The Abodies brought out their competitive streak again and some of the best chili recipes ever for the 6th Annual Abode Chili Cook-Off! The winner was chosen based on 5 categories of uniqueness, aroma, texture, flavor, and heat. Our judges (the other Abodies) tasted 6 crockpots full of tasty chili, even going back a second and third time just to be sure before casting their final votes.
Melo wins the 2023 Chili Cook-Off! The competition was extremely close with every Abodie putting in their vote, and she was this year’s winner! Here’s the winning recipe and the recipes for all of food cooked this year.
Ingredients:
1-2 Anaheim chiles, roasted, peeled, chopped
1-2 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, chopped
12 ounces of bacon, cut in pieces, cook until crispy. Reserve bacon fat.
1 red bell peppers, seeds and ribs removed, diced
1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb boneless beef chuck, cut into cubes
1 lb ground beef
3 tablespoons dark chili powder
1.5 cayenne pepper (add more if you want it spicier)
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons granulated onion
2 teaspoons paprika
2.5 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 can fire roasted tomatoes and chiles
1 tube of tomato paste (use the whole tube)
12 ounces beer (Modelo was used in this year’s chili)
½ cup beef broth (add more if you want it soupier)
1 15-ounce can black beans with juice
1 15-ounce can red beans with juice
2 splashes of Worcestershire
Optional Toppings:
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced or 1 red onion, finely chopped
Shredded cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack
Sour cream
Instructions:
1. Broil (500 degrees) the Anaheim and Poblano Chiles. When the skin blisters and are charred, remove from oven and peel, remove seeds and
chop. Set aside.
2. Saute the Chiles + Onion and Garlic and Bell Pepper. In a heavy pan, cook the bacon until crispy. Set aside cooked bacon and
separate the bacon grease. Using a little bit of the bacon grease, add chopped onion and garlic. Once onion is soft, add broiled
chiles and chopped bell pepper. Cook for 5 minutes or until the vegetables just start to become translucent. Set aside.
3. Brown the Meats: Using the same pan, add more bacon grease and add the cubed beef chuck and cook, stirring often, until lightly
browned on all sides. Add the ground beef, stirring to break up the ground beef, until the meat is no longer pink. Return the cooked
vegetables to the pot along with the reserved bacon.
4. Add Spices: chili powders, cayenne, coriander, cumin, granulated garlic, granulated onion, paprika, salt and black pepper. Mix all
the spices into the meats.
5. Add the Rest of the Ingredients: Melo used her Instapot to slow cook the rest. Add the meat and veggie mix into the pot. Add the
canned tomatoes and full tube of tomato paste. Add beer, beef stock, red kidney beans with their liquid and black beans with
their liquid. Slow cook for 4 hours. Taste the chili, if it feels like it needs more saltiness, add a splash or two of Worcestershire
sauce.
Ingredients:
1 Rotisserie Chicken (just the meat- shredded)
4 can can busch’s white chili beans
4 oz green chilis
1 8 oz can of smoked diced tomatoes
8 oz cream cheese
1 onion
1/2 red bell pepper (and green)
1-2 jalapenos
1-3 tbsps flour
2 tbsps butter
1 tbsp garlic
1 tsp chicken base
6 cups chicken broth
2 tsps of each, cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder 1/2 packet sazon
1 packet of hidden valley ranch dressing
All Purpose Seasoning to taste
1 cup heavy cream
1 can of corn
Optional Toppings:
Sour cream
Shredded cheese
Tortilla strips
Jalapenos
Cilantro
Instructions:
1. Add butter to pan on medium heat. Saute the bell pepper, onions, and jalapenos for 4-5 minutes until caramelized with nice color. Add in garlic and chicken base. Season everything with All Purpose Seasoning.
2. Add in flour and cook for a minute to make the roux. Add chicken broth, 2 cups at a time.
3. Add in beans and seasonings (cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, sazon, hidden valley ranch dressing packet). Bring chili up to a gentle boil.
4. Turn the heat off and add in green chilis and diced chicken. Bring the heat back up, put the lid on, and cook for 15-20 minutes.
5. Add in heavy cream and cream cheese. Combine. Next, add in the frozen corn. Taste the chili and adjust with seasonings.
Ingredients:
2 lbs oxtail
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 cans pinto beans
1 can dark kidney beans
2 cans light kidney beans
1 onion
1 bell pepper
1/2 pound celery
Instructions:
1. Season oxtail with corse salt and corse black pepper. Smoke oxtail at 275 degrees for 2 hours or until seasoning can’t be scratched off
2. Finish oxtail in oven covered with foil. Add 1 box beef broth and any other aromatics you like. Cool until meat is tender
3. Dice and sauté onion and bell pepper and add to your slow cooker with all the other canned ingredients. Add in your oxtail and cook that pot low and slow for at least 4 hours
Ingredients:
1.5 tablespoon olive oil
2.5 pounds ground venison or ground beef (I did 1lb ground beef, 1.5lb ground venison)
1 pack bacon
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 green bell peppers (seeds removed), chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1-2 15-ounce cans kidney beans (dark or light- do not drain)
1 15-ounce can pinto beans (do not drain)
2 14-ounce cans diced tomatoes
½ cup Worcestershire sauce
1.5 teaspoon chili powder (more if you like spicy)
1.5 teaspoon ground cumin
1.5 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoon seasoning salt
Instructions:
1. In a pan over medium heat, cook all bacon, chop and set aside.
2. Using the leftover bacon fat, cook onion until translucent, then add in ground meats and season with salt and pepper to taste
3. After meat is browned, add to crockpot with all other ingredients
4. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours
5. Serve and enjoy!
a. For extra spice: add in more chili powder or add in hot peppers of choice to crockpot (jalapeno, habanero, Anaheim, poblano, etc.)
b. Key chili toppings include: sour cream, green onion, shredded cheese and/or frito chips!
Ingredients
4 chicken thighs boiled and shredded (save some broth) I have also used ground chicken, but the thighs add flavor!
1 can diced green chili
2 cans chili beans
2 cans rotel Hatch diced tomotoes
1 can chick peas
1 pabloano pepper (diced)
1 red onion (diced)
4 stalks celery diced
1 red pepper diced
1 cloves crushed garlic
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tsp hatch chili flakes
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ancho chili powder
1 tsp cinnamon
sprinkle of salt & pepper
Instructions:
1. Add chicken, chili, beans, tomatoes, chick peas, peppers, onion, celery, and garlic to a crockpot or dutch oven.
2. Sprinkle the spices (chili powder, chili flakes, cumin, smoked paprika, ancho chili powder, cinnamon, salt, pepper) on top and mix together
3. Cook on low for 4 hours. Taste throughout the cooking process and add any of the spices as needed for your own taste.
Ingredients
2 14oz cans black beans (1 can was Hoppy Cerveza canned variety)
1 cup corn, frozen 1 can of chickpeas (Spencer used a Citrusy Cerveza canned variety this year)
5 cloves garlic
1 1/2 cups green lentils, dry
1 28oz can of fire roasted diced Tomatoes
1 5oz can of fire roasted green chilis
5 cups vegetable broth
1 15oz can tomato sauce
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp of “mexican fiesta seasoning” blend (cumin, peppers, etc.)
1 tsp pink himalayan salt
1 tbsp fresh cracked pepper
1 tbsp smoked Paprika
1 tbsp olive oil
Ingredients
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus additional for greasing the pan
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup Buttermilk (or 1/2 cup of milk and 1/2 cup of yogurt)
1/4 cup maple syrup
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425F. Lightly grease an 8-inch square or 9-inch round baking pan with butter.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt and whisk together until thoroughly combined.
3. Break the eggs into a large measuring cup and beat them with the whisk. Add the buttermilk, maple syrup, and melted butter to the eggs and whisk together until uniform.
4. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and stir to combine with just a few strokes. Pour the batter into prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cornbread is lightly browned, pulling away from the sides of the pan, and a cake tester or butter knife comes out clean when inserted into the center.
Ingredients
½ Cup Cubed Butter (very cold, unsalted)
1 ¾ Cups All purpose Flour (plus a little more to fold and cut the dough into biscuits)
1 ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
2 teaspoon Sugar
½ teaspoon Salt
1 ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
2 tablespoon fresh Jalapeno peppers (finely chopped, more or less to taste)
1 Cup Cheddar Cheese (Shredded)
½ Cup Buttermilk (cold, plus a tablespoon more for brushing)
6 Jalapeno slices (to top, optional)
Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven to 400 deg F. Line a dark baking tray with parchment paper. Alternatively, you can butter a cast iron skillet. Set it aside.
2. Place flour in a mixing bowl. Add cold and cubed butter to the bowl. Cut and mix butter into flour using a pastry cutter/fork. Combine till coarse crumbs form.
3. Add salt, baking powder, sugar, garlic, chopped jalapenos and ½ cup of cold buttermilk. Mix them in with light hands using a spatula/folding spoon.
4. Now add cheese and mix it in too. Do not over work the dough. It will appear very crumbly at this point!
5. Turn the dough out on a floured surface and form a rectangle out of the dough.
6. Now fold and flatten your dough a few times. Then using your hands/rolling pin form a rectangle about ½-3/4 inch thick
7. Cut into biscuits using a glass/biscuit cutter about 2-3 inches in diameter. Work with scraps till you have 5-6 biscuits. Place on prepared tray/cast iron, top each biscuit with a sliced jalapeno. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze 10-15 minutes.
8. Then brush with remaining buttermilk. Bake for 20-23 minutes or until they appear golden brown on top. Take the cheddar cheese biscuits out from oven and brush with melted butter generously. Enjoy warm!
