Halloween Chili (for a crowd)

This is great to fix any time of the year but Halloween is when the BIG pot of Chili is fixed at our house!  No worries about having to fix this big pot if you only have a few people...just cut it in half or fourth it!  

You can use any kind of dry beans you have.  This time I used the Dominican favorite Red beans and another one called Yacomelo...not sure what the translation is for that but they look like Pinto beans.  My all time favorite beans for chili are Anasazi beans.  We get ours from Dove Creek, Colorado.  Here's a web sight for the history and a place to order them http://www.anasazibeans.com/......get your local grocer to bring some in, I promise you will love them!  

8 c. dry beans (I love Anasazi beans)

6-8 lb. hamburger

4 onions, chopped

1 T. salt

1 tsp. pepper

5 T. chili powder (or more)

1 #10 can pureed tomatoes

1 #10 can tomato sauce

4 cans chopped green chilies

2 c. salsa

1/2 c. brown sugar

2 pounds tortilla chips, crushed

3 pints sour cream

3 pounds grated cheese

Measure out beans and pick through and remove any bad beans or small pebbles.  

Rinse beans and place in large pot.  

Add enough water to cover  about 3-4 inches above beans.   

Bring to a boil and boil 3 minutes.  Turn off heat and cover pot with lid and let sit for one hour.  

Drain, rinse and place beans back in pot with fresh water to cover at least 3-4 inches above beans.  

Bring to a boil, turn heat down to medium and boil until beans are soft.  (About 45 minutes.)  Drain beans reserving juice.  (You may need to add a little more liquid to Chili and this bean juice adds a great flavor. )  

Brown hamburger and onions till meat is no longer pink.

Drain off fat (I like to use a slotted spoon to remove the meat from the pan)   

 .

Add meat, beans and rest of the ingredients to Roaster oven

Stir to mix well....This is where I like to add some of the bean juice to bring it to the top of the pot.  Taste the chili and see if you want to add more salt, pepper, chili powder or brown sugar.  

Simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours.

Place tortilla chips in bowl and top with  Chili, sour cream and cheese.  

(This recipe serves 50)

© Nancy Rappleye 2011