Chili Champion!

In my early years at my job, I thought it would be fun if the school had a chili contest. So I organized one, naturally. At that time though I didn't eat much chili (it was a new acceptance for my palate) and I had never made it before. Maybe shocking for a FCS teacher organizing a chili contest but whatever.

3 years later and I have claimed the crown for my own! I have tried numerous chili recipes over the time but ultimately the BBQ beef chili (entered in the contest as "Thick and Meaty") was the one to bring me the crown. Literally, a crown.

The original recipe comes from here and is as follows. I of course made changes because I am the worst at just following a recipe. So I made my notes on the bottom about what I did different. Hopefully it makes sense, otherwise good luck, it'll probably taste good no matter what!

BBQ Beef Chili

Ingredients

For the Pulled Beef:

• 1 2.5-3 pound beef chuck roast
• 3 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoons cayenne pepper

For the Chili:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds and ribs removed, chopped
• 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 2-2.5 pounds ground beef
• 3 tablespoons chile powder
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon cayenne  (plus more, if desired)
• 3 cups pureed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup tomato paste
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 cup beef stock or water (plus more, if a thinner chili is desired)
• 2 cans kidney beans, drained

Directions

Prepare the pulled beef barbecue. (This step can be done a day ahead, if desired.) Preheat oven to 325 degree. Massage the chuck roast with mustard, brown sugar, salt, and cayenne. Place the roast in a covered, oven-safe pan. Cook for 2.5 – 3 hours, until it pulls apart easily with a fork. Remove from the oven to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, use a fork or your fingers to “pull” the meat into shredded pieces. Discard any excess fat. Set aside or refrigerate for chili.

***

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and peppers. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until slightly tender. Add the garlic. Cook for a few minutes more. Add the ground beef and cook until completely brown, using a spoon to break it up as it cooks. Once the ground beef is fully cooked, add the chili powder, cayenne and salt. Stir to combine. Cook for a minute or two. Add the pureed tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, vinegar, worcestershire sauce, and mustard. Stir to combine. Add the pulled beef. Cook for about 5-10 minutes, until all ingredients are heated through and the flavors have mingled. Add the kidney beans and beef stock. Add more stock if a thinner/brothier chili is desired. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and cayenne, as desired.

***

Top with chopped green onions and cheddar cheese and serve with a side of cornbread.

 

 

What I Did Different:

 

·        I did not make a roast- I just used the Hormel beef Roast Au Jus stuff. It’s in the deli section usually and you microwave it. Tastes great and super fast.

·        I did not use the same meat quantities. I used one pack of the beef roast and 2 to 2 ½ lb of ground hamburger.

·        I doubled the amount of beans and used a combo of light red and dark red for color change up.

·        I added lots of black pepper, at least ½ tsp, some salt, and maybe another ½ tsp of red pepper. I thought it needed more “kick.” You might try more chili powder or cumin too but totally to your preferences.

·        I didn’t use beef broth, just water and beef bouillon cubes. It adds some saltiness that way. All in all I had to dilute this A LOT, the original is very very thick. Thin it out as much as you want. Just remember to add another bouillon cube for every 1-2 cups of water you add.

·        To also thin it out more, I used 3 cans  of crushed tomatoes (oh ps, I bought cans of crushed tomatoes and didn’t puree my own, 2 cans is about the 3 cups the recipe calls for).

·        The tomato paste amount is equivalent to 1 small can.

·        Next time I will do 2 green peppers, I like lots of color in my chili and I thought the pepper got lost, but that’s a personal preference thing. Another jalapeno would also help with color and add more of that "kick" I think chili needs to have.