Dan's Prize Winning Chili

This is the recipe that won the chili cook off for Dan in 2010. Our family likes it so much that we fix a pot about once a month year round. It's just one of those foods that we get a real strong hankering for ... from the kitchen of Dan Court, Bridgeton MO.

• Ready In: 4 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 18
• Yields: 6 quarts

Ingredients

• 4  lbs hamburger
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 2 (28 ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 5 (15 ounce) cans  drained kidney beans (red or light red)
• 1⁄4 cup  onion flakes
• 3 -4  ounces  durkee chili powder (to taste)

Directions

1. In a skillet, brown hamburger; stir while cooking to break up into small loose pieces. Add salt. Drain grease off and set meat aside.
2. Using an 8 quart stock pot, combine tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, kidney beans and onion flakes.
3. Add half the chili powder and stir well; simmer for about 15 minutes; add drained hamburger; taste to determine if you want more chili powder. Continue to add chili powder, simmer and taste until you have obtained the desired level of spiciness.
4. This chili will have a thick consistency.
5. Continue to cook on a slow simmer for about 4 hours.
6. You can use a 6 quart Crock Pot, but it will be full to the brim!
7. Serve with oyster crackers, chopped onion, grated cheddar cheese and sour cream.