Prize-Winning Chili

 This is our family's favourite chili.  The recipe was published many years ago in a Canadian Living magazine, that featured as you might guess, prize winning chili recipes.  With the addition of brown sugar and vinegar, the chili has a sweet and sour flavour to it, which we love.  And the recipe itself is very easy to prepare.  It can be cooked in the oven, on the stove, or in a slow-cooker.  It is also a great make-ahead meal.  This weekend after seeing lean ground beef on sale, I made a huge batch which meant I have multiple suppers tucked away in the freezer.  Of course you can add additional ingredients according to what you like to eat in a chili.  And you can increase the heat factor or leave it out completely.  Enjoy!

 Cook 1 lb. ground beef until brown; drain fat from pan and add 1 chopped onion and 1 clove garlic, minced.  Cook for 10 minutes and add the rest of the ingredients.

 If you are using bacon, cook 7 slices, until crisp.  Set aside for later.

 This recipe uses canned tomatoes, kidney beans and prepared cans of beans (see below for full recipe).  Be sure to drain and rinse the kidney beans.

 Pour in 1/3 cup vinegar

 Add 2 Tb. packed brown sugar

 Add 2 Tb. fancy molasses 

 Add 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp. dry mustard, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, and 1/4 tsp. hot pepper sauce (optional).

 Cover and bake in 300 F oven for 2 hours or alternately put in a slow cooker.  Uncover and bake for one hour or until thickened.  As mentioned, this can easily be frozen and re-heated.

Ingredients

7 slices lean bacon (optional)

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 onion (chopped)

1 clove garlic (minced)

2 Tb. packed brown sugar

2 Tb. fancy molasses (you can buy gluten-free molasses)

1 can tomatoes (19 oz)

1 can kidney beans (14 oz) - drained and rinsed

1 can beans (14 oz)

1/3 cup vinegar

1 tsp. dry mustard

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce (this is already gluten-free)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. each pepper and hot pepper sauce (optional)

Method

Cook ground beef until brown; drain fat from pan and add onion and garlic.  Cook ten minutes and add the rest of the ingredients (except for bacon).  Cook bacon separately until crisp.  Drain, chop, and set aside, adding at the end.

Cover and bake in 300 F oven for 2 hours or alternately put in a slow cooker.  Uncover and bake for one hour or until thickened.