Chili with Ancho Chili Powder (Award Winning!)

[ThunderLund78]

Ok, it was just a work Chili Cook-off but it was a big contest. This one prevailed out of about 25 different Chilis. the lady that won was kind enough to share; and in-turn I'm sharing with those that have given me so much great info on this site. It looks pretty standard, besides using Ancho Chili Powder and a LOT of garlic. I had never used Ancho before--it's GREAT. This is new my go-to recipe. Serve with a gourmet Grilled Cheese (see my related post in the grilled cheese thread).

AWARD WINNING ANCHO CHILI

2 pounds beef (ground chuck or round, or cubed sirloin)

2 medium onions, coarsely chopped

8-10 cloves garlic, chopped or pressed

1 tablespoon peanut oil

1 large can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes

1 small can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

1 can (15 ½ ounces) kidney beans (drained)

4 tablespoons ancho chili powder

1 tablespoon cumin

2 teaspoons oregano

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon black pepper

In a heavy Dutch oven, brown the beef in the peanut oil. Add the garlic and onions and brown for another few minutes or so. Add all remaining ingredients except beans and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. After about 45 minutes, taste and adjust seasonings if you'd like. Add the beans, and heat for an additional 15 minutes.

ENJOY!

[delcecchi]

If you really want to go hard core, buy dried ancho chilis, toast them in skillet and grind up. take the seeds and cores out.

These days, many grocery stores carry them.

[goblueM]

That looks great! Will have to give it a try. This has been my favorite chili recipe for the last year or so

• 2 14 oz cans of beans (i use red beans)

• 12 dried chilis, a mix of your choosing (ancho, guajillo, pasilla, cascabel, mirasol, mulato, chipotle, arbol are some good choices)

• 1/2 pound bacon

• 1 large onion, diced

• 1 large green bell pepper, diced

• 6-8 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 pounds ground venison (lean beef works too)

• 1 pound sausage, taken out of skin and broken up

• 2 tablespoons paprika

• 2 tablespoons cumin

• 1 tablespoon ground coriander

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 2 large tomatoes, diced (or one 14 oz can diced tomatoes)

• 1 cup of strong coffee

• 3 tablespoons molasses

• Beef or venison broth (have a quart ready)

• Salt to taste (2 teaspoons is a good starting point), but depends on saltiness of broth and sausage

1. Break up and seed the chiles, and cover with coffee. Bring to boil, then simmer for 30-45 minutes. Grind to a thick puree.

2. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

3. Chop bacon and fry over medium heat in a Dutch oven or other large, lidded, oven-proof pot. Once the bacon is crispy, remove it and set aside.

4. Add the meat and brown over high heat. You want the highest heat on your most powerful burner here, because the meat will want to steam and stew and not brown. Stir occasionally.

5. Once all the meat is browned, add onion to the pot and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Return half the bacon to the pot. Add garlic, stir and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the beans, paprika, cumin, coriander and salt one at a time, stirring to combine each time.

6. Add chile puree and tomato paste and stir to combine well. Add chopped tomatoes, molasses and enough broth to cover everything – you want it to be stew-like, not thin like a soup.

7. Put the lid on and bake in the oven for at least 3 hours. Check after 2 hours to see if you need more salt and broth

8. Serve with your grain of choice, and top with cilantro, cheese and some of the crispy bacon pieces.

[OnAFly]

ThunderLund's recipe looks similar to the recipe I won my neighborhood chilli cook off with. I also make my own Ancho powder using the method Del mentioned and a coffee grinder.

Ancho chilli powder is more fruity tasting to me than the store bought powders.

[ThunderLund78]

Sounds Awesome, GoblueM

I'll have to give that a try when I have a good weekend day free. Defintely lovin' the ancho, I think the next step is to experiment with some of the other chilis you mentioned.

[nofishfisherman]

I use Ancho in my chili all the time. Come to think of it I need to stock up on my chili fixin's on my next shopping trip so that I can make the annual deer camp chili.

My old office had a annual chili cook off. Seemed like every year the winner was the guy who started with cans of hormel chili. Most people thought it was so good but after the first taste I had it pegged at Hormel right away. Some people just don't know what good chili is.

Here is my recipe:

Ground Hamburger or venison depending on whats around. Ideally half and half.

Onions

Garlic

1 red pepper

1 orange pepper (gives nice color to the chili)

1-2 cans of diced tomatoes w/ green chilis

1-2 cans of diced tomatoes (may puree them if I want it less chunky)

1 can of black beans

1 can of corn

Ancho Chili poder

Cumin

black pepper

red pepper

salt

Additional seasonings as I see fit.

I will also use anahiem peppers or various other peppers as available.

This is just the basic ingredient list and amounts get varied depending on mood or how much I need to make. Seasonings are also adjusted to some extent but the basic seasonings listed almost always go in.

[atvlaska]

NO thread on chille is worth a darn with out tellin this joke....Texas Chili Cook-Off :............Notes from an inexperienced Chili taster named Frank, who was visiting Texas from the East Coast:

Recently I was honoured to be selected as an outstanding famous celebrity in Texas, to be a judge at a Chili cook-off, because no one else wanted to do it. Also the original person called in sick at the last moment, and I happened to be standing there at the judge's table asking for directions to the beer wagon when the call came. I was assured by the other two judges (Native Texans) that the chili wouldn't be all that spicy, and besides, they told me that I could have free beer during the tasting. So I accepted.

Here are the scorecards from the event:

CHILI # 1: MIKE'S MANIC MONSTER CHILI

JUDGE ONE: A little to heavy on tomato. Amusing kick.

JUDGE TWO: Nice, smooth tomato flavour. Very mild.

FRANK: Holy Chit, what the hell is this stuff? You could remove dried paint from your driveway with this stuff. I needed two beers to put the flames out. Hope that's the worst one. Those Texans are crazy.

CHILI # 2: ARTHUR'S AFTERBURNER CHILI

JUDGE ONE: Smokey, with a hint of pork. Slight Jalapeno tang.

JUDGE TWO: Exciting BBQ flavour. Needs more peppers to be taken seriously.

FRANK: Keep this out of reach of children! I'm not sure what I am supposed to taste besides pain. I had to wave of two people who wanted to give me the Heimlich manoeuvre. They had to walkie-talkie in three extra beers when they saw the look on my face.

CHILI # 3: FRED'S FAMOUS BURN DOWN THE BARN CHILI

JUDGE ONE: Excellent firehouse chili! Great kick. Needs more beans.

JUDGE TWO: A beanless chili. A bit salty. Good use of red peppers.

FRANK: Call the EPA, I've located a uranium spill. My nose feels like I have been snorting Drano. Everyone knows the routine by now. Barmaid pounded me on the back; now my backbone is in the front part of my chest. I'm getting Chit-faced.

CHILI # 4: BUBBA'S BLACK MAGIC

JUDGE ONE: Black Bean chili with almost no spice. Disappointing.

JUDGE TWO: Hint of lime in the black beans. Good side dish for fish or other mild foods. Not much of a chili.

FRANK: I felt something scraping across my tongue, but was unable to taste it. Sally, the barmaid, was standing behind me with fresh refills; that 300 lb b...itch is starting to look HOT, just like this nuclear-waste I'm eating.

CHILI # 5: LINDA'S LEGAL LIP REMOVER

JUDGE ONE: Meaty, strong chili. Cayenne peppers freshly ground, adding considerable kick. Very impressive.

JUDGE TWO: Chili using shredded beef; could use more tomato. Must admit the cayenne peppers make a strong statement.

FRANK: My ears are ringing, and I can no linger focus my eyes. I farted and four people behind me needed paramedics. The contestant seemed offended when I told her that her chili had given me brain damage. Sally saved my tongue from bleeding by pouring beer directly from a pitcher onto it. It really [PoorWordUsage] me off that the other judges asked me to stop screaming. Freakin' Rednecks! ! !

CHILI # 6: VERA'S VERY VEGETARIAN VARIETY

JUDGE ONE: Thin yet bold vegetarian variety chili. Good balance of spice and peppers.

JUDGE TWO: The best yet. Aggressive use of peppers, onions and garlic.

FRANK: My intestines are now a straight pipe filled with gaseous, sulphuric flames. No one seems inclined to stand behind me except that s......lut Sally. I need to wipe my *ss with a snow cone!

CHILI # 7: SUSAN'S SCREAMING SENSATION CHILI

JUDGE ONE: A mediocre chili with too much reliance on canned peppers.

JUDGE TWO: Ho Hum. Tastes as if the chef literally threw in a can of chili peppers at the last moment. I should note that I am worried about Judge # 3.

FRANK: You could put a #)$^@#*&! Grenade in my mouth, pull the #)$^@#*&! pin, and I wouldn't feel a dam thing. I've lost the sight in one eye, and the world sounds like it is made of rushing water. My shirt is covered with chili, which slid unnoticed out of my X*$(@#^&$ mouth. My pants are full of lava-like [PoorWordUsage], to match my X*$(@#^&$ shirt. At least the during the autopsy they'll know what killed me. I've decided to stop breathing, it's too painful. I'm not getting any oxygen anyway. If I need air, I'll just suck it in through the four inch hole in my stomach.

CHILI # 8: HELEN'S MOUNT SAINT CHILI

JUDGE ONE: A perfect ending. This is a nice blend chili, safe for all; not too bold, but spicy enough to declare its existence.

JUDGE TWO: This final entry is a good balanced chili, neither mild now hot. Sorry to see that most of it was lost when Judge # 3 passed out, fell and pulled the chili pot on top of himself. Not sure if he's going to make it. Poor Yank.

FRANK: HEY FRANK....... - (Editor's Note: Judge # 3 was unable to report).

[delcecchi]

And here I thought real texas chili had neither tomatoes nor beans....

[goblueM]

And here I thought real texas chili had neither tomatoes nor beans....

well judging from the spelling in the joke post, a British person wrote it, so I wouldn't expect them to know much about authentic Texas chili!