basil & salt magazine

A large pot of thick, rich, hot chili underneath a layer of sour cream and sharp cheddar cheese always pleases the football crew.  So I ran the “Super Bowl” of chili contest on my blog and Facebook page, requesting our readers to send in their recipes and boy, we received a medley of recipe types.  Chili is one of those dishes where the variations are endless and it can differ a large degree from region to region.  There are recipes that contain beans, meat, veggies, peppers and spices, while others include rice and believe it or not one even came through with peanut butter as an ingredient.  In doing a bit of research I found that Cincinnati chili is usually served over spaghetti and can contain cinnamon and chocolate or cocoa. I definitely need to give this one a whirl simply out of curiosity.

First I want to thank everyone who participated and took the time to send us your recipes.  It was difficult to choose just one out of all of  the delicious entries we received.  The recipe that we just kept gravitating back to was entered by Steve Cylka of The Black Peppercorn, who submitted his Texas Chili with Steak, Corn and Black Beans.  This recipe called for 2 pounds of steak and is exquisite. He suggests nacho chips for scooping or crusty bread for sopping.

Texas Chili with Steak, Corn and Black Beans

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 2 pounds steak (sirloin, blade, rib eye or other ~ used blade for this one)
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can black beans, drained
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon honey
• grated cheddar
• sour cream

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large pot.  Add the garlic, onion and bell pepper.  Stir to ensure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot
2. Cut the steak into small cubes, cutting away fat and any membranes from the beef.  After the onion and pepper have been cooking for a few minutes, add the cubed steak.   Cook for 5-7 minutes stirring occasionally.  The steak should be browned on all sides.
3. Stir in the tomatoes, black beans, corn, spices and brown sugar.  Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a low simmer.  Cover and let the chili cook for at least an hour.  Stir it every 10 minutes to make sure nothing sticking to the bottom of the pot.
4. Ladle into a bowl.  Garnish with cheddar cheese and sour cream ~ serve with nacho chips or crusty bread.

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