Too Sexy Chili

This recipe came in second (so close!) out of 30 entries at our big Seattle office chili cookoff extravaganza with professional chili judges. Personally, I think it should have been first, of course, since it's my recipe. ;) And because it tastes out of this world! Delicious!

• Ready In: 3 hrs
• Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 5  slices bacon
• 2  tablespoons  peanut oil
• 1  lb lean hamburger
• 1  lb kielbasa, cubed
• 1 1⁄2 cups  peeled and chopped yellow onions
• 4 -8  cloves garlic, peeled and chopped fine (to taste)
• 1⁄2 cup green bell pepper, diced
• 2  teaspoons dried ancho chile powder
• 2  teaspoons  dried chipotle powder
• 3  whole bay leaves
• 2 (16 ounce) cans kidney beans ("or" the equiv in cooked kidney beans)
• 2  teaspoons paprika (not sweet Hungarian)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2  teaspoons dried oregano
• 1⁄4 teaspoon allspice
• 1⁄4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper (to taste)
• 1  teaspoon salt (to taste)
• 2  teaspoons Tabasco sauce (to taste)
• 1  ounce  unsweetened baking chocolate
• 1  tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1  tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1  can tomato puree (soup-size can)
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1⁄2 cup  unsalted chicken stock
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dark brown sugar
• 1⁄2 cup  whiskey
• 2  tablespoons ground cumin

Directions

1. Cook the bacon until crisp in a two quart saucepan, then remove bacon and set aside to crumble when cool.
2. Add the peanut oil to the bacon drippings and saute the hamburger, cubed Kielbasa, onion, garlic, green pepper, chili powders, and bay leaves until the meat is just browned and the onions are clear.
3. Drain the fat and discard.
4. Pour meat mixture into a big (12 quart) stockpot and add everything else (except whiskey), including the beans and crumbled bacon, to the pot and bring to a simmer.
5. Cook for 1 1/2 hours or until the beans are tender.
6. Fish out the bay leaves, then let sit in fridge overnight before reheating and serving.
7. (Generally, I've reheated the chili in a crockpot for several hours before serving in the afternoon. Gives it more time to simmer down.) Add whiskey during the reheating, then in the last 30 minutes before serving, add in the cumin and stir well.