Chili Big Batch Makes About 5 Gallons Recipes

JIM'S BIG BATCH SLOW COOKER CHILI

Steps:

• Optional Adds: 1 Green Bell Pepper chopped OR 2 Jalapeno Peppers seeded and chopped for extra added heat. Personally, I do not use either of these, but you may. You may also use 2 (14.5 oz. cans) of Hunt's Diced Tomatoes, undrained, if you like a chunkier chili. Personally, I do not use these either.
• Optional Substitution: Although the beer is utilized to give the chili a great flavoring, it is NOT to have any alcoholic content after cooking it for over 2 1/2 hours according to the USDA. If you decide to omit the 12 oz. beer for any reason, use an ADDITIONAL 14.5 oz. of Chicken Broth to take its place.
• Cook the meats in at least 2 separate batches in a Large Skillet over Med-High heat right before it crumbles. Add and mix in the finely chopped onions. When the meat crumbles and no longer is pink; drain.
• Place the meat and onion mixture in the large crock pot (slow cooker). Add the rinsed/drained light red kidney beans and the remaining ingredients.
• Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours, may stir a couple times. Since this is a Slow Cooker, it is always discouraged to use the HIGH setting... but if you must and running short on time, can be done roughly around 5 hours on HIGH.
• Remove and Discard the Bay Leaves before serving.
• Condiments and/or Sides to consider having on hand when serving: Sour Cream, Sharp Shredded Cheddar Cheese, Rice, Chopped Green Onions, Black Sliced Olives, Crackers, Limes (cut in quarters), Jalapeno Slices, Baguette Bread Sliced, Cornbread (or Jalapeno Cornbread), Salad.
• Beverage Pairing: Milk, Beer, Ripe Zinfandel, or Syrah.
• ENJOY! For whatever reason, a well-made Chili is much like Jambalaya. The leftovers, the day after, is generally better. . Maybe it takes a day for the flavors to truly fuse together.
• Directions for freezing and/or reheating portions:.
• Let Chili cool before freezing.
• Evenly divide chili into 2 (1-gallon) zip-top freezer bags (only 1 1-gallon bag needed if you are looking to freeze only half).
• Seal and lay each bag flat.
• Stack bags of chili in freezer.
• Freeze up to 1 month.
• Thaw 1 bag of frozen chili overnight in refrigerator (or defrost in microwave).
• Pour thawed chili into a 9-inch square baking dish.
• Cover tightly with heavy-duty plastic wrap, and fold back a corner to allow steam to escape.
• Microwave at HIGH 6-7 minutes or until bubbly (stirring once after 3 1/2 min mark).

CHILI FOR A CROWD

Steps:

• In an 8-qt. kettle or Dutch oven, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. , Stir in the remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

LARGE GROUP CHILI

Steps:

• In a large pot put in all of the ground beef.
• Then fill with water to cover the beef.
• Bring the beef to a boil then reduce to a simmer. It is best that you stir it when you fist put it on the heat so the ground beef breaks up.
• Stir occasionally till all of the meat is cooked. It will take about 35 minutes to brown all of the beef.
• When the ground beef is simmering, chop the onion, green pepper, and celery. Make sure to stir the beef as you go.
• When meat is done, use a strainer to drain the meat.
• Leaving the meat to strain, finish chopping the vegetables.
• Add the vegetables to your chili pot with the vegetable oil. Sweat the vegetables in the oil till they soften.
• Once the vegetables are softened then add the ground beef. Then mix them together and turn off the heat.
• Add the rest of the ingredients to the chili pot with the heat off (I do this because I transport it after this step). Mix all the ingredients together and transport the chili pot to the final location.
• Then put back on heat. Bring it to a slow simmer (mixing occasionally). Let simmer for around 2 hours and serve.

BIG POT CHILI FOR A CROWD

Steps:

• In large soup pot, saute onions and green pepper in bacon grease.
• Add ground beef and cook and stir until no longer pink.
• Add all remaining ingredients.
• Bring to a boil, stirring occ.
• Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occ.

AL'S BIG BATCH CHILI

Steps:

• Brown ground beef in a skillet, drain fat off.
• In a 5 quart pot, saute onion, celery, and green pepper until tender.
• Add ground beef back in pot and add tomatoes with puree. Add water.
• Add seasonings chili pepper and garlic power, onion power, salt and pepper.
• Cook 2 hours until heated though.
• Add mushrooms and kidney beans the last 30 minutes of cooking and heat though. Serve.
• Notes: You can add hot peppers to the chili if you want to, he does. You can also add crushed tomatoes without puree, it will be more like a soup. My husband just uses crushed tomatoes with juice. This above is more thicker but still good.