Chili Cook Off

So Findlay Market had it's 5th annual chili cookoff this past weekend.  I've consider entering in the past so I thought I'd give it a whirl this year.  Sadly, I was not ordained chili meister, so sweet old lady with some rather pedestrian ground beef chili was.  Not to toot my own horn, but there were quite a few people let me know that they really enjoyed my chili, a few came back for seconds, and a couple told me it was the best of the bunch.  So I decided to declare myself the unofficial people's champion.  I did make it on TV though :)

Jeff’s Famous Chili

(All fame is implied, Chili has no actual fame. )

Makes app. 4 quarts

Ingredients

4 lbs of Beef Brisket, cubed

½ Cup dry pinto beans (soaked overnight)

½ Cup dry black beans (soaked overnight)

1 Large onion- chopped

3 Cloves garlic- chopped

2 Poblano peppers- roasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped

1 Small can Tomato Paste

1 Can (28oz) 6-in-1 brand crushed tomatoes

3 Tbls Lard

2 Ancho Chilies

2 Pasillia Chilies

4 New Mexican Chilies

5 Chile de Arbols

½ tbls Cayenne

1 Tbls Cumin (from whole seeds, toasted and ground fresh)

1 bay leaf

Water

Kosher salt to taste (app. 3 tbls)

Procedure

1.      Lightly toast dried chilies and cumin seeds in cast iron pan over medium heat, let cool and grind into powder. 

2.      Heat 2 tlbs of lard over high heat in large dutch oven, brown the cubed beef in batches, remove from pan and set aside.

3.      Add chopped onion to dutch oven and sauté for app. 5 minutes.

4.      Add garlic, tomato paste, cumin, and ½ of chili powder, sauté for 1 minute.

5.      Add 1 cup of water, use a wooden spoon to scrape up brown bits from bottom of pan.

6.      Add crushed tomato, chopped poblanos, browned beef, 2 tbls salt to pot, cover with water and allow chili to simmer over medium heat for 2 hours.

7.      While chili is simmering use a separate pot to prepare the beans.  Add the soaked beans, bay leaf, and 1 tbls of lard, cover with water and simmer, uncovered for app. 1.5 hours or until tender.  Season beans with salt after they have softened (app. 1 tbls)

8.      Add cooked beans and remaining chili powder to dutch oven along with enough of the bean water to cover the mixture.

9.      Continue cooking for an additional 2 hours or until chili reaches desired consistency.

10.  Taste and adjust salt if needed.

11.  Enjoy!