Woods World Championship Chili
Submitted by snoopy1
Championship chili layered with chicken broth, pork chops, flank steak, green chiles, and beer. A Texas-style three-meat bowl that’s better the next day.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
1 hrsCOOK
9 hrsREADY
34 hrsCompetition chili has almost no beans and almost no shortcuts, and this one is the template. You start by making your own chicken broth from scratch because that’s the backbone of the whole pot. Then you layer in three meats: pork chops browned in beef suet drippings, and cubed flank steak seared hard for fond. The suet matters. Rendered beef fat tastes like nothing else, and browning in it is what separates cook-off chili from weeknight chili.
A beer slurry carries the spice blend, so oregano, cumin, cilantro, thyme, and chili powder dissolve evenly instead of clumping on top of the pot. Fresh boiled green chiles go in diced for heat and grassy depth. Onions and green peppers show up late so they keep some bite. The overnight rest in the fridge is the quiet trick. Fat solidifies, flavors marry, and reheating pulls everything together.
Pro Tips
- Do not skip the 24-hour refrigerator rest. This is what turns good chili into great chili. Flavors round out and the fat cap is easy to lift off if you want to skim it.
- Brown the meats in batches. Crowding the pan steams the beef instead of searing it, and you lose the deep crust that carries flavor.
- Add the shredded Monterey Jack at the very end off the heat, and stir once. Boiling dairy seizes and turns stringy.
- Finish with fresh lime juice just before serving. Acid brightens the whole pot after the long braise.
Variations
- Swap the MSG for an extra teaspoon of fine salt plus a splash of fish sauce if MSG isn’t in your pantry.
- Use boneless pork shoulder cut into cubes instead of thin chops for more chew and less risk of overcooking.
- Trade the green chiles for a mix of poblano and a single diced jalapeño to dial heat up or down.
Ingredients
Directions
Cut chicken into pieces and combine with water in large saucepan.
Simmer 2 hours then strain off broth.
In 2 quart saucepan combine celery, tomatoes and sugar and simmer1½ hours.
Boil chiles 15 minutes until tender, remove seeds and cut in ¼ in squares.
Mix oregano, cumin, MSG, pepper, salt, chili powder, cilantro and thyme with beer until all lumps are dissolved.
Add tomato mixture, chiles, beer mixture and garlic to chicken broth.
Melt suet to make 6 to 8 tablespoon droppings.
Pour ⅓ of suet drippings into skillet, add ½ pork chops and brown.
Repeat for remaining pork chops.
Add pork to broth mixture and cook slowly 30 min.
Trim all fat from flank steak and cut into ⅜ cubes.
Brown flank steak in remaining drippings about ⅓ at a time.
Add to pork mixture.
Return to simmer and cook slowly about 1 hour. Add onions and green peppers, simmer 2 to 3 hours longer, stirring with wooden spoon every 15 to 20 min. Cool 1 hour then refrigerate 24 hours. Reheat chili before serving. About 5 minutes before serving time, add cheese. Just before serving, add lime juice and stir with wooden spoon. Serves 12
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