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Ohio Heat chili

I constructed this slightly sizzling chili for a cook-off at work. To my great pleasure and surprise, it won! Notable for its use of Ohio-produced ingredients including peppers from the Beadles garden and Bob Evans sausage.

Ingredients (all measurements, especially the spices, are approximate).

• 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1  Tbsp corn oil

• 1 large Ohio sweet onion, diced
• 1 large Ohio homegrown yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 large Ohio homegrown hot red-ripe jalapeno pepper, minced
• 2 tbsp garlic, minced

• 1 lb ground Ohio beef chuck
• 1 lb Bob Evans Zesty Hot Roll Sausage

• 1.5 oz (1/2 tall bottle) Mexene chili powder seasoning
• 1 Tbsp dried oregano leaves
• 1 1/2 Tbsp ground cumin
• 1/2 Tbsp ground cayenne pepper
• 1 Tbsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 Tbsp dried parsley flakes
• 1/2 Tbsp Goya Adobo Con Pimiento seasoning
• 1/2 Tbsp coarsely ground sea salt

• 20 fl. oz. (2 cans) Ro-Tel original diced tomatoes & green chilis
• 20 fl. oz. (1 lg can) plain diced tomatoes
• 1/2 bottle Ohio beer, perhaps a nice Oktoberfest beer like Columbus’ Elevator Brewing‘s Munich Märzenbier or Bleeding Buckeye
• 1 dried red New Mexico chili, whole
• 1-2 Tbsp white sugar to taste

• 1 can light scarlet kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can dark scarlet kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Heat the oils in a large dutch oven or stockpot. Sautee the onion, peppers, and garlic until the onion is transparent and soft. Add the meats, crumble, and brown over medium-high heat. (Two meats are always better than one, whether it’s meatloaf, meatballs, or chili.) When the meats are just brown, add the dry spices. Continue sauteeing with the meats and veggies, until the aroma and the color of the spices change from raw to cooked. One secret to great chili is to cook the spices on dry heat, instead of adding them to the liquid later. Everything should now be a deep scarlet-red color.

Add the canned tomatoes and the beer. Beer is always a good choice for chili liquid – it’s got alcohol to help bring out flavors from the foods; it’s got liquid to moisten the chili; it’s got grains to sweeten the chili; and and it’s got hops and malt for heartiness. The alcohol will cook off long before the chili is done.

Also add the dried pepper at this time. A dried whole pepper is the bay leaf of Mexican cooking.

Simmer over medium-low heat. When the chili is fully cooked – maybe another hour or so on low heat – add some sugar to taste. You may also need to adjust the saltiness or spiciness now. For example, if the taste is a little one-dimensional, add some more cumin.

Finally add the beans and just heat through. Serve immediately — or for another secret tip — put in the fridge overnight and re-heat in the morning. It will be even better once the flavors have mingled and the spiciness has mellowed.

Serves 1-20, depending on hunger and love of chili.