Mom’s Award-Winning Chili

🏆 Mom’s Award-Winning Chili Recipe 🏆
(The ultimate crowd-pleasing, competition-style chili—rich, smoky, and packed with flavor!)

Prep Time: 20 mins | Cook Time: 1.5 hours | Servings: 8-10

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🍲 Ingredients

Meat & Base:

• 2 lbs ground beef (80/20 for best flavor)

• 1 lb ground pork (or Italian sausage for extra spice)

• 1 large yellow onion, diced

• 1 green bell pepper, diced

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

Beans & Tomatoes:

• 2 (15 oz) cans dark red kidney beans, drained/rinsed

• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained/rinsed

• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes

• 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce

• 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste

Spices & Secret Weapons:

• 3 tbsp chili powder

• 2 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp smoked paprika (key for depth!)

• 1 tsp oregano

• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust for heat)

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 beef bouillon cube (or 1 cup beef broth)

• 1 tbsp brown sugar (balances acidity)

• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• 1 tsp liquid smoke (optional but game-changing)

• Salt & black pepper to taste

Toppings (Go Wild!):

• Shredded cheddar, sour cream, diced onions, jalapeños, cornbread, or Fritos!

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🔥 Instructions

1. Brown the Meat

   • In a large Dutch oven, cook beef and pork over medium-high heat until crumbly. Drain excess grease but leave ~1 tbsp for flavor.

2. Sauté Veggies

   • Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook 5 mins until soft.

3. Build the Flavor

   • Stir in tomato paste and toast 1 min. Add all spices (chili powder, cumin, paprika, etc.) and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

4. Simmer to Perfection

   • Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans, Worcestershire, brown sugar, bouillon, and 1 cup water.

   • Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 1+ hour (up to 3 hrs for deeper flavor). Stir occasionally.

5. Adjust & Serve

   • Remove bay leaf. Taste—add salt, pepper, or more cayenne if needed.

   • For “competition thickness”, uncover and simmer 15 mins to reduce.

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💡 Pro Tips

✅ For smokiness: Add a chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (minced).
✅ No time? Use a slow cooker on LOW 6-8 hours.
✅ Vegetarian swap: Replace meat with lentils + mushrooms.
✅ Freezes beautifully for up to 3 months!

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Why This Chili Wins Awards 🏅

• Layered spices (toasting them unlocks their oils).

• Umami boosters (Worcestershire, bouillon, liquid smoke).

• Perfect texture (thick but not pasty, with tender meat).

Pair with: Cornbread, beer, or a crisp salad.

Got a secret chili ingredient? Let me know—I’ll test it! 😉🔥