Hibernation Helpers: Chili to Beat the Winter Chills

All over the country, record-breaking cold temperatures are making it more tempting than ever to hole up at home, wallowing in seasonally spawned hibernation until spring finally arrives. So, Shoestring recommends chili for the chilly: chili recipes; chili festivals; chili contests; and chili cook-offs.

According to Carol Hancock, CEO of the International Chili Society (ICS), there are over 200 chili-related contests officially sanctioned by her organization held each year worldwide, making these budget-friendly events a fabulous way to break up an antisocial winter and spice up our lives and our bellies — even if only for a few hours. (To find a chili contest near you, check out the official ICS chili cookoff calendar or keep an eye on local event listings.)

Inspired by our own recent trek to Martha's Vineyard for the WMVY Big Chili Contest — a much-anticipated New England tradition, a.k.a. "chili fest" — we bring you these expert tips, tricks, and recipes for cooking (and saving on) contest-worthy chili, direct from the "chiliheads" themselves. (For photos from the 2009 and 2010 Big Chili Contests on Martha's Vineyard, check out Shoestring's slideshows on Flickr.)

COST-SAVING CHILI TIPS

Ask any chef, and the easy answer to saving money when making chili is to load up on the beans and other veggies and to cut back on the meat. Ask any chili judge, and they'll say that a chili with beans isn't really chili at all, because the beans detract from the "chili-ness" of the chili, imparting recipes with an overpowering bean flavor.

"It's so controversial!" Hancock says. "What I think is chili, you might not think is chili. Everyone has their own idea of what chili is, and that's why (the ICS) exists at all, and that's what makes chili great."

Check out these caveats and resources from both camps for making crowd-pleasing chili on any budget:

Cookware
One of the secrets to great chili is to simmer it slowly while making sure it doesn't burn. Saltwater Restaurant owner Sam Dunn, creator of Shoestring's favorite chili at the 2010 Big Chili Contest, recommends using a CrockPot, usually found for about half the price of a professional-grade heavy-bottomed stockpot.

"CrockPots are great (for chili)," Dunn says. "All you have to do is get all your ingredients in there and walk away, then come back in three hours and it's done. It won't burn and you don't have to stir it all the time. The longer your chili simmers, the better it's going to taste."

Meats
Hancock waxes nostalgic about the origins of chili recipes, which she says either come out of the Texas jails "where they used the cheapest meats for stews and added spices until it was palatable" or cowboy cooking "where you carry a lot of dried meats that need to be reconstituted." She recommends cutting your grocery bill by using ground beef (either a hamburger grind or a chili grind) as your chili base versus the hand-cut, cubed sirloin or tri-tip used by chili competitors and judges, or opting for "chili verde," made with chicken or pork instead of beef, which is almost always more expensive (and less eco-friendly). "Once you've got the meat, you've got it all," Hancock says.

Everything Else
Spices and vegetables can cost a pretty penny, too, which is why Meg Clarke of Ben & Bill's on Martha's Vineyard recommends buying in bulk. "Cumin and chili powder add up pretty quick, so we went to BJ's and pretty much cut the cost in half by shopping there," she said. "My single batch (of chili) serves about 30 to 40 people, so you can shop at (warehouse clubs) and not be over-buying." Clarke also recommends opting for dried beans and soaking them in water overnight instead of using canned beans. "It's less expensive and you cut out all of the preservatives and additives, which most people are trying to avoid nowadays."

AWARD-WINNING CHILI RECIPES

All they do is give! In addition to the thousands of dollars raised annually for the Red Stocking Fund by the WMVY Big Chili Contest and the more than $85 million raised by the ICS for various charities since its inception in 1967, these chili lovers have also agreed to share their special recipes exclusively with Shoestring readers. From world champion chili to chocolate chili, there's definitely something here for everyone.

1985 World Champion "Shotgun Willie Chili"
Carol Hancock, International Chili Society

• 6 lbs Prime Beef, cubed or coarse ground
• 4 medium onions, finely diced
• 1 15-oz. can tomato sauce
• 6 New Mexico dried pepper pods
• 6 Pasilla dried pepper pods
• 4 cups beef broth
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• 16 tablespoons Gebhardt Chili Powder
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon MSG
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 14 garlic cloves, crushed (reserve remaining pulp)
• 1 cup water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons oregano leaves
• 2-3 tablespoons canola oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Remove stems and seeds from pepper pods and boil chili peppers in water for approximately one hour until pulp separates from skin. 2. Scrape pulp from skin and mash into a paste. Use 1 1/2 cups of this paste in recipe. 3. Bring the cup of water to a boil, steeping the 1 1/2 tablespoons of oregano in the water using a tea ball. 4. Strain and reserve the strained liquid to add to the chili mixture. 5. Brown beef in small batches, one at a time in hot oil, adding onions and black pepper to each batch. 6. Remove meat and transfer to chili pot as it browns. 7. Add remaining ingredients, blend well. 8. Cover and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Check out the ICS website for more world champion chili recipes, a history of chili and the great chili legends -- even free coloring papers to download for the kiddos.

Saltwater Chili with Chipotle or Citrus Creme Fraiche
Sam Dunn, Saltwater Restaurant on Martha's Vineyard

Ingredients:

• 5 lbs. ground beef
• 10 lbs. sirloin tips, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 2 lbs. bacon, finely diced
• 5 gallons beef stock (preferably liquid)
• 1 10 lb. can crushed tomatoes
• 4 oz. tomato paste (more for color)
• 1 8 oz. can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, pureed
• 6 cans of stout (Guinness or Murphy's)
• 5 Spanish onions, medium dice
• 5 cloves garlic, microplaned
• 3 red bell peppers, roasted then diced medium
• 3 yellow bell peppers, roasted then diced medium
• 8 oz. masa de harina (+ 8 oz. butter as a thickening agent)
• 3 cups canned black beans (drained)
• Canola oil (as needed)

Seasoning, to taste:

• chili powder
• cumin
• granulated garlic
• mexican oregeno
• ground cinnamon
• ground nutmeg
• ground allspice
• cayenne pepper
• salt
• pepper
• maple syrup
• cider vinegar

1. In heavy-bottomed stockpot, combine all wet ingredients: beef stock, crushed tomato, tomato paste, canned chipotle, beer, maple syrup and cider vinegar. 2. Grate garlic into broth and simmer. 3. In a heavy bottomed saute pan, brown ground beef and drain. Reserve. 4. Repeat with sirloin. 5. Cook bacon until almost crispy, drain. Reserve. 6. Roast peppers, peel, seed and dice. Reserve. 7. In heavy-bottomed saucepan, saute onions until tender. Reserve. 8. Add all reserved ingredients to the stock pot and simmer at least two hours. Make sure to skim the fat off the top as you simmer. 9. In a medium saucepan, melt masa al harina and butter to make a paste (also known as a roux) 10. Add roux to chili to thicken, adjusting the thickness by adding more roux (thicker) or water (thinner). 11. Add black beans. 12. Add spices to desired flavor. Makes 4-5 gallons.

GARNISHES

Pickled Jalapenos

• 1 lb. red jalapenos
• 1 lb. green jalapenos
• Equal parts salt, sugar, and vinegar (enough to cover)

1. Slice jalapenos into 1/8 inch discs. 2. Boil salt, sugar and vinegar until sugar dissolves. 3. Pour liquid over jalapenos and let sit, at least an hour. 4. Drain and serve.

Citrus Crema

• 6 limes
• 2 cups creme fraiche
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Zest and juice limes. 2. Mix with creme fraiche, season and serve.

Chipotle Crema

• 4 tablespoons canned chipotle peppers, pureed
• 2 cups creme fraiche
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Mix creme fraiche and pureed chipotle to make crema base. 2. Grate garlic into crema. 3. Season, stir and serve.

Pinot Noir Chocolate Chili with Chocolate-Dipped Tortillas
Meg Clarke, Ben & Bill's Chocolate Emporium on Martha's Vineyard

Serves 35-40

Ingredients:

• 4 lbs. ground beef
• 4 lbs. ground turkey
• 2 lbs. sweet Italian sausage, removed from casing
• 6 lbs. canned Italian plum tomatoes, drained
• 24 oz. tomato paste, from can or jar
• 4 5.5 oz cans small black olives, pitted (optional)
• 1 3/4 cups white onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup pinot noir
• 3 16 oz. cans dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 16 oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed

Seasoning, to taste:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons black pepper, freshly ground preferred
• 3 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno pepper with seeds removed, minced
• 4 oz. ground cumin
• 4.5 oz. chili powder
• 1/2 cup fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 4 tablespoons basil, dried
• 4 tablespoons oregano, dried
• 1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
• 3/4 tablespoon cinnamon
• Salt to taste

1. Heat olive oil in bottom of 4-gallon stockpot. 2. Add onions and cook on low to medium heat until onions are tender and translucent, about 10 minutes. 3. Remove sausage from casings and crumble into stockpot, along with ground turkey and ground beef. Cook meats on medium to high heat until fully cooked, removing excess fat. 4. Turn heat down to low and stir in tomato paste, mustard, herbs and seasonings: black pepper, cinnamon, garlic, jalapeno, cumin, chili powder, salt, basil, dill, parsley, and oregano. 5. Add drained tomatoes, pinot noir, lemon juice, drained kidney and black beans, melted chocolate, and Tabasco sauce. 6. Stir completely and simmer for 15 minutes, uncovered. 7. Add additional salt/spices to taste. Garnish with black olives (optional). Serve hot.

Chocolate-Dipped Tortilla Chips

• 2/3 cup extra dark chocolate, preferably Ben and Bill's Chocolate
• 2-3 bags Tostitos Dipping Strips or other tortilla chips

1. Melt chocolate over lowest heat in a double boiler, stirring often. 2. Dip tortilla chips in chocolate then set on wax paper to cool. Repeat. Do not refrigerate. Make and store up to 24 hours in advance in single layers, separated by wax paper, in a deep-sided Tupperware or glass storage container. Serve at room temperature with hot chili.

Copyright 2010 Shoestring, LLC. Photo: iStock