Our church had a fund raising chili cook-off this past weekend.  The chili recipes ranged from white chicken, venison, vegetarian, and classic dirty cowboy chili.  The competition was stiff, yet somehow, my chili won.  I used the gas grill and a large disposable aluminum roasting pan to cook the chili – a genius method for large quantities.   Hard to believe a girl from Connecticut, who didn’t even taste chili until late in life, could win a cook-off, so there you go.

makes 20 servings

1/4 cup olive oil

1 12 ounce bag chopped frozen onions (you can use fresh, but these are so handy)

4 pounds ground chuck

1 pound sweet Italian sausage – removed from the casing

Spice Mix

1 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper

4 tablespoons chili powder

3 tablespoons cumin powder

3 tablespoons smoked Spanish paprika

3 tablespoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon cayenne red pepper (or to taste)

1 12-ounce can tomato paste

2 28-ounce cans petite dice tomatoes

juice of 1 lemon

1/2 cup red wine

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1 15-ounce cans white bean, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup flat Italian parsley, stems removed and chopped

Sour cream and cilantro for serving

• Heat the gas grill to medium high, and place an aluminum roasting pan on the grill.  (if you have a large enough pot, use the range)
• Add the olive oil and the onions and stir until translucent
• Add the ground chuck and the sausage and break the meat apart and brown
• Add the spice mix and stir
• Add the tomato paste, petite dice tomatoes, lemon juice, red wine, Dijon, and white beans and stir
• Simmer on low for about 30 minutes or until the meat is cooked through and the chili is thick
• Add the parsley and stir, simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes
• Serve with sour cream and cilantro