2021 -Dire Wolf Chili

byRandy Allen

Image

Many years ago, I attended an ICS chili cook -off at the Kipona Festival in Harrisburg, PA. I found it very fascinating, and it appeared the cooks, as well as the tasters, were all having a hoot! Being the competitive type, I decided to join in on the fun. So, the following year a friend and I created a stand known as ‘Willie’s Old-Fashioned Hillbilly Chili’ and concocted some version of what should have never been called chili…. and we had a blast! Thirty years later, and a team name change to Dire Wolf Chili, I’m still competing and enjoying the ride. So, once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places, if you look at it right!

Ingredients

First set
2 lb tri-tip beef cubed (rinse & set aside)
1 finely diced hot pepper (deseeded)
¼ finely diced red bell pepper (deseeded)
1 finely diced small yellow onion
1-3 tbsp bacon grease

Second set
1 ½ cups water
8 oz tomato sauce
8 oz chicken broth
8 oz beef broth
6 oz red fresh chili sauce
1 cube chicken bouillon

Third set
6 tbsp Sucklebusters chili powder
4 oz can chopped mild green chilis
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp concentrated aujus
½ tsp onion powder

Fourth set
4 tbsp Sucklebusters chili powder
1 float whole jalapeno pepper (poked)
1 tsp Cholula hot sauce
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp Mexican oregano
1 pkg Goya seasoning

Fifth set
1 tsp cumin (add 10 min before hand in)
1 tsp San Antonio red chili powder
½ tsp sugar
¼ tsp garlic powder

As needed
Salt
Hotness
Sweetness
Cumin
thickness

Instructions

Brown meat in small batches, rinse and save. Lightly fry chopped peppers. Sauté finely diced onions in bacon grease.

In a pot, add peppers and onion and second set of ingredients. Bring pot to a boil then reduce the heat so it simmers, keeping the lid on. Add tri-tip once pot has simmered for 30 minutes.

Add third set of ingredients to pot and continue to simmer for an hour, removing lid.

Add the fourth set of ingredients, floating the whole jalapeno pepper (poked). Continue to simmer for 30 minutes, adjusting the lid as needed.

Add final set of ingredients (except cumin which should be added to pot 10 minutes before turn in) and simmer for 30 minutes. Adjust salt, hotness, sweetness, cumin and thickness as needed.