Florida Tailgate Chili

Today was chili cookoff day at the college.  As a member of the Library team, Los Locos Libros, five years ago, we won this contest using my recipe.  

 I hiked over to the Continuing Corporate Education building with my two tickets in hand to partake in the annual customary eating of said chili, and to my surprise, there wasn't a whole lot left. Scraping the bottoms of three crockpots, I was able to come up a fairly nice size bowl of chili. A greenish looking one which was great, and two other red chilis that were mild. My biker bro Joel won the contest this year and not a morsel to sample.  I can see the early bird hogsters put a hurtin' on the chili.  There was at least a dozen crock-pots but most were empty.  Guess it is easier to sell tickets than to actually put the meat out there.  Where's the beef? 

The purpose of the event is to raise money for The American Cancer Society and I do believe it was a success! 

This is my recipe from back when we won this thing:

 

 

FLORIDA TAILGATE CHILI

INGREDIENTS:

1 round roast large (I used two for the contest)

Peppers—3 anchos (this is what gives it the flavor), 8 Jalapeños, Cayenne (if available—this gives it a mystic quality) bell pepper--green and red, sprinkle crushed red pepper

Two onions—I used Spanish but yellow is OK, just use more.

12 to 15 large tomatoes (go to a Mexican produce stand and buy 4 or 5 baskets of the $1.00 a basket ready to cook really ripe tomatoes.  Cut the stems out, chop them into 8 pieces and throw them in a blender.)

2 28oz. cans diced tomatoes

1 cans tomato paste

2 cans Ranch beans—must be “Ranch” brand

1 lime

1 bunch of cilantro—Mexican parsley

Red wine vinegar

4 or 5 cloves of garlic

Oil, vegetable—enough to cover bottom of pan

Salt

In large Dutch oven, heat vegetable oil.  Remove all fat from roast—should be able to slice it off all at once. Slice roast against the grain in very thin strips then cut into pieces—different sizes.  Add to pot stirring with a wooden spoon.  Brown the meat quickly on high, then start pouring in tomatoes from the blender. Add cans of diced tomatoes. 

Chop onions, green and red (if you have a red one) peppers and add to pot.  Chop 3 or 4 jalapenos with seeds crossways in slices.  Seed the rest and chop finely—don’t rub your eyes.  Cut up ancho peppers with scissors--or knife, like me--into small pieces and add to the chili—throw out most of the seeds but they will not hurt it.   Add 1 cayenne for mystical health reasons. 

Add the rest of ingredients, a couple of good shakes of vinegar, quarter to half cup of cilantro, lime and a good pour of salt—I know, its not good for you, but at least use some.  Put the beans in last and squeeze the lime in there too.  Stir easy.  Cook for at least an hour.