Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Something a little different--my chili cookoff recipie

Basically the only social activity I've done in almost two weeks since I've been so sick has been the Chili Cook-off for my husband's company. Last year I brought a vegetarian chili and came in dead last. This year I had some honor to win back so I made what I call "Sassy Sausage Chocolate Chili". If you aren't trying to have a cute name, you could call this "Sausage Mole Chili" or "Chipolte Mole Chili".

My chili made me win my a landslide. So I can offically call this award winning chili.

I completely made up this recipe and got a few odd looks from my husband as I dumped in some of the more unusual ingredients (cocoa powder and peanut butter), but trust me, it turned out.

I didn't measure the spices as I poured them in, but I think that this is pretty close. The chili was fairly spicy, so you might want to adjust. However, the brown sugar, chocolate and peanut butter all take a bit of the bite out so make sure you taste as you go.

ingredients:
1lb black beans
1.5 lb ground beef (recommend 80/20 so that it has lots of fat)
1 lb sausage (recommend Jimmy Dean Sage Sausage)
1 can wheat beer
15 oz can enchilada sauce
Ortega taco sauce (I used about 6 of the 8oz in the bottle)
3 15oz cans petite diced tomatoes
1 15oz can refried beans
1 15 oz can black beans
1 small can tomato paste
1 large white onion
1 large bell pepper
A can of chipolte chilis in abobe sauce (we won't use the whole can)
1/8c+ peanut butter

spices:
4 beef buillion cubes
2 chipolte bullion cubes
2 bay leaves
1/4c masa flour (corn flour)
2T Cumin (or more/less to taste)
2T Chili Powder (or more/less to taste)
1T Celery Salt
Canned minced garlic (1/2 can)
3T Worchiser Sauce
3T A1 Sauce
1T oregano (preferably Mexican)
1T cinnamon
2t paprika
1t allspice
1t basil
1/3 c+ brown sugar
3T + 2T cocoa powder (divided)
handful of semi-sweet chocolate chips

directions:
1) Place the 1lb of black beans in a bowl with enough water to cover them by about three inches. Strain the beans about 2-3 times over the course of at least 6 hours. (Best to do late afternoon the day before the chili is needed, but some people say they like to soak their beans a full 24 hours before cooking.)
2) Strain the beans and place them into a crockpot with 2 beef bullion cubes, the enchilada sauce and enough water so that the beans are covered by about an inch of liquid. Add the bay leaves and cook on lowest heat for about 6-8 hours. (Best to do right before heading to bed)
3) Put cumin, chili powder, celery salt and pepper in bottom of large skillet and saute about 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Add both meats and the masa flour. This will help lock in the flavor (which is why the sage sausage is recommended)
4) Once the meat it fully cooked, place into crockpot with beans, making sure to leave as much grease as possible in the skillet.
5) Add the beer and taco sauce to the meat/beans mixture.
6) Finely chop the onion and green pepper and place into skillet with the grease. Add the minced garlic and satue for about two minutes.
7) Add the diced tomatoes and continue to saute until all cooked and most of the liquid has cooked down.
8) Add to meat/beans.
9) Pour in the Worchiser, A1, tomato paste and refried beans.
10) Puree the chipolte chilis (and the adobe sauce) and add desired amount (I did about a quarter, but had used the chipolte bullion cubes...if you didn't have those, you might want more chilis). I'd recommend putting in some and saving the rest for adding later when adjusting heat.
10) Let simmer about an hour and then dump in all remaining ingredients except 2T of the coaca powder.
11) Simmer all day.
12) About an hour before serving, add the remaining 2T cocoa powder (or more to taste) and any additional seasonings to taste.

9 tidbits:

Andrea Coulter said...

hey congrats on the win! going from last to first is impressive. your chili sounds great, i'll have to try it :)

Charles Gramlich said...

Congrats!

I'll take two helpings of the chilli please.

Spy Scribbler said...

Chocolate?! Chocolate!!! That is SO cool! Do you know I put chili pepper in my hot cocoa?

Wow, I have to try this recipe.

On a side note, I just read up on your wisdom teeth woes.

BIG HUGS, Lauren! Gosh, I really hope you're feeling better soon!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Hope you are feeling better soon, Lauren.

This recipe sounds lovely - I wonder if Girth would be able to adapt it in vegetarian format?!

Lauren said...

@lynn- Last time I only got last because the chili was vegetarian and I told them. The time before I came in 2nd out of 40 in Omaha where chili is serious stuff with the same recipe, but told people they had to try and guess the meat(s), which was a trick question. I think vegetarian scares people.

@charles- thanks :) this recipe makes about 15 helpings, I think. It's a lot!

@spy- I have heard of chili powder in hot cocoa, but have not tried it. I think I will go make some now. Good idea. And thanks, I'm finally starting to feel a little better.

@raph- Instead of the meat try Quinua. Have you had it before? It's an Incan grain and when cooked has a similar texture to ground beef. The flavor is very nutty and would mesh well. Through it in at step 11. You'd probably also not need the extra can of black beans. All the spices that were suppose to go in with the meat, put it in with the veggies when you saute them in butter (or olive oil to go vegan). Most of the flavor is from the chipolte and the cocoa. I don't think you'd miss much with the quinua.

Unknown said...

After all the weeks of being sick and topping it off with the wisdom tooth surgery, looks like things are finally bright with this win. Congratulations and here's wishing you good healthy times ahead.

Lauren said...

@T and S- Thanks. I need a little good healthy time just to get caught up everything :P

Kat Mortensen said...

You are the first person I have ever come across to use the same two strange ingredients that I ALWAYS put in my chili: chocolate and peanut butter! I do the chocolate because the Mexicans do it (so it's got to be good) and the peanut butter because I once read it in a book and it was great!
We don't eat sausage (unless it's turkey) but this sounds amazing!

Kat

Fortune Cookies said...

your chili sure sounds phenomenal! I would have to leave out the peanut butter (the wifester is allergic) and I'm sure that is a key ingredient that is pinnacle in achieving just the right medley...but it sounds divine!

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