'Secret' Revealed!!

Back in the fall of 2008 I somehow won a chili cook-off.

At first I thought to myself, "All these judges must have colds and cannot taste food right."

But I won not just judges choice but people's choice as well.

HOWEVER I must confess, I was only one of three contestants!  Hahahaha!

Despite the small competition, I still believe I make a very delicious chili.

I can't claim the recipe as my own since I did not create it.  Gasp!  (Don't take away my prize money!)

I have made slight adjustments to the original.

Saturday I was asked to make 4 gallons of my chili for a fundraiser at the LPC Museum.

6 pounds of beef, 12 cans, 4 pots and 87 dishes later...I am done cleaning up.

Matt and LeAnn helped out, too!  So thank you!

Anyway, my point in telling you all of this is that I thought I'd share my 'secret' recipe.

I think what makes it so good is that you cook the veggies with the spices.  That and the fact that you DO NOT drain the grease from the meat.  If you do so, then you lose all the tasty, spicy juices from cooking up the vegetables.

So here we go....

2 Tbs veg or corn oil

2 medium onions, chopped fine

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

6 medium garlic cloves, minced (or just use jarred garlic)

1/4 C chili powder

1 Tbs ground cumin

2 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

2 lbs 85 percent lean ground beef

2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes

1 (28 oz) can tomato puree

salt

Toppings of your choice...my favs...sour cream and cheddar cheese!

1 Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the onions, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, pepper flakes, oregano, and cayenne, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggie are softened and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.  Increase the heat to medium-high and add half the beef.  Cook, breaking up the chunks with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink and just beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes.  Add the remaining beef and cook until no longer pink, another 3 to 4 minutes.

2.  Add the beans, tomatoes, tomato puree and 1/2 tsp salt.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.  Don't forget to stir occasionally!  Remove the lid and continue to simmer 1 hour longer, stirring occasionally.  If chili begins to stick to the bottom of the pot, add about 1/2 C water.

Easy as pie.

If you decide to make this chili, please let me know how it turns out.

I betcha you'll like it!