Recipe: It’s Chili Season!

This is only the remains of one trial batch of Meaty Three-Bean Chili, that received our family seal of approval.

Fall weather always puts me in the mood for chili. There are hundreds of variations of this popular cool-weather dish, and everyone has what they consider “the best” recipe.

Obviously, taste is subjective when it comes to chili. My friend and I participated in the Men’s Club Chili Cookoff for several years, with varying results. One year, we actually won first place! Three years and three recipes later, we went back to our original and received no honors at all. You win some, you lose some.

But our families loved this chili and to this day I usually make some variation of this recipe when I get a taste for chili:
Meaty Three-Bean Chili
3/4 pound pork sausage (we use hot)
3/4 pound ground beef
6 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup beef broth or beer
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

Cook the sausage and beef over medium heat, until the meat is no longer pink; drain, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings. Set meat aside.
Sauté onion, peppers and garlic in the reserved drippings for 3 minutes. Add the broth, Worcestershire sauce and seasonings; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add tomatoes, bacon and browned sausage and beef; return to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Add all of the beans. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Yield: 10-12 servings (3 quarts).

Mohotta Mobetta … we are all about chili!

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.