Having a Chili cook-off at work next week and was wondering if anyone had any tips for me?

Any good websites?

Make Chili, any recipe and add 4 drops(per 4Qt pot) of Da' Bomb- The Final Answer....
It'll be the hottest thing in the cook-off.


BISHOP

Here is a REAL chili recipe like they make in Mexico and the Southwest. It is not the tomatoey American style chili that relies only on heat for it's kick. It's the real deal and not a tomato in sight. I'll give you two ways to do it, both rock.

Chile Colorado

20 dried chile pods (Chile Ancho, New Mexico Chile), found in ethnic section of grocery store or natural food store

4-10 cloves fresh garlic, mashed
3-4 Onions, cut up or chopped, your preference
2-3 lbs Beef, cut up in 1"-1 1/2" chunks
1/4 cup masa harina (optional)
Water or beer
Oil or bacon grease
Salt to taste

Break up the dried chile pods, remove the stems and seeds and soak in hot tap water for at least an hour, two is better. When chiles are soft, put them in a blender along with a couple of cups of the soaking water. Blend until smooth, adding soak water til you get the consistency you like (not too watery!). If you want a smoother Chile Colorado sauce, you can strain out the skins and remaining seeds after blending.

In a large pot or dutch oven, brown the beef in oil or bacon grease (my fav), then add the onion and garlic. Continue to cook over high heat til the onions are getting browned, not burned.

Add chile sauce to the meat, turn down heat and cover, then simmer for a couple of hours, or until the meat is very tender. Add water or beer to get the consistency you'd like, but it should be kind of thick. You will know it's cooked anough when the onions sort of "dissolve" into the gravy. Awesome! You can add some masa harina (fine corn flour) mixed with water to thicken if it gets to watery.

Eat with tortillas, chopped onions, guac, and whatever else you like. Don't forget beer.

Chile Facilito

4-10 cloves fresh garlic, mashed
3-4 Onions, cut up or chopped, your preference
2-3 lbs Beef, cut up in 1"-1 1/2" chunks
1/4 cup masa harina (optional)
Chile Powder
Beef broth or bullion cubes
Water or beer
Oil or bacon grease

Make chile as above. When meat and onions are browned, add chile powder (a lot) and stir into meat while cooking. Add beef broth or bullion cubes mixed with water or beer til you have the amount of liquid you want. Cook over low heat until meat is very tender.

Notice there are no beans or tomatoes involved here. This is real chile and if you make the first recipe, you will taste the bright flavor of real chiles like never before!

If you want these hotter, you can add Tabasco (cheat!) or small dried red chiles, like chile tepin or chile japones til you get the heat you want. Good chile doesn't have to be hot to be great, but bad, American style chile needs heat to cover up it's inferiority. Enjoy!

Thank you!!!