Inspired by many a request, we’ve compiled the recipes from our six Foctoberfest 2019 chili chefs so you can relive every delicious bite again and again. Enjoy!
Chili Recipe #1: Winning Chili by Fortego Analyst Tim
INGREDIENTS
- 4 Anaheim Chiles, roasted, peeled, chopped
- 4 Poblano Chiles, roasted, peeled, chopped
- 2-3 Red Bell Peppers, diced
- 2-3 Jalapeños, small diced
- 1 Large Yellow Onion, diced
- 1 Whole Garlic Head, minced
- 5 cans Pinto Beans, drained and rinsed
- 5 cans Dark Red Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed
- 5 lbs Chuck Steak, small cubed
- 2 lbs Ground Beef, 80/20
- 1 lbs Sweet Italian Sausage, ground
- 3 tbsp Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 3 tsp Ground Coriander
- 3 tsp Cumin
- 3 tsp Granulated Garlic
- 3 tsp Granulated Onion
- 3 tsp Paprika
- 3 tsp Black Pepper
- 2 cups (16 oz) Tomato Sauce (preferably Hunt’s)
- 8 oz Tomato Paste (preferably Hunt’s)
- 6–12 oz Yuengling
- 1–2 cups Chicken Stock
- 3 tbsp Bacon Fat
- 1-2 tbsp Grapeseed or Avocado Oil
DIRECTIONS
Prepare the anaheim and poblano chiles in advance.
- Roast the chiles by broiling them on the top rack in the oven at 500 degrees.
- Place chiles on a baking rack, roast 20-25 minutes, flipping every 5 minutes.
- Place chiles in a paper bag/bowl and cover with foil for 15 minutes.
- Peel chiles and remove most seeds.
- Chop!
- Dice red bell peppers, jalapenos, and onion. Put in large bowl together, mix.
- Mince garlic head. Set aside.
- Cube the chuck steak, then brown on medium-high temp in grapeseed/avocado oil.
- Mix all spices together.
- Add bacon fat to large pot, heat over medium-high heat.
- Add chopped chiles, onion, red bell peppers, and jalapeños. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes.
- Move veggies to bowl. Add minced garlic. Stir for about 2 minutes.
- Add browned chuck steak, ground beef, sweet Italian sausage to pot. Cook for about 10 minutes until meat is all browned. DRAIN THE FAT – there’s too much!
- Add spice mixture to the meat mixture. Cook for about 2 minutes.
- Add the veggie mixture back into the pot. Add the tomato sauce and tomato paste. Stir to incorporate the tomato paste for about 2 minutes.
- Add Yuengling, chicken stock and beans. Bring the chili to a boil at this point.
- Once the chili boils, lower heat to low-medium and simmer for about 2 hours.
- Eat.
Chili Recipe #2: Venison Chili by Fortego Analyst Brady
INGREDIENTS
- 3 tablespoons extra light (high temp) olive oil
- 2 medium yellow onions, medium dice
- 1 medium red bell pepper, medium dice
- 6 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 pound ground venison
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (14-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 2 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup masa harina
- 4 Chipotles in adobo from can, drained but not rinsed and finely diced.
- Chef’s Recommendation: Use 4 chilies for serving loved ones, professional chili judges, chefs or anyone that actually appreciates flavor balance. 6-8 chilies for competitions judged by unwashed savages that only judge chili based on heat and probably can’t tell the difference between spam and Kobe beef.
- Toppings
- Chef’s Recommendation: Top with shredded cheddar cheese, thinly sliced scallions and sour cream.
DIRECTIONS
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onions and bell pepper, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes.
- Add the garlic, chili powder, and cumin, stir to coat the vegetables, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the ground venison, ground beef and measured salt and cook, breaking the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until the meat is no longer pink, 7-10 minutes.
- Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker, add the diced tomatoes and their juices, tomato sauce, beans, liquid smoke and stir to combine. Cover and cook until the chili thickens and the flavors meld, at least 8 hours on low. Cooking Longer than 12 hours on low can cause burnt flavors to develop on the sides, depending on the crock-pot. Mine does this sometimes after 14 hours. Stir in the chipotles about 1 hour before finish.
- Thicken chili with cornstarch to desired consistency. Taste chili, season with salt as needed, and serve with the cheese, scallions and sour cream.
Chili Recipe #3: Beer Chili by Fortego Engineer Thomas
INGREDIENTS
- 5lbs ground beef
- 1 can kidney beans
- 1 can pinto beans
- 2-4 oz dark beer(completely optional)
- 2 cans fire roasted tomatoes
- 1/4 onion, diced finely
- 1 jalapeno pepper, diced with seeds and membranes removed
- 1 serrano pepper, diced with seeds and membranes removed
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tbsp cumin
- 2 tbsp garlic
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp salt
DIRECTIONS
- Brown onions in beer (if not using beer, add a little oil).
- Add ground beef and cook until browned.
- Add tomatoes, beans, peppers, and spices.
- Cook 2-3 hours, until flavors are melded together.
- Add salt to taste.
Chili Recipe #4: Turkey Chili by Fortego Engineer Mike J.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 lbs. ground turkey
- 1 large yellow or sweet onion
- 5 oz can of diced tomatoes
- 6 oz can of tomato paste
- 2 chicken bouillon cubes
- 5 oz water
- 5 tsp chili powder
- 5 tbsp cumin
- 1 jalapeño pepper
- 5 tsp garlic powder
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
- 5 tsp paprika
- 5 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
Chili Recipe #5: Traditional Chili by Fortego Engineer Ryan
INGREDIENTS
- Mezcal
- Ground beef
- Poblano peppers
- Onions
- Tomatoes
- Garlic
- Kidney beans
- Salt
- Cumin
- Paprika
DIRECTIONS
- Kind of just wing it.
Chili Recipe #6: Corn Chili by Fortego Engineer Chad
INGREDIENTS
- Black beans
- Corn
- Chiles
- Orange bell pepper
- Garlic
- Ground beef
- Tequila mix
- Onions
- Chili powder
- Tomato sauce
- Tomato paste
- Diced tomatoes
DIRECTIONS
- Trust your instincts.