Grammie Vee's Chili

Grammie says - This actually sounds like more work than it really is - much of it can be started the night before so all you have to do is mix it all together in the morning. I have been making chili like this for over 40 years and everyone that eats it loves it. The recipe makes a lot of chili so make sure to freeze or can it for quick meals later!

The nutrition facts are at Calorie Count!

Grammie Vee's Chili

Ingredients:

2 pounds dry beans (you can use your favorite or a combination of varieties).
1 Quart beef broth or stock
2 32 oz cans diced tomatoes
4 Medium to large yellow onions (what we call cooking onions) diced
1 Garlic head seperated and finely chopped
3 Packages 6 Gun Chili Mix
2-3 Pounds extra lean ground beef or extra lean beef (like round steak) cut in small cubes. I usually just use the ground beef because it is easier.
1-2 T Cumin or to taste
Johnny's Seasoning Salt to taste

Options:

Peppers - hot or sweet chopped up
Olives
Celery
Anything else you think of you like in chili

Directions:

I usually set the beans to soak the night before I plan to start the cooking (i.e. if going to cook the chili on Saturday, I will start the soaking Thursday night then wash and rinse Friday morning and put to cook Friday night).

Open all three packages of the chili mix and throw the package with the directions on it away.

Soak the beans for a day rinsing and washing about every 8-12 hours.

In VERY LARGE crockpot (I have a 7 quart and usually run it over) put in soaked, washed and rinsed beans, the beef broth/stock (add enough water so beans are well covered - you may need to add more water before going to bed as the beans will absorbe a lot of it), 1/2 the garlic, 1 Tablespoon Johnny's Seasoning Salt, 1-2 Tablespoons cumin (I love cumin and usually make a well rounded tablespoon full) and all three red packages from one of the chili mix package. The littlest red package is cayenne and gives the chili just a little bit of a "back taste" but not that bad. For people that can't take even that much heat sour cream and cheese will tone it down. If you do not want any heat at all, just don't use any of the littlest packages. The only cayanne I use is what I put in the beans, I don't use the other two little packages of cayenne. Some of the guys will add to the other two little packages to their personal bowls or other foods; so it doesn't go to waste. Turn on high for 2-3 hours until bedtime. At bedtime turn down to low.

I usually get my meat mixture ready the night before so I can just throw it in before going out the door to work. Brown the beef with a little salt (not too much though as the seasoning packet has salt), add in the balance of the garlic and all four chopped onions and countinue to brown until onions are nice and carmelized. Add in the two larger red packages from the other two chili mix packages (total 4 red packets) and stir to distribute evenly. Then add all three white packets (masa) and stir until evenly distributed.

Assembly - The best thing to do is use a HUGE roaster pan or steel bowl to mix everything up. Pour in the beans, stir in the meat mixture, then empty the two cans of diced tomatoes in and stir until well mixed. Refill the crockpot as much as you can and put the balance into a container with a lid and refrigerate until after your dinner. After you and your family have eaten 1/2 the pot for dinner, you can add the reserved chili cook for an hour or two more then put into a covered container and refrigerate. OR... If you are going to can your chili, you can just go straight from this point into the jars and pressure canner. The chili also freezes quite well.