Award Winning Smoked Chili

Ingredients

• 2.5 lb Chuck roast (Cut into small cubes; 2-3 lbs)
• 1 lb Chorizo
• 1 lb Ground beef
• 1 lb Smoked sausage (Author uses Bratley smoked sausage)
• Salt, pepper, and garlic seasoning (To taste, for seasoning meat and vegetables)
• 2 Red onions (Large, diced)
• 3 Pepper trio (Assorted bell peppers, diced)
• 4 cup Beef stock (Divided use (some for deglazing, the rest for the pot))
• 4 clove Garlic (Minced)
• 4 can Fire roasted Rotel (10 oz cans)
• 29 oz Tomato sauce
• 1 can Coors Banquet beer (12 oz)
• 1 packet Williams Tex-Mex Chili Seasoning (Or to taste)
• Cayenne pepper (A pinch)
• Chili powder (Extra for depth)

Steps

1. 1

   Brown the cubed chuck roast in a large pot or Dutch oven. Season the meat generously with salt, pepper, and garlic seasoning while it cooks. Once browned, remove the chuck meat from the pot and set aside.

2. 2

   In the same pot, brown the ground beef and the chorizo. Once fully cooked, remove them from the pot and set aside with the chuck roast.

3. 3

   Brown the sliced smoked sausage in the pot, then remove and set aside.

4. 4

   Pour a little beef stock into the bottom of the pot to deglaze, scraping up all the browned bits (fond) stuck to the bottom.

5. 5

   Add the diced red onions and the pepper trio to the pot. Add minced garlic and season with more salt, pepper, and garlic seasoning. Sauté until the vegetables are softened.

6. 6

   Add all of the cooked meats back into the pot with the vegetables.

7. 7

   Stir in four cans of fire-roasted Rotel, 29 ounces of tomato sauce, the remaining beef broth, and one can of Coors Banquet beer.

8. 8

   Add the Williams Tex-Mex chili seasoning, along with a bit of extra garlic, a pinch of cayenne, and additional chili powder to taste.

9. 9

   Preheat your offset smoker to 275°F (135°C) using post oak wood.

10. 10

    Place the pot in the smoker with the lid off to allow the chili to absorb the smoke flavor. Cook until the meat is tender and the flavors are well-developed (typically 2-3 hours).

11. 11

    Serve hot, topped with a dollop of sour cream.

Notes

The author emphasizes cooking the meat first and then using the vegetables and stock to deglaze the pan to capture all the flavor. Using an offset smoker with post oak wood provides the signature 'award-winning' depth of flavor.

Nutrition per serving

• chili
• smoked
• main dish
• beef
• chorizo
• sausage
• outdoor cooking
• award-winning