the chiles out on a low-sided oven tray and roast for 15-20 minutes, turning peppers with tongs every five minutes, until their skins are about 60-70% blackened on all sides. Put the hot peppers directly into a paper bag. Roll down the top of the bag so they're tightly contained. Let them sit and steam for 15-20 minutes until the skins are loosened and easy to peel off. Peel off skins, remove seeds and membranes, and chop.
• Add the bacon grease and oil to a large heavy pot or Dutch oven (6-quart), over medium-high heat. Add the chopped chiles, red bell peppers, jalapeño peppers and onions. Cook for 5 minutes or until the vegetables just start to become translucent. Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Transfer all the sautéed vegetables to a bowl and set aside. No need to wash the pot, you'll use it to brown the meat.
• Add the cubed beef chuck to the pot and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned on all sides, about 4 minutes. Add the ground beef and sausage and cook for 7-10 minutes, stirring to break up the sausage and ground beef, until the meat is no longer pink. Return the cooked vegetables to the pot along with the reserved bacon.
• chili powders, cayenne, coriander, cumin, granulated garlic, granulated onion, paprika, salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute, until fragrant.
• Add the tomato sauce and paste. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, to combine. Add beer, chicken stock, kidney beans with their liquid and pinto beans with their liquid. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, and cook for 2 hours, uncovered.
• Ladle chili into bowls. Top with garnishes or put garnishes into small bowls for self serve.

CROCKPOT CHILI (COOK-OFF WINNER!)

Steps:

• In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and dab off the excess grease. Set aside.
• Reserve the bacon grease in the skillet. Remove the stem and seeds from the peppers. Finely chop.
• Finely chop the celery. Remove the peel of the onion and finely chop. Chop the jalapeño pepper and remove the seeds if desired -- leave them in for extra heat.*
• Add the peppers, celery, onion, and jalapeño pepper to the skillet with the reserved bacon grease. Saute the veggies over medium heat until tender. Transfer to the slow cooker.
• Add in the three cans of chili beans (undrained and do not rinse), petite diced tomatoes, and tomato paste.
• In the same skillet used to cook the bacon and veggies, cook the ground chuck and Italian sausage over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Drain off all the fat and add to the slow cooker.
• Add all the seasonings to the crockpot. Crumble the bacon (or chop) into very small pieces and stir that in the crockpot. Or reserve the bacon in the fridge and add at the end. Stir everything together.
• Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Taste and adjust seasonings (salt, pepper, chili powder, etc.) Enjoy with fresh cilantro, sour cream and Cheddar cheese.

AWARD WINNING CHILI RECIPE

Steps:

• In a large Dutch Oven heat 2 tablespoon of olive oil. Add onion, garlic and both types of peppers and cook over medium heat stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.
• In a medium sauté pan heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add ground turkey thighs and breast. Cook, stirring constantly and breaking up the big chunks with a fork until the liquid evaporates and meat is thoroughly cooked and slightly brown, about 7-10 minutes.
• Add cooked meat into a pot with an onion and pepper mixture.
• Pour in diced tomatoes and beans.
• Dilute tomato paste with 1 cup of chicken broth and add into a pot.
• Add chili powder, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, oregano, cumin, brown sugar, cocoa powder, the remaining chicken broth and ½ teaspoon of salt.
• Give everything a good stir, cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low. If the soup becomes too thick, add ½ cup of chicken broth.
• Simmer for 1 hour.
• Adjust the seasoning and serve immediately with shredded Cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream.

AWARD WINNING CHILI

Steps:

• In a large pot over medium-low heat, combine tomatoes, tomato paste, carrot, onion, celery, wine, pepper flakes, bell peppers and steak sauce.
• While tomato mixture is simmering, in a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove to paper towels. Cook beef in bacon drippings until brown; drain. Stir chili seasoning into ground beef.
• Stir seasoned beef, cumin and bacon into tomato mixture. Continue to simmer until vegetables are tender and flavors are well blended.
• Stir in beans, cilantro and parsley. Heat through and serve.

DONNA'S AWARD WINNING CHILI

Steps:

• 1. In an extra-large dutch oven (8 qt), on medium high heat, browning cubed meat, ground beef, and pork sausage or ground pork in bacon grease or oil. When cooked transfer meat to a paper towel lined bowl and set aside.
• 2. Add chopped vegetables, except garlic, and cook down until meats are cooked through and vegetables are tender crisp. If added grease is needed add olive oil or margarine. *Sometimes I add pickled, diced and seeded jalapeno peppers for flavor rather than for heat factor. Raw jalapenos with seeds will increase the heat level.
• 3. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan heat the chili stick by itself until completely cooked down**.
• 4. Lower heat under Dutch oven and add chili, tomatoes, tomato paste & sauce, and chili sauce to pot and mix well, scraping bits from bottom of pot. Continue stirring frequently for about 15 minutes. Stir in beef broth, beer, minced garlic, chili powder, chives, Lea & Perrin, and remaining dry seasonings. Return drained meat and vegetables to the pot and stir.
• 5. Cover and simmer on low for about 1 hour, stirring frequently to avoid sticking. If it seems to need more liquid add water or tomato juice (I use V-8). Add beans and cook another 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Taste again for seasonings and adjust as needed. If you're going to use the crushed red pepper flakes add them with the beans.
• 6. Serve in individual bowls with corn bread muffins and choice of garnishes for topping. Enjoy! This makes a medium-heat chili. Add cayenne and chili flakes and/or *jalapeno peppers to increase the heat to your taste. **Sometimes, not often, there will be larger pieces of unground pork fat in the chili stick so I melt it down separately just in case. Throw those pieces away. Garnishes: sour cream, finely chopped onion, thinly sliced green onions, sliced or diced fresh or pickled jalapeno peppers, grated sharp cheddar cheese, hot sauce, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, tortilla chips, etc. Competition Tips: Always make this medium hot so that everyone can enjoy it but have plenty of cayenne, hot pepper sauce, crushed red pepper flakes, and chili powder on hand for those who want to spice up their bowl. It's Always better a day or two after cooking, and it freezes well. Always make way more than you need for the competition because when the other competitors run out you'll have some remaining for those who still want more. If they keep coming back to your chili, you'll most likely get their vote.

AWARD WINNING CHILI RECIPE

Steps:

• In a 7 Quart or larger pot brown the hamburger and diced onions together. I use a potato masher to break up the hamburger but you can leave it in larger pieces if you like.
• When the ground beef and onions are fully cooked and no pink in the meat, add in the salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, seasoning salt and stir.
• Then add the brown sugar and stir again.
• Add in 8 cups of water and stir.
• Next add in your canned beans. You can use any type of canned beans you like. The chili or pinto beans and any type of white bean is my favorite and I always add baked beans as the sweetness adds a nice flavor along with the brown sugar. Kidney beans and black beans are an option too. If you want to add more or less beans you can do that as well. This is just what I use and it comes out every time.
• Next, put the two cans of diced tomatoes in a blender and blend slightly. Dump into the pot and stir.
• Turn heat to medium or medium low and simmer for about one hour or so. May add a little time if you simmer it slower. Make sure to stir every so often and check to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom. Each type of pot or pan is different so stir fequently to make sure nothing is sticking and burning on the bottom of the pot.
• The chili will start to reduce down and it may look a little runny at first but it thickens up on it's own after you are done cooking it. Taste test it at about this point and if you need more salt, pepper or chili powder you can add more here and stir.
• Serve in a bowl with cheddar cheese or any type of cheese you like. You can add tortilla chips which is what we typically do or you can dump it over fritos and make it into a frito pie. Whatever your preference is! I've even made navajo tacos and nachos with this chili recipe. It keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days and it's a great leftover!

SLOW COOKER AWARD WINNING CHILI

Steps:

• 1. Season ground beef, breakfast sausage and cubed sirloin with a good amount of garlic and onion powder and brown in a skillet with the bacon grease until completely cooked. Remove meat to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Discard grease.
• 2. Turn slow cooker to High and add in order: chili stick and cooked ground meats. Let heat from cooked meats help melt the chili stick until they are blended together.
• 3. Add onions, bell pepper, celery, diced tomatoes, chili sauce, tomato paste, tomato sauce, can water, beef bouillon, beer, garlic, chili powder, chives, Lea & Perrin, and remaining dry seasonings. Mix well and let mixture come to a good simmer.
• 4. Reduce temperature to Low and set timer for 7 hours. Periodically check the mixture and stir. If it seems to need more liquid just add water, or tomato juice, (I use V-8).
• 5. About 1 hour before chili is finished cooking add the beans. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. If you want more heat add the red chili flakes now. Serve with corn bread muffins and your choice of garnishes: sour cream, finely chopped onion, thinly sliced green onions, sliced or diced fresh or pickled jalapeno peppers, grated sharp cheddar cheese, and hot sauce.
• 6. *Note: This makes a very large amount. An 8 quart slow cooker will hold all of the chili mixture. Competition Tips: Always make this medium hot so that everyone can enjoy it and have plenty of cayenne, hot pepper sauce, red chili flakes, and chili powder on hand for those who want to spice up their bowl. Always make way more than you need for the competition because when the other contestants run out, you'll have some left for those who still want to eat. If they keep coming back to your chili, you'll most likely get the People's vote.

AWARD WINNING CHILI RECIPE

Steps:

• Place all ingredients in a large pot, and cook until hot.
• If cooking in the crock pot, cook on high for 3-4 hours, or low for 5-6 hours.