Award Winning Chili

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Award Winning Chili con Carne

+ look at those baby faces.. ;)

Ahhh, fam! This post has been 3 years in the making.. THREE YEARS!! My mind is blown with how fast time is flying by.. thus the ‘trip down memory lane photo’ above. Look at those baby faces!! Couldn’t help myself.. ;) Anyways! Jordi and I have been dying to do a ‘Making it Work in the Kitchen’ podcast episode since.. I’m thinking before we even started the podcast?! It’s no secret that we LOVE to cook and some of our sweetest time together during the craziness of the week is when we’re making dinner for the girls together, preferably with a glass of vino in hand. ;)

When we were deciding which recipe we’d share on the podcast first, we were floored when we thought of this chili because there is such a fun story behind it and it is truly THE BEST!! I’m giving FULL credit to Eddie from Panning the Globe.. I followed his recipe to a ‘T’! He originally adapted his from Guy Fieri’s ‘Dragon Breath Chili’ recipe, but I love the additions that Eddie made.

Be sure to check out the latest episode of ‘Making it Work’ to join Jordi and I as we welcome you into our kitchen- walking you through the recipe as we cook, chatting about what makes it so special, and sharing mistakes to avoid. (AKA ‘I f’ed up so you don’t have to’ ;) I’ve added Eddie’s recipe below, but head over to the Panning the Globe blog to read his notes, the changes he made, and his tips/tricks. It truly is an award winning recipe!

EDDIE (& GUY’S) AWARD WINNING CHILI

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 Anaheim chiles, roasted, peeled, chopped

  • 3 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, chopped

  • 12 ounces of bacon, cut crosswise into ¼-inch strips and sautéed until almost crisp. Reserve 3 tablespoons of bacon fat.

  • 3 tablespoons bacon fat (rendered from the bacon)

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (canola, grape seed or your favorite)

  • 2 red bell peppers, seeds and ribs removed, diced

  • 2 jalapeno peppers, seeds and ribs removed, minced

  • 2 yellow onions, peeled and diced

  • 1 head garlic, peeled and minced (10-12 garlic cloves, 6 tablespoons minced garlic)

  • 1 pound boneless beef chuck, trimmed of fat and gristle, cut into ½-inch cubes

  • 2 pounds ground beef

  • 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

  • 3 tablespoons chili powder (1 tbsp each of ancho, chipotle and Mexican)

  • 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (I halved this amount for less heat)

  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander

  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin

  • 2 teaspoons granulated garlic

  • 2 teaspoons granulated onion

  • 2 teaspoons hot paprika (not smoked)

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt

  • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 cups tomato sauce

  • 8 ounces tomato paste

  • 12 ounces of your favorite beer (we used Modelo Especial)

  • 1 cup chicken stock

  • 2 15-ounce cans kidney beans, with juice

  • 2 15-ounce cans pinto beans, with juice

  • Optional Garnishes:

  • 1 bunch green onions

  • Shredded cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack

  • Sour cream

  • Avocado

 
 

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Roast the Chilies: Preheat the oven to broil (500ºF) Set an oven rack at the top, directly under the broiler. Spread the chiles out on a low-sided oven tray and roast for 15-20 minutes, turning peppers with tongs every five minutes, until their skins are about 60-70% blackened on all sides. Put the hot peppers directly into a paper bag. Roll down the top of the bag so they're tightly contained. Let them sit and steam for 15-20 minutes until the skins are loosened and easy to peel off. Peel off skins, remove seeds and membranes, and chop.

  2. Sauté Chilis and Aromatics: Add the bacon grease and oil to a large heavy pot or Dutch oven (6-quart), over medium-high heat. Add the chopped chiles, red bell peppers, jalapeño peppers and onions. Cook for 5 minutes or until the vegetables just start to become translucent. Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Transfer all the sautéed vegetables to a bowl and set aside. No need to wash the pot, you'll use it to brown the meat.

  3. Brown the Meats: Add the cubed beef chuck to the pot and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned on all sides, about 4 minutes. Add the ground beef and sausage and cook for 7-10 minutes, stirring to break up the sausage and ground beef, until the meat is no longer pink. Return the cooked vegetables to the pot along with the reserved bacon.

  4. Add Spices: chili powders, cayenne, coriander, cumin, granulated garlic, granulated onion, paprika, salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute, until fragrant.

  5. Add the Rest of the Ingredients: Add the tomato sauce and paste. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, to combine. Add beer, chicken stock, kidney beans with their liquid and pinto beans with their liquid. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, and cook for 2 hours, uncovered.

  6. To Serve: Ladle chili into bowls. Top with garnishes or put garnishes into small bowls for self serve.

Bon appétit!