Gena's Award Winning Chili

(placed 3rd at the Iowa State Fair Chili Cook-off 1997)

3 lbs. 90% lean ground Beef or chili grind beef
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
2 large jalapenos, seeded and chopped (the pointier the end of the pepper is, the hotter it will taste)
1 cup beef broth
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
2 large cans (29 oz.) Tomato sauce
1 (6 oz.) can chopped green chilies
2 (0.9 oz.) jars of Chili Powder
1/2 tsp. ground red chipotle pepper (optional)
1 can Rotel Hot diced tomatoes and green chilis


Cook beef, drain off fat and add onion, bell pepper, and jalapenos. Cook until the onion is tender Pour into large stock pot and add next 7 ingredients. Stir until well blended. Simmer for 1 hour on low heat. stirring occasionally. Serve with Beer Bread, cornbread, or crackers.

To make beer bread: 3 cups self-rising flour, 1 can beer, 1/2 cup sugar. Mix all together and pour into greased bread pan, melt 1/2 stick of butter and pour over top. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Melt another 1/2 stick of butter and pour over top of bread; bake 20 more minutes at 375 degrees.

Oh my gosh, the year that I made this for the Iowa State Fair chili cookoff was horrible! First I was pregnant with my son Sylvester and did not know it so I was drop dead tired and crabby! Then I had to haul all my stuff from my car through the fair grounds to where we were cooking..and not only that but I worked for a radio station at the time and they were doing a live broadcast during the cookoff so I had to be on air while I was trying to cook. Not to mention that it was August in Iowa so it was about 110 degrees!! I was so surprised that I placed..of course I still think its only because the radio station that I worked for happen to be sponsoring the cookoff....so you will have to try my chili and tell me what you think!