Difficulty: Very Easy
Return on Investment: Pretty good, it’s generally about $1.25 per serving
There are two versions to this recipe, the Man Version, and the Family Version. The man version causes nightmarish diarrhea. Ok not really, but it’s damn hot. The Family Version is hot, but mild enough to use at cookouts.
In the steps below, Man Version means “follow this step to get the hot version”, and Family Version means “ignore the above step and follow this one instead for milder chili”
The most important piece to this recipe is a good 4 quart slow cooker. I recommend Rival, just because they are cheap and last a long time. You’ll need at least a 4 quart for this recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Angus Beef Bites
- 2 packages McCormick Hot Chili Season Mix
- 40.5 ounce can of Hanover Dark Red Kidney Beans
- 29 ounce can of Hunt’s Tomato Sauce
- 28 ounce can of Del Monte Diced Tomato’s with Garlic and Onion
- McCormick Curry Powder
- Spice Island Bay Leaves
- El Yucateco Salsa Picante de Chili Habenaro*
- Fresh or packaged Basil Leaves ( chopped )
- Fresh or packaged Red Pepper ( crushed )
- Fresh or packaged Paprika
- Four garden fresh red chili peppers
*This is the most important part of this chili. Accept no substitutes, you can find this sauce in the grocery store under the ‘ethnic’ foods aisle, or just out on the shelve in a Mexican grocery store.
Steps
- “Preheat” the slow cooker on low for about 10 minutes. It’s not terribly important to do this, but I do it anyway.
- Combine kidney beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and both packets of chili season mix.
- Stir until evenly colored, and the mix is absorbed
- Man Version - Add 2 pounds Angus beef bites, 1 teaspoon curry powder, 3 bay leaves, 1/8 cup basil, 1/8 cup crushed red pepper and 2 teaspoons of paprika
- Family Version - Add 2 pounds Angus beef bites, 1/2 teaspoon curry powder, 3 bay leaves, 1/8 cup basil, 1/8 cup crushed red pepper and 1 teaspoons of paprika
- Stir until evenly distributed and basil,curry,red pepper and paprika are absorbed
- Turn slow cooker to “High” setting
- Man Version - Add 1/4 cup El Yucateco sauce and four fresh chili peppers, cut into halves
- Family Version - Add 1/8 cup El Yucateco sauce and one fresh chili pepper, cut in half
- Cook on “High” setting for 5 hours, stirring every 45 minutes or so
- Man Version - If you really want “almost unedible” hot chili, at the 3 hour mark, add 1/8 cup of El Yucateco sauce, 1 teaspoon of curry powder, and 1 teaspoon of paprika. Generally I skip this step, because the regular Man Version is hot enough.
- After 5 hours, set to “Warm” setting, or turn off the pot. Let cool for ten to fifteen minutes, remove the bay leaves and serve!
Important note to the above recipe, make sure you remove the bay leaves before serving. They taste like shit and aren’t meant for eating, just for adding flavor to the chili.
This chili is great with scoop style chips and any Belgium-wheat beer. Enjoy!
