Greetings all,
I had a big win at the annual office chili cook off last month. It’s only for bragging rights and not near professional, but there were 10 entries and I have to say that I didn’t think mine was the best.
Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures, but this weekend we had a big diner for some friends getting stationed over seas and I made a huge meal for everyone. I’ve been wanting to share this recipe here, so I included the chili on our menu and made sure to get at least one picture to share. It’s my modifications to a recipe I found online called the Firehouse Chili Gumbo. Open kimono, I used AI to make my babbling recipe notes coherent.
I have to say that this is my favorite chili. It’s a lot of work, but worth every minute. Recipe follows pics.
Here’s my helper prepping
Here’s the end product.
Here’s the recipe;
Firehouse Chili Gumbo
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Prep time: 30 minutes | Cook time: 1.5 to 2 hours
Ingredients:
Phase 1: The Meat & Spice Base (Chili)
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 3 lbs Ground beef (ideally coarse-ground)
• 6 to 18 oz Andouille sausage links (diced or sliced into half-moons)
• 2 cans (14.5 oz each) Diced tomatoes
• 3 tbsp Steak sauce (e.g., A.1.)
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• The Spice Blend:
o 1 tbsp Kosher salt
o 1 tsp Ground white pepper
o 1 tsp Ground black pepper
o 1 tsp Ground cayenne pepper (adjust to heat preference)
o 2 tbsp Chili powder
o 1 tbsp Ancho Chili Powder
o 1 tbsp Chipotle Chili Powder
o 1 tsp Ground turmeric
o 1 tsp Dried oregano
o 1 tsp Ground cumin
Phase 2: The Roux & Aromatics (Gumbo)
• 3 tbsp Unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• 3 tbsp All-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning (I use Slap Ya Mama)
• 2 cans (6 oz each) Tomato paste
• 2 cans (8 oz each) Tomato sauce
• The "Holy Trinity" + Garlic: (pope)
o 1 large Yellow onion, diced
o 3 medium Green onions, diced
o 1 Green bell pepper, diced
o 1 Yellow bell pepper, diced
o 3 ribs Celery, diced
o 4 cloves Garlic, minced
Phase 3: The Liquid & Flavor Finishers
• 1 to 2 cups Tomato juice (add gradually for desired consistency and taste)
• 1 cup Chicken broth (as needed for thinning)
• 1/2 to 1 cup Ketchup (per user preference)
• 3/4 cup Hoppy beer (IPA or Pale Ale)
• 2 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp Hot sauce (adjust to taste)
• 1 tbsp Fish sauce (for umami depth)
Notes:
• The Roux: You are aiming for a Blonde Roux. It should be the color of a manila folder and smell distinctly like toasted popcorn before you add your vegetables.
• Consistency: This recipe is thick. Use the chicken broth and tomato juice as "throttle" ingredients—add more if you want a soupier gumbo, or less if you want a hearty chili texture.
• The Secret Ingredient: Don't skip the fish sauce! It won't make the dish taste like seafood; it simply provides a savory "backbone" that makes the beef taste richer.
Chili-Gumbo Fusion Cooking Steps:
Step 1: Sear the Meats
1. Brown the Beef: Heat oil in a large skillet or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid crowding, sear the beef until browned at the edges. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the meat to a bowl.
2. Brown the Andouille: Pour off excess fat, then add the andouille sausage to the skillet. Brown well (ensuring it is cooked through if starting raw) and transfer to the bowl with the beef.
3. Season the Base: Drain any remaining excess fat. Lower the heat to medium and return the beef and sausage to the pot. Stir in the salt, peppers, chili powder, ancho powder, chipotle powder, turmeric, oregano, and cumin until fragrant.
4. Deglaze and Simmer: Fold in the diced tomatoes, scraping the bottom of the pot to release the fond (browned bits). Add the steak sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 2: Develop the Roux and Holy Trinity
1. Toast the Roux: In a separate large, heavy-bottomedpot over medium-low heat, melt the butter with the oil. Once foaming, sprinkle in the flour and whisk constantly. Continue whisking for 15–20 minutes until the roux is golden brown and smells like toasted popcorn.
Tip: Watch closely; a roux can turn from golden to burnt in seconds.
2. Sauté the Aromatics: Add the onion, green onions, bell peppers, celery, and garlic to the roux. Cook, stirring frequently, for 10–15 minutes until the vegetables soften.
3. Build Color: Increase heat to medium. Stir in the Cajun seasoning and tomato paste; cook for 5–10 minutes to deepen the flavor. Then, incorporate the tomato sauce, stirring until smooth.
Step 3: Combine and Finish
1. Merge the Bases: Gently fold the beef and sausage mixture into the pot with the roux and vegetables.
2. Adjust Consistency: Gradually stir in the tomato juice until you reach your desired thickness. Add the fish sauce and apple cider vinegar.
3. Adjust to Taste: Stir in the ketchup (start with ½ cup), beer, and hot sauce. Taste and adjust amount of each as needed, to your taste.
4. The Long Simmer: Cook uncovered over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 30–45 minutes. Add in the Chicken Broth as you simmer to maintain desired consistency.
5. Serve: Serve immediately or let the pot cool and refrigerate overnight. This allows the complex flavors to "cure" and deepen. Reheat gently before serving.
Note: If serving the next day, your flavors will mellow, I recommend doing an additional spice dump of 1/4 of your chili spice list and a few tablespoons of beer 15 min before serving, this adds an additional layer of flavor.
Enjoy and Take care!
Jed
I had a big win at the annual office chili cook off last month. It’s only for bragging rights and not near professional, but there were 10 entries and I have to say that I didn’t think mine was the best.
Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures, but this weekend we had a big diner for some friends getting stationed over seas and I made a huge meal for everyone. I’ve been wanting to share this recipe here, so I included the chili on our menu and made sure to get at least one picture to share. It’s my modifications to a recipe I found online called the Firehouse Chili Gumbo. Open kimono, I used AI to make my babbling recipe notes coherent.
I have to say that this is my favorite chili. It’s a lot of work, but worth every minute. Recipe follows pics.
Here’s my helper prepping
Here’s the end product.
Here’s the recipe;
Firehouse Chili Gumbo
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Prep time: 30 minutes | Cook time: 1.5 to 2 hours
Ingredients:
Phase 1: The Meat & Spice Base (Chili)
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 3 lbs Ground beef (ideally coarse-ground)
• 6 to 18 oz Andouille sausage links (diced or sliced into half-moons)
• 2 cans (14.5 oz each) Diced tomatoes
• 3 tbsp Steak sauce (e.g., A.1.)
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• The Spice Blend:
o 1 tbsp Kosher salt
o 1 tsp Ground white pepper
o 1 tsp Ground black pepper
o 1 tsp Ground cayenne pepper (adjust to heat preference)
o 2 tbsp Chili powder
o 1 tbsp Ancho Chili Powder
o 1 tbsp Chipotle Chili Powder
o 1 tsp Ground turmeric
o 1 tsp Dried oregano
o 1 tsp Ground cumin
Phase 2: The Roux & Aromatics (Gumbo)
• 3 tbsp Unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• 3 tbsp All-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning (I use Slap Ya Mama)
• 2 cans (6 oz each) Tomato paste
• 2 cans (8 oz each) Tomato sauce
• The "Holy Trinity" + Garlic: (pope)
o 1 large Yellow onion, diced
o 3 medium Green onions, diced
o 1 Green bell pepper, diced
o 1 Yellow bell pepper, diced
o 3 ribs Celery, diced
o 4 cloves Garlic, minced
Phase 3: The Liquid & Flavor Finishers
• 1 to 2 cups Tomato juice (add gradually for desired consistency and taste)
• 1 cup Chicken broth (as needed for thinning)
• 1/2 to 1 cup Ketchup (per user preference)
• 3/4 cup Hoppy beer (IPA or Pale Ale)
• 2 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp Hot sauce (adjust to taste)
• 1 tbsp Fish sauce (for umami depth)
Notes:
• The Roux: You are aiming for a Blonde Roux. It should be the color of a manila folder and smell distinctly like toasted popcorn before you add your vegetables.
• Consistency: This recipe is thick. Use the chicken broth and tomato juice as "throttle" ingredients—add more if you want a soupier gumbo, or less if you want a hearty chili texture.
• The Secret Ingredient: Don't skip the fish sauce! It won't make the dish taste like seafood; it simply provides a savory "backbone" that makes the beef taste richer.
Chili-Gumbo Fusion Cooking Steps:
Step 1: Sear the Meats
1. Brown the Beef: Heat oil in a large skillet or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid crowding, sear the beef until browned at the edges. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the meat to a bowl.
2. Brown the Andouille: Pour off excess fat, then add the andouille sausage to the skillet. Brown well (ensuring it is cooked through if starting raw) and transfer to the bowl with the beef.
3. Season the Base: Drain any remaining excess fat. Lower the heat to medium and return the beef and sausage to the pot. Stir in the salt, peppers, chili powder, ancho powder, chipotle powder, turmeric, oregano, and cumin until fragrant.
4. Deglaze and Simmer: Fold in the diced tomatoes, scraping the bottom of the pot to release the fond (browned bits). Add the steak sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 2: Develop the Roux and Holy Trinity
1. Toast the Roux: In a separate large, heavy-bottomedpot over medium-low heat, melt the butter with the oil. Once foaming, sprinkle in the flour and whisk constantly. Continue whisking for 15–20 minutes until the roux is golden brown and smells like toasted popcorn.
Tip: Watch closely; a roux can turn from golden to burnt in seconds.
2. Sauté the Aromatics: Add the onion, green onions, bell peppers, celery, and garlic to the roux. Cook, stirring frequently, for 10–15 minutes until the vegetables soften.
3. Build Color: Increase heat to medium. Stir in the Cajun seasoning and tomato paste; cook for 5–10 minutes to deepen the flavor. Then, incorporate the tomato sauce, stirring until smooth.
Step 3: Combine and Finish
1. Merge the Bases: Gently fold the beef and sausage mixture into the pot with the roux and vegetables.
2. Adjust Consistency: Gradually stir in the tomato juice until you reach your desired thickness. Add the fish sauce and apple cider vinegar.
3. Adjust to Taste: Stir in the ketchup (start with ½ cup), beer, and hot sauce. Taste and adjust amount of each as needed, to your taste.
4. The Long Simmer: Cook uncovered over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 30–45 minutes. Add in the Chicken Broth as you simmer to maintain desired consistency.
5. Serve: Serve immediately or let the pot cool and refrigerate overnight. This allows the complex flavors to "cure" and deepen. Reheat gently before serving.
Note: If serving the next day, your flavors will mellow, I recommend doing an additional spice dump of 1/4 of your chili spice list and a few tablespoons of beer 15 min before serving, this adds an additional layer of flavor.
Enjoy and Take care!
Jed
It really is worth the work the effort though. Easy to tweak for your taste!
