BoilerMaker Chili

My husband is probably the pickiest person I've ever met when it comes to chili. He doesn't like turkey chili or chicken chili, it has to be made with beef. It can be spicy, but not too spicy and not from a spice liked chipotle chili powder. There also can't be too much chili powder or cumin in it, because that is all he ends up tasting.

So, with those kind of requirements, I've basically given up on making chili that he'll find completely acceptable. 🙂 I made this, assuming that he was really going to like it but he told me all he could taste was chili powder. Knowing that, I cut back on the amount the original recipe called for and even then, I didn't taste any, so who knows what he's talking about. Of all the chili recipes I've tried, this is actually my favorite one. It has the perfect amount of heat and flavor to it.

Boilermaker Chili 
Source: All Recipes
Servings: 12
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Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 1 lb. Italian sausage
• 1 ½ cans kidney beans, drained
• 1 can spicy chili with beans 
• 2 28 oz. cans diced tomatoes, with juice
• 6 oz. tomato paste
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 Anaheim chile, seeded and diced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
• 1 tbsp. bacon bits
• 4 beef bouillon cubes
• ½ cup light beer
• ⅛ cup chili powder
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp. garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp. oregano, dried
• 2 tsp. hot sauce
• 2 tsp. cumin 
• 1 tsp. basil, dried
• 1 tsp. cayenne
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• shredded cheddar cheese, for topping
• diced jalapenos, for topping
• Fritos corn chips, for dipping 

Directions:
1. Heat a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and sausage and cook until browned. Drain excess grease.
2. Add the remaining ingredients, from kidney beans to black pepper, and stir to combine. Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer, covered, stirring occasionally for at least 2 hours.
3. Taste, and adjust chili powder, salt and pepper as needed.
4. Remove from the heat and serve immediately. The chili will increase in flavor the longer it cooks or sits. If not serving immediately, allow to cool slightly, then transfer to containers to refrigerate or freeze.
5. When serving, add optional toppings.

I did alter the recipe a little bit. It calls for 3 cans of kidney beans plus 1 can of spicy chili with beans. As a kid I used to pick the beans out of my chili and I've come a long way with liking beans in chili, but I knew this was going to be too much for me. I'm also not a fan of Fritos or any corn chips really, so I opted to eat mine without it. As a kid, we always ate chili with buttered Saltine crackers, which is how I enjoyed mine.

I think I'll make this again with just two tablespoons of chili powder and see if Tom likes it. I can always stir more into my bowl before serving.