Chili Cook-Off

Tomorrow I am entering my first chili cook off.  I have been making chili once a week for over a year now, mostly the same kind with a few tweaks to the recipe here and there. When I was first looking for a good primal based chili to make I was inundated by so many recipes my head was spinning. I finally settled on a basic chili (unfortunately I can't cite the source as it was a long time ago) and started making my own modifications. I am lucky enough to have a dad that is a great cook and some of his skills have made their way over to me. Not only have some of my dad's cooking skills been passed on to my but I also really enjoying the cooking process, it lets my mind wander. Chopping veggies and trimming meat gives me a chance to zone out (don't zone out too much or you might end up with shorter fingers) and is some of my best thinking time. I have made my chili so many times I know the recipe by heart and pretty much make it out of habit now. 

Below is my "go to" recipe, enjoy.


Here are the ingredients:

• 2 lbs meat (I usually use 85% Ground Beef but a mix of beef, veal, and bison is great)
• One red onion-diced
• Two bell peppers, diced.- red and yellow if available (for visual reasons, they taste the same). I usually avoid green bells because they are less sweet.
• A few carrots, peeled and diced.
• A few celery stalks, diced.
• A poblano pepper, diced.
• One jar of salsa, check the label and grab one that doesn't have added sugar.
• Two small cans of diced green chilies (the spicy kind).
• 14.5 once can of fire roasted diced tomatoes. Again, make sure no added sugar.
• 14.5 ounce can of beef broth.
• Two Jalapenos. Check heat beforehand and remove seeds and membranes if they are too hot. 
• 2 tbs grass fed butter.

Now for the spices:

• 2 tbsp of chili powder (I recently tried chipotle chili powder and loved it).
• 1 tsp granulated garlic.
• 1 tsp cumin.
• 1.5 tsp thyme.
• 1 tsp black pepper.
• 1 tsp salt.
• a pinch or two of cayenne powder.

• Quick Tip: Buying spices in bulk at a health food store saves tons of money. 

The recipe:

• Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat and add two tablespoons of grass fed butter.  When the butter is melted add the veggies. 
• Let them cook down for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add a little salt.
• Add the can of beef broth and let it reduce by half, about 5-7 more minutes.
• Add the meat and spices.  Combine and let cook for about 7 minutes.
• Add everything else.  The chili will be thick but don't worry, it will loosen up as time goes.
• Bring to a simmer and cook for about 2 hours.  I know it's a long time but it's worth it. Stir every 10 of 15 minutes.

The chili is best served with sliced avocado and a little full fat sour cream (if you eat dairy). It keeps for about 4 days in the fridge and reheats really well. 

Let me know what you think.  I will update tomorrow afternoon when the results are in.  Wish me luck.