I usually make mine during the annual Armed Forces Chili Cook-Off in late September - I usually place Top-5 and almost always Top-3 People's Choice... which is perfect, because you can actually taste my chili, as opposed to determine how good it was by how much more of your innards got burned-away and spice-scalded. rofl
I always have to make a bunch for judging, sampling for People's Choice, etc., and usually make around 5-6 gallons. This recipe is for right up to 2 gallons... increase quantities by factor of 1 for each additional gallon as you go. Make a lot and invite your friends - chili is more of a social event than just a meal, after all.
"M.O.A.B. Chili" - for those times when "Atomic" or "Nuclear" is just too much."
1 lb ground round
1 lb Italian sausage
2 bottles Shiner Bock (or your favorite darker beer - Sam Adams Winter Lager is a good substitute for Shiner Bock)
black pepper - 1tsp
salt - 1tsp
1 big white onion, diced
Garlic clove section - pureed
2 good sized Serrano* peppers - seeds removed and pureed
Chili Powder - 3Tbsp
Cumin - 1Tbsp
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 can Rotel Tomatoes
2 cans Ranch beans (if you like beans - Terlingua style is "no beans")
up to 1 cup water (or another beer), if it's getting too thick (should not be runny or soupy, though)
Masa powder (just in case it starts going runny 2-3Tbsp/gallon as necessary to thicken it back up)
All Tbsp & Tsp should be heaping.
Cook it:
Use a large crock pot or large chili/stock pot for the concoction - big skillet or frying pan for the meat
Brown (or gray) the meat with the onions, black pepper & salt
Drain the meat, toss into the pot
Add tomato sauce, Rotel, beans, and beer
Cook until slow-roll boiling, then add the garlic, Serrano, chili powder, and cumin
Let it all slow-roll boil for about 3-5 minutes
Turn down heat to simmer, cover and periodically check/stir every 15 minutes for at least 2 hours
It's chili, so periodically taste and adjust spices until it's how you like it - if it starts getting runny, add some Masa powder (not flour) to bring it back to the right consistency. Add a bit of water to the Masa and blend into a thin paste, then fold into the chili, otherwise the shock of it hitting the heat will make it clump... which is not desirable.
* Use Jalapeno, Green Chili, or Bell Peppers, depending on preference - Serranos are a good "middle-of-the-road" pepper: not too much heat, and not too much "peppery" flavor. Bell peppers are for people who grew up north of Moab, Utah, never left the State, and think that Taco Bell "Spicy" is "hot."
(Hey... that was me until I joined the Air Force rofl )
Dice up another onion or two and have some shredded cheese handy (toss some on - why not?). Also have some corn chips and salsa and/or queso handy, for when you run out of chili during the game.
Most important chili experience ingredient: Get someone to pick up some Little Caesar's Crazy Bread - a bunch, like 4-6 bags (it's cheap, and perfect with Chili). If you make a lot, you'll need more beer, too - make sure someone brings more of that as well.
Have fun!
