This is not a small recipe. It makes 5 quarts of chili and if you cannot use it all now… freeze the rest for a later time.
2 lbs ground chuck
2 sweet onions, chopped (have a third onion ready for garnish, diced)
1 garlic clove crushed, or you can use the bottled pre-crushed kind.
4 cans Bush’s Hot Chili Beans
4 cans Hunts Tomato Sauce
1 med size can Hunts Tomato Paste
6 fresh jalapeno’s chopped
Arrowroot
cummin
chili powder
tobasco
cayienne pepper
salt & pepper
Garnishes
Sour Cream
Diced onion
Sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
Tobasco
Open all the cans and put them in a large pot and place on simmer. Stir until your paste is mixed in well. Brown the beef with one onion and the garlic clove. I add in some of the chili powder and cummin so the beef can absorb their flavors. Drain.
Add the beef to your already simmering sauce and beans. Add the rest of the onion and the jalapeno. Add approximately 4 tbs each of chili powder and cumming. Dash the salt and pepper to taste. Add in 1 tb of the cayienne. Dash the tobasco to taste. Allow to cook at least 2 hours on low heat; stirring often so the chili does not scorch or burn.
Use the Arrowroot if the mixture is too thin. I prefer my chili very thick(sticks to the ribs better!) and Arrowroot will thicken without adding taste. Continue to add cummin until your chili tastes like chili. I have been known to add almost a whole bottle, depending on how the mixture turned out on that particular day. What most people don’t realize is that the cummin is what makes chili taste like chili. Don’t add enough and you will just have tomato sauce with beef in it.
Now for the twist. If you are having a party and you know children won’t be present, then you may want to try this.
An hour before your chili is ready to serve add 1 half pint of Bacardi’s 151 rum to the pot and stir in well. Most of the alcohol will cook off and you will be left with some GREAT tasting chili. I have made this for several Super Bowl parties and I never had any chili left over at the end of the day.
I will usually place out bowls with the garnishes and let my guests serve themselves. No fuss, no muss and happy party goers. Enjoy!
Phoenix