Four Alarm Chili Recipes

FIVE-ALARM CHILI

Steps:

• Combine ancho chilis and 1 1/2 cup water in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave until softened, about 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Drain and discard liquid.
• Place ancho chilis, tomatoes and their juice, remaining 2 cups water, tortilla chips, and chipotle in adobo sauce in a blender and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Set aside.
• Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a Dutch oven until oil starts to smoke. Add ground beef, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper and cook until well-browned, breaking into pieces with spoon, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain meat in a colander and set aside.
• Heat remaining 4 teaspoons oil in Dutch oven and add onions and jalapenos with seeds. Cook for approximately 5 minutes, until onion is nicely browned. Stir in garlic, cumin, chili powder, oregano, coriander, sugar, and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Pour in beer and bring to a simmer. Add in beans, ancho-tomato mixture, and beef and return to a simmer. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook 50 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally.

FOUR-ALARM RIB-EYE CHILI

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a medium Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the rib-eye and cook until browned all over and the fat has rendered, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the rib-eye to a baking sheet and turn the heat down to medium.
• Add the onions, poblanos, bell peppers, Anaheim peppers, serranos and garlic to the Dutch oven and sauté until softened, 5 minutes. Add the chili powder, coriander, cumin, cayenne and 1 teaspoon salt; cook for another 2 to 3 minutes to toast the spices. Next, stir in the tomato paste; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes to toast the tomato paste and incorporate it into the vegetables. Deglaze the pot with the lager, bring to a boil and cook until reduced by half, 5 minutes. Add the chipotle puree, crushed tomatoes, pinto beans, kidney beans, corn and the rib-eye. Bring the chili to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for 30 minutes, until the chili has thickened and the rib-eye is very tender. Season with salt to taste. Serve with your favorite toppings.

DELILAH'S WICKED TWELVE ALARM CHILI

Steps:

• Place the kidney beans, chili beans, black beans, and black-eyed peas in a large, heavy pot., and simmer over medium heat.
• Place the ground beef and sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until crumbly and evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain, and stir into the bean mixture.
• Place the red and green bell peppers, yellow and red onions, and garlic on top of the bean and meat mixture. Cover and steam for at least 10 minutes. Stir in the jalapeno, chipotle, serrano, habanero, banana, cherry and Anaheim peppers, red and green Thai chilies, chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, and taco seasoning. Season to taste with cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Cover, and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 3 hours.

DING DONG EIGHT-ALARM CHILI

Steps:

• Soak ancho chiles in hot water to cover until softened, about 30 minutes. Drain well.
• While chiles soak, mince 1 whole garlic clove and mash to a paste with 1/2 tablespoon salt, 1/2 tablespoon cumin, and 1/2 tablespoon chili powder. Pat beef dry and toss with spice mixture in a large bowl until coated.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wide 6- to 7-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown beef in 3 or 4 batches, without crowding, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes per batch (lower heat as needed; spice mixture burns easily). Transfer beef as browned to another bowl. (Do not clean pot.)
• Purée anchos in a blender along with tomatoes (including juice), chipotles in adobo, cilantro, remaining 2 whole garlic cloves, and remaining 1/2 tablespoon salt until smooth.
• Add enough oil to fat in pot to total 3 tablespoons, then cook onions and chopped garlic over moderate heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits from beef, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add oregano, remaining tablespoon cumin, and remaining tablespoon chili powder and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add chile purée and 1 chopped serrano and simmer, stirring, 5 minutes. Stir in beer, water, and beef along with any juices accumulated in bowl and gently simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally and checking often to make sure chili is not scorching, 2 hours.
• Taste sauce, then add more serrano if desired and continue to simmer, partially covered, until beef is very tender and sauce is slightly thickened, 1 to 2 hours more. (If chili becomes very thick before meat is tender, thin with water as needed.)
• Coarsely shred meat (still in pot) with 2 forks and cool chili completely, uncovered, then chill, covered, 1 to 2 days to allow flavors to develop.
• Reheat over low heat, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until hot, about 30 minutes. Add beans (if using) and simmer, stirring, 5 minutes.

MICAH'S 4 1/2-ALARM CHILI

Steps:

• Combine ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir until browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Pour off excess grease.
• Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain and cut into pieces.
• Combine beef mixture, bacon, kidney beans, baked beans, tomatoes, brown sugar, barbeque rub, chili powder, hot sauce, and garlic powder in a large pot. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring every 30 minutes, until bubbling, 2 to 3 hours. Remove chili from heat and let cool, about 30 minutes.
• Refrigerate chili, 8 hours to overnight.
• Reheat chili over low heat, stirring every 30 minutes, for at least 4 hours before serving.

FOUR ALARM CHILI

Steps:

• Lightly oil the bottom of a 3-quart pot with olive oil and lightly sauté the onions, peppers and garlic. Do not brown.
• Add the ground sirloin and brown. Do not drain off fat; this adds to flavor of the chili.
• Mix all the dry ingredients and the hot sauce in the warm water and stir until well dissolved.
• Pour this seasoned water mixture into the meat, peppers, garlic and onions.
• Add the beans and the tomatoes and green chilies.
• Mix to blend all items. Bring to a gentle boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally.
• Serve with bread or crackers.
• *** If you want your chilli a bit more spiceier try adding a couple diced up habanerro peppers seeds and all.