2013 -Pools Brew Chili
byBob Plager
Bob Plager won the top title and $25,000 for the second year in a row! He is the only back-to-back World Champion in ICS history. He shared with us a few key ingredients that make his chili a winner, including the use of special water from Farmers Branch, Texas and also two Sunsweet pitted prunes, which he claims gives the chili a little sweetness and the gravy a beautiful gloss. Bob began cooking competitively in Texas in 1980 and has since become a three-time International Champion in Red Chili! He won in 1996, 1998, and 2006 at the Original Tolbert Terlingua International Championship, and now two ICS World Champion wins! Bob and his wife, Kathy (the 1998 WCCC Champion), compete against each other at chili cook-offs year after year while always promoting the ICS. Bob is truly known as the ICS social butterfly!
Ingredients
2 1/4 lbs. Cubed tri-tip roast (trimmed of fat)1 can Swanson beef broth
1 can Swanson chicken broth
1 can tomato sauce
2 Sunsweet pitted prunes
Crisco shortening
Water (used Farmers Branch, TX)
1st spices
1 tbsp American paprika
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp beef granules
1 tsp chicken granules
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tbsp New Mexico chili powder
1/2 tbsp New Mexico ground chili pepper
2nd spices
3 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1 1/2 tbsp Gephardt chili powder
1 1/2 tbsp Texas style chili powder
1/2 tbsp New Mexico hot ground chili pepper
1/2 tbsp New Mexico light chili powder
3rd spices
2 tsp Texas style chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Tabasco sauce (as needed for heat)
cooking time - 3 hours
Instructions
Brown meat in 2 tbsp of Crisco shortening.Place meat in colander and drain off shortening.
Rinse meat with water and return meat to pot.
Add broths, tomato sauce, prunes and 1st spices.
Cook approximately 2 hours, removing prunes after 1st hour (prunes may explode if left in longer).
Add water if necessary.
Cook longer if meat is not tender.
30 minutes before turn in, add 2nd spices.
15 minutes before serving, add 3rd spices.
Add seasoned salt for taste.
For heat, add Tabasco to taste.