Fighting Chilly with Chili

Winter rages on here in Indiana, so we decided to try out a new recipe (number four for this year!) and make a big pot of chili. This was a good way to feed everyone when we took a break from working on installing light fixtures this past weekend. I made a few changes (including adapting it to a crock pot), but mostly kept the original recipe, found here on Allrecipes, intact.

The Recipe

Boilermaker Tailgate Chili

2 lbs Ground Beef

1 lb Ground Sausage

3 Cans Chili Beans, Drained - 15 oz. Each

1 Can Chili Beans in Spicy Sauce - 15 oz.

2 Cans Diced Tomatoes with Juice - 28 oz. Each

1 Can Tomato Paste - 6 oz.

1 Large Yellow Onion

3 Stalks Celery

1 Green Bell Pepper

1 Red Bell Pepper

2 Green Chile Peppers

1 Tablespoon Bacon Bits

4 Cubes Beef Bouillon

1/2 Cup Beer

3 Tablespoons Chili Powder

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

3 Cloves Garlic

1 Tablespoon Dried Oregano

2 Teaspoons Ground Cumin

2 Teaspoons 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

Start by prepping all your vegetables - chop your onion and celery; seed and chop your bell peppers and chile peppers; mince your garlic. Once you're done with that brown your meat (ground beef and sausage) in a pan on the stove until cooked through. Now take your meat out of the pan, leaving a little bit of the juices from the meat. Turn up the heat a little and saute your veggies (all but the garlic) in the meat juices, seasoning with salt and pepper. Then add your garlic in for the last minute or so of cooking. Once they're done add them, along with the meat, to your crock pot and add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer for at least two hours before serving.

End Results and Final Thoughts

This turned out well, but I don't think I'll make it quite the same way again. I dialed down the spice because I wasn't sure how spicy everyone would want it. The original recipe calls for an added tablespoon of chili powder, but instead I just had chili powder on the side so people could add more if they wanted. Next time I would up the spice. I'd use a spicy sausage, add the full amount of chili powder, use more potent chiles (maybe a habanero or two instead of jalapenos), and add more hot sauce (I used Sriracha instead of something like Tabasco because that's what was on hand). Also, real bacon would be a welcomed addition. In one of the reviews on the original recipe someone said they fried up bacon and then sauteed the veggies in some of the bacon fat - sounds like a good plan to me.

Another thing I did differently was that, after combining everything in the crock pot, I didn't simmer it but instead stuck it in the fridge and then put it on the heat the next day while we worked on light fixtures. I let it simmer for about six hours, which gave the flavors plenty of time to develop. We served this with chopped onions, cheddar cheese, hot sauce, corn chips, and chili powder on the side so people could add per their tastes. Leslie also made a pan of cornbread that goes great with chili, especially when drizzled with some fine maple syrup or honey. It really hit the spot and was a good break from working for us all. We will be making this again, but probably with some of the changes I mentioned.