Hi everyone! Need a chili recipe worthy of entering in a contest....

M

marilynfl

Moderator
Missed you all. We've been out of town (ABQ, Santa Fe and Taos) and their high ragweed allergy count did my lungs in and now I've got bronchitis.

I can't access this site during the day and have been crashing at 8:30 most nights, but was hoping to enter a chili contest at work. It's to support the young new hires who have all this team building enthusiasm. I used to be one of those new hires and remember how much I appreciated when folks actually joined in events.

So, while I don't care about winning, I would at least like folks to go "oohhh!" and my basic recipe (ground chuck, puree, beans, chili powder, onions) just won't cut it. Last year I tried The Pastry Queen's Texas chili and although her list of ingredients was amazing, the sum was not as impressive. A spoonful generated one of those 'huh' moments.

A few rules:

Provide at least a gallon

Maintain 160 temperature

All ingredients must be listed....no secret ingredients.

 
I love the chili for a crowd rec from Silver Palate. I enjoy the sausage / ground meat flavors

I recall in the past I have added some grated chocolate as well as corn. It makes a bunch, tastes great and goes along way if you are feeding a crowd.

What a nice event for you to support! Sounds like fun!

 
I've never LOVED a Red Chili Stew recipe as much as this Green Chile Recipe from

Dianne Kennedy, "the Julia Child" of Mexican Regional Cookery. Try as I may, (and I've tried often) I can't quite get past the bitterness that accompanies red chilies. Want to. Can't.

As a result, I've been making this recipe for 20 years. (And I'm sure, posted it here at least once.) It's my "go-to" dish for pot-lucks, crew meals, Super-Bowl Parties, etc. Made it for 85 people at our house warming party and used something like 5 gallons of the stuff so I can say with confidence, "people dig it." Except the kosher, the pescatarians and some odd lacto-ovos. But that's not MY problem.

Sometimes, I'll throw in a can or two of crushed tomatillos and towards the end of reheating, a a few tablespoons of masa(thickens it and adds a subtle corn flavor)with a handful of roasted corn kernels. Check it out, see what works for you.

Green Chile Stew
(this recipe significantly benefits from an over night sit in the refrigerator. I like to scrape off the congealed fat the next morning although it's not absolutely necessary)

3 Tbsp VEGETABLE OIL
1 ONION, chopped
6 cloves GARLIC, chopped
1 tsp CUMIN
1 tsp BLACK PEPPER
1 tsp OREGANO
3 MEDIUM POTATOES, peeled & cubed
12 oz fresh or canned DICED ROASTED GREEN CHILES
3 tsp fresh or canned DICED ROASTED JALAPEÑOS
5 cups CHICKEN STOCK
2½ lbs PORK STEW MEAT (shoulder works), cubed

2 1lb cans WHITE BEANS
4 oz fresh or canned DICED ROASTED GREEN CHILES
CILANTRO, chopped
MONTERREY JACK CHEESE, grated
SOUR CREAM

Heat oil in a large pot, add the onion and garlic. Cover and cook, over low heat for about 5 minutes so that the onion can wilt.

Uncover the pan, raise the heat to medium and stir in the cumin and pepper. Stir for 2-3 minutes or until the onions start to show signs of browning, then add oregano, potatoes, green chiles, jalapeños and the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer slowly for 45 minutes.

Add the pork and cook, stirring occasionally 2-3 hours until the potatoes start to break down and thicken the stew.

In a separate pot, combine the beans and green chiles and bring up to temperature.

The next day, reheat the stew, stir to make sure the potatoes have broken down somewhat. Taste and adjust seasonings (I'm a bit of a chile-head and will sometimes throw in a few chopped serranos at this point). If it doesn't quite have the bite you want, try adding the juice of a fresh lime.

Serve over beans and top with cilantro, cheese and sour cream. Warm flour tortillas and a Mango,Jicama, Avocado Salad in Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette are also nice accompaniments.

 
Want to know the truth - after years of making great chili I cheated & won last year

The first place winner has won multiple years and told me her secret - McCormick's Chili Mix!!! I won third place using the cheapest meat I could find, Tabasco brand chili fixin (not exactly cheap), and PBR beer.

I have never won or even gotten close using my good chili recipes. BTW - think it's Pat's recipe but it's awesome and is my base recipe for chili these days.

 
Craig Claiborne's Pecos Valley Bowl of Red

You can use all mild chili (ground ancho).

PECOS VALLEY BOWL OF RED (CHILI)
Printed from COOKS.COM
1 tablespoon bacon drippings
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
3 pounds beef, coarsely ground
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1/4 cup ground chili peppers, red hot
1/4 cup ground chili peppers, red mild
1 tablespoon ground cumin
3 cups water
2 teaspoons salt
Melt bacon drippings in heavy Dutch oven; add onion and cook about 5 minutes until tender. Mix meat with garlic, chiles and cumin. Add to the onion and cook, stirring often, about 15 minutes until the meat loses its pink color. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Simmer uncovered 3 to 4 hours or until the meat is very tender and flavors are well blended, adding more water as needed. Adjust seasonings to taste. Makes 8 servings.

Serving Size: 8

 
CAn we have the recipe please. Also, I have some chili spices from Central Market and whatever ...

I use them with gets raves. So the correct spice is important.

 
Meryl I would be interested in the veg rec. When I make chili, I always make 2 batches one w/ and

w/o meat. We have a lot of friends that while not strictly vegetarian, prefer to eat less meat. They usually take a bowl of each.

TIA,

Barb

 
I don't have a specific recipe, but the winning chili from last winter's community

chili contest had the "secret" ingredient of pineapple. Unusual, but it gave it just enough of a sweet/sour taste that wowed the judges, apparently. Have fun.

 
I second the recipe from the Silver Palate. I make it often and it's always popular.

 
Here ya go, barb - Vegetable Chili

(I increase the spices, add smoked paprika, and serve it with brown rice).

From Bon Appétit: "Even better over rice. Top it with sour cream and grated cheddar cheese." (I omit the toppings).

VEGETABLE CHILI

INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
6 large garlic cloves, chopped (I crush them first)
3 14 1/2-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice (I use 1 28-oz can and 1 14-oz can San Marzano tomatoes)
1 4-ounce can diced mild green chilies
3 tablespoons chili powder (I use more)
1 tablespoon ground cumin (I use a little more)
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 15- to 16-ounce cans kidney beans, drained (I use pinto beans)
2 green bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I use red bell peppers)
1 10-ounce package frozen corn kernels (I use 1 15-oz can, unsweetened and unsalted)

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat.
Add onion and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Add tomatoes with juices, green chilies, chili powder, cumin and oregano. Cook 10 minutes to blend flavors.
Add beans, bell peppers and corn. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until chili is thick, stirring occasionally, about 35 minutes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 6.

From Bon Appétit

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/4420

 
Wow...thank you! I crashed yesterday and slept from 5:45 pm

until this morning...still feeling a little iffy, but happily the elephant has moved off my chest, so things are looking up.

Many thanks for all the suggestions! Contest isn't until the end of the month, but I still need to find the deadline date because I think paperwork (thanks to EHS, there is lots of paperwork) has to include ALL ingredients.

Steve...my FIRST thought was to make a green chile stew, but I'd probably be the only person there who even knew what that was...and besides, I carted back 5 cans of Hatch green chiles in my suitcase (along with 4 packages of dried honimy for posole, three envelopes of NM chili spice, two bars of French almond soap and a jar of Japanese togarashi spice....I know, I know. Just think....I have this LIVE with this brain) and I'm feeling an itsy-bit greedy about sharing my newly-acquired Hatch.

 
I was going to suggest this too. I made a chiptole

chile that had pineapple in it that was very good.
Sometimes I also add some hot sausage (Jimmy Dean) and some chuck roast that has been cut up.
I simmer it for quite awhile. I use crushed pineapple.

Wendy's Chili

2 Pounds Ground Beef
29 Ounces Tomato Sauce
29 Ounces Kidney Beans, with liquid
29 Ounces Pinto Beans, with liquid
1 Cup Onion, diced
1/2 Cup Diced Green Chil
1/4 Cup Diced Celery
29 Ounces Canned Tomatoes, chopped
2 Teaspoons Cumin Powder
3 Tablespoons Chili Powder
1 1/2 Teaspoons Black Pepper
2 Teaspoons Salt
1 Quart Water
1 Packet Taco Seasoning Mix

Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat; drain off fat. Using a fork, crumble the cooked beef into pea-size pieces. In a large pot, combine the beef plus all the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook, stirring every 15 minutes, for 2 to 3 hours. Note: Try topping this with some freshly grated cheddar cheese and chopped onion.

 
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