The Generals Chili Recipes

THE BEST CHILI

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until just browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon.
• Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden, about 10 minutes.
• Add the jalapeno and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the tomato paste. Cook, stirring frequently, until coated and fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Stir in the beef broth and crushed tomatoes and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the cooked ground beef and any accumulated liquid, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer the chili, partially covered, until the beef is tender and the sauce is slightly thickened, about 30 minutes.
• Stir in the beans and their liquid and simmer uncovered until the beans are softened and the chili is thickened, about 30 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.
• Top with sour cream, Cheddar and scallions. Serve with tortilla chips.

THE GENERAL STORE CHILI

Steps:

• In a large, heavy pot set over medium-low heat, brown the beef, stirring it if it starts to stick to the bottom and breaking up any clumps, about 20 minutes.
• Add the onion, jalapeño and garlic and cook until the onion is translucent, about 4 minutes.
• Add the chili powder and stir well. Cook for about 5 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally.
• Add the tomatoes and tomato paste. If using a can, add about 1/4 cup water to the can to remove excess paste and add it to the pan. Stir vigorously to incorporate and let simmer for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the beans and their liquid, stirring gently so as not to break them. Simmer over very low heat for 1 1/2 hours.
• Turn off the heat and stir in the cocoa powder and sugar. Add the salt and pepper, taste and season as needed. Serve with buttered cornbread if desired.

THE GENERAL'S CHILI

Steps:

• Fry, then crumble the sausage.
• Add all ingredients except crumbled sausage and beef to a stockpot, bring to a boil. Add the beef a little at a time, so that the pieces don't stick together, and reduce to a medium simmer for about 1 hour or until beef cubes are almost tender, stirring every 15 minutes.
• Add crumbled sausage and reduce heat to a low simmer until beef cubes are tender, another ½ to 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
• The wheat bran flakes add no taste, but makes the chili thicker, and the fiber content is good for digestion.
• Most chili recipes use coarsely ground beef. This one uses ¼ inch cubes of beef, which would be like very, very coarsely ground beef. It gives the dish a unique heavier texture, and this recipe is a little soupier than most chili recipes. I now use a #22 meat grinder with a grinder plate that has 3/4 inch holes to grind the beef instead of spending the lengthy time to dice the beef into 1/4 inch cubes.

THE GENERAL STORE CHILI

Steps:

• In a large heavy pot over medium-low heat, add the beef and cook until browned. Make sure to stir it if it starts to stick and break up any clumps that form. Add the diced onion, habanero, jalapeno and garlic. When the fat has rendered from the meat, add the chili powder and stir well. Cook for about 5 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste and the chicken stock. Stir vigorously to combine and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Gently stir in the beans so as not to break the beans. Simmer over very low heat for 1 1/2 hours.
• Turn off the heat and add the cocoa powder and brown sugar. Stir vigorously, and then add the salt and pepper. Transfer the chili to a serving bowl and serve.