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Alabama Picnic Chilli

Source of Recipe

Pepper Fools


List of Ingredients

5 lb Coarse-ground beef
1 lg Onion, diced fairly fine
1/2 c Green bell pepper, diced
2 tb Beef base
1 tb Cocoa (Nestle or Hershey)
5 ts Powdered garlic granules
1 t Ground cumin
48 oz Can tomato juice
5 tb Plus 3 ts chilli powder
1/2 ts Fresh black pepper


Recipe

Combine the beef base, tomato juice, chopped veggies, cocoa and 4 tespoons of powdered garlic in a dutch oven over a low (simmer) flame.

Divide the hamburger into three more-or-less equal batches and brown it in a separate skillet. Add 1 teaspoon per batch of chilli powder. When browned and crumbled drain excess fat and add to dutch oven. Repeat until all ground beef is in the chilli pot. Add the black pepper to the chilli pot.

Stir in 1 tablespoon per pound of meat of the chilli powder (5 Tb for this batch). Cover pot and let simmer, stirring once in a while. When the onions and peppers are cooked (about 1 1/2 hr) taste the pot.

You will probably find that you'll need to add the remaining tablespoon of garlic powder and the teaspoon of ground cumin. You may also want to add an additional tablespoon of chilli powder at this time. Trust me on the garlic and cumin. It adds the final kick. Neysa tasted before and after and could not believe how much difference it made. Simmer for an additional 10 to 15 minutes and serve.

For those desiring a hotter product add cayenne until your lips turn numb and your sinuses drain if you like. I made this batch extra-mild in deference to picnic attendees who don't handle heat real well. Sadly, Maya Houston thought it was still too hot after she tasted a spoonful.

Here is one of mine that is a good starting point for experimenting. I use my own chilli mix... but Gebhardt's, Mexene or Chilli Man will work pretty well. Ray's Chilli owner says he is bringing out a line of chilli mix as soon as he finds a spice company to mix and package to his recipe. Apparently it has different requirements from using spices to can chilli.

As noted - this recipe starts extra mild as a base line in deference to the non chile heads for whom I made it. Add heat or chipotles to suit yourself. Black or pinto beans will work - add them AFTER the chilli is cooked.

From: Uncle Dirty Dave's Kitchen