4 lb Chilli grind chuck
4 ts Garlic granules *
1 lg Onion; chopped fine
1 ts Cocoa powder; unsweetened
3 tb Minor's (GFS) Beef Base
Salt; if needed
48 oz V8 (straight or picante)
1 ts Cayenne pepper
8 tb Mexene Chilli spice
4 ts Cumin
14 oz Can Red Gold diced tomatoes
- with chilies -OR-
1 lg Tomato; diced with juice -AND-
4 oz Can of green chilies **
1/2 ts Brown sugar (optional)
1/8 ts Cinnamon; scant (optional)
* I use garlic granules because they are consistent as to taste and
strength. I like fresh as much as the anyone. But, it's nice
using ingredients that are the same from batch to batch.
** Apropos of fresh ingredients - you can substitute Anaheim (aka
New Mexico) chilies for the canned chilies. Processed New
Mexican chilies are what is in the can anyway. The fresh chilies
are fairly mild (low heat) and quite flavourful.
Use a 12" cast iron Dutch Oven. Toss 4 lb of chilli grind into the
pot and start browning it. Add 1 ts of garlic powder per pound of
meat. While meat is browning chop a large onion reasonably fine.
When ground chuck no longer shows pink add the diced onion and
cocoa.
Stir in 3 tb of Minor's/GFS Beef Base. If using super market (Kraft
or whatever) beef base - watch the salt. Most beef bases are mostly
salt. Minor's is mostly beef.
Add a 48 oz can of V8 (straight or picante') juice and 1 ts of
cayenne pepper. Continue to simmer and stir. When onions are clear
toss in 2 tb chilli spice per pound of meat. (I use Baron's,
Mexene, or Gebhardt's) and 1 ts cumin per pound of meat. Add the
Red Gold diced tomatoes with chilies or a 4 oz can green chilies
(chop and seed if you grabbed whole peppers by mistake). Add the
diced tomato and its juices.
Continue to simmer and stir until onions are tender and completely
transparent adding V8 juice as necessary. If you run out of V8 use
either unsalted 'mater juice or chicken broth to add liquid. Total
cooking time about 90 minutes.
If you're cooking at home you can serve this batch at this point.
See below for longer schedules and the "kicker".
If you're on a 3 hour schedule - most cook offs are - turn off
stove and let your pot marinate for about an hour. About 30 minutes
before turn-in time relight the stove and bring the chilli back to
a simmer. Taste carefully and critically.
This is final adjustment time. If it's too salty try adding about
1/2 ts of brown sugar. If the chilli has died or gone flat add 1 ts
chilli spice and 1/2 ts cumin per pound of meat and simmer right up
to time to put in judging cups.
As evidence that any receipe is a living, breathing organism this
one was revised and updated immediately after the Mount Auburn
Volunteer Fire Department cook- off. Second place isn't anything to
sneeze at. It beats kissing your old maid aunt on the lips.
Meal Master Format by Dave Drum - 07 September 1999
