Still Chilly Enough for Chili

Planning a 3-year-old’s birthday party in the wilds of Wyoming

BWF—Bob’s World Famous Chili with some garnishes

We just celebrated Kirk’s second birthday with an Earth Day birthday at Astoria Hot Springs. But wait—that was a year ago and we have since learned not to depend on Wyoming weather in April for an outdoor event. It was freezing last year—unless you were submerged in the water.

When planning this year’s extravaganza I remembered the chili recipe that won first prize at Alpine Mountain Days in June of 2021 when we first landed in the Equality State. I entered the contest to meet other foodies in town and to participate in the local culinary scene from the git-go. I used our friend Bob Dornich’s chili recipe, which I knew was a winner and also very easy to make on a large scale.

The Chili Cook-off at Mountain Days in Alpine, Wyoming in June, 2021. The award presentation was photographed by Senator Dan Dockstader who liked the sign--and the chili.

I can’t say that I met any fellow foodies through the competition but I did meet a State Senator. I did win first prize with the entry and $100. I did connect with a new friend, Cynthia Nalevanko, a food-centric former Californian, who cheered me on at the gazebo in the park. Cynthia stood by me that day and kept me updated on how the votes (tickets dropped into a red solo cup) were going.

Dignitaries at the event included Miss Lincoln County and a cardboard DT.

Like many things in our town of Alpine, the contest could use some polish. Since I had written about many chili cookoffs in the past, I knew something about staging and marketing. I also knew that hot chili tastes better than cold chili and I made sure there was power for a crock pot to keep it at a proper serving temperature. I made a sign—nothing too professional looking—and had trays and serving cups ready. I listed the ingredients, that were as local as possible, and gave it a title that touted the mountain framed in my picture window. Ferry Peak Firepot was a hit.

While making the dish I FaceTimed my friend Bob Dornich, the recipe creator, for help along the way.

“Are these onions brown enough yet?”

“No! Keep going. They should be mahogany brown.”

“Are these steak cubes the proper size?”

“Yes. Don’t make them too big.”

 And the big question: “What exactly is Hoagie Spread?”

If you are from the Mid-Atlantic east coast you know what hoagie spread is. It is sold at every deli counter in every grocery store. It is made of ground chile peppers but also some sweet peppers so it contains a hint of sweetness. That was my sticky point; it was unavailable anywhere in Alpine or in Jackson. Fortunately, I found a workaround with some hot pepper jelly Rose had made with the peppers from their garden in Los Angeles. It proved to be a perfect substitute for the sweet heat desired.

This year, without the hoagie spread or Rose’s hot pepper jelly, I need to track down the perfect addition for my current batch. I have the chili made except for that and it is good but missing something.

The party on Saturday has an alphabet and numbers theme this year. We will have a scavenger hunt in the yard (if it is not snowing) and the 6 toddlers can put together a puzzle mat. That’s it for activities, about an hour. Since the party is from 4 to 6 to accommodate naptimes, in addition to A B C veggies and dip, there will be alphabet macaroni and cheese for the kids and chili and legal beverages for the parent onlookers. The cake is still TBD but I have a fun idea about that. It’s a party for a three year old. Let’s KISS!

Bob’s World Famous Chili aka BWF Chili

Yields 8 quarts, approximately 30 one-cup servings

3 pounds onions, diced (3/4 inch)                                        

2 ½ pounds ground beef (80:20)                          

2½ pounds pork loin, cubed (1 inch)                                 

2½ pounds sirloin steak, cubed (1/2 inch)                                     

44 ounces tomato sauce                                                              

32 ounces black beans (all beans are canned; use the packing juice too)

32 ounces Great Northern (white) beans                      

32 ounces dark kidney beans                                                                    

¼ to ½ cup hot chopped cherry peppers (aka Hoagie Spread) start out with ¼ cup and then add to taste

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon ground chili powder                                              

5 tablespoons sugar (optional)                                                                                   

1 tablespoon granulated garlic (or 2 teaspoons garlic powder)

1 tablespoon ground cumin                                                       

1 tablespoon salt (to taste)

Sauté diced onions; at first on high heat and then on medium heat until they are a deep caramelized brown (without burning).  Be patient – this takes some time. Add ground beef and cook until medium-well. Add cubes and cook to medium. Add 1/2 the tomato sauce and all the beans; bring to 160 degrees. Combine all spices with remaining tomato sauce and add while stirring. Remove from heat. When chili falls below 130 degrees begin an ice bath or other rapid cooling; stirring every 20 minutes until it is below 50 degrees. Store refrigerated for up to 5 days. May be frozen for up to 6 months. Always call it by name; “Bob’s World Famous” ~~ Peace

Note: It takes about 45 minutes to an hour to get the onions browned sufficiently so I do that in a large pot and then saute the meats separately in a little oil, over high heat and with a sprinkle of salt. As each one is browned, I put it into a large bowl until the onions are ready. Have the canned beans and the tomato sauce open and you are ready to roll. Just mix it all in. If you use hot pepper jelly you won’t need to add sugar. Adjust to your own heat and sweet preference.

Ferry Peak from our back deck on Canyon View Drive.