Chris' Chili

This is my personal recipe, and it has won over 12 chili cook-offs, and I figured I'd share. It is a medium steak and bean chili. If I had to compare it, it would be similar to Steak N' Shake's chili, but better! It's rather involved, but trust me. Worth every minute! Try it. You will not be disappointed!

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 50 mins
• Total Time: 2 hr 20 mins
• Calories: 305 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 ½ cups onion soup, prepared from a packet of dry onion soup mix
• ¼ cup bacon grease (see notes)
• 1 ½ pounds boneless beef round steak, cut into 1/3-inch cubes
• 1 ½ pounds beef sirloin steak, cut into 1/3-inch cubes
• 3 (15 ounce) cans kidney beans, undrained
• 1 cup cola soft drink (such as Coke®)
• 1 tablespoon yellow sport pepper sauce (such as Texas Petes's®)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Prepare soup from a packet of onion soup mix according to the package directions, and set 1 1/2 cups aside.

Step 2

Place bacon grease into a large stainless steel soup pot over medium-high heat, and cook and stir the cubed round and sirloin steak meat in the bacon fat until well browned, about 10 minutes. Pour in the reserved onion soup, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 7 minutes, stirring to dissolve any browned flavor bits from the pot.

Step 3

Stir in salt, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, kidney beans, tomato paste, and tomato sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently to avoid burning the bottom, then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Stir in the cocoa powder, cola, and hot sauce, and simmer for 20 more minutes. Serve hot.