Cook up a pot or two of real firehouse chili in your kitchen with recipes from West Chester Fire Department!
While you won't find any spaghetti, cinnamon or other hallmark ingredients of true Cincinnati chili in these more traditional recipes, home chefs are invited to choose from two different firehouse chili styles: 3 Alarm Chili and White Chicken Chili. Both recipes are recommended by West Chester firefighters who've prepared and enjoyed these meals.
For more recipes and cooking safety tips, check out the Firehouse Cookbook. Connect with West Chester Fire & EMS at www.WestChesterOH.org/Fire.
West “Best” Chester Fire Department: 3 Alarm Chili
Chili may be prepared up to two days in advance if kept covered and refrigerated. Reheat to serve.
Ingredients:
1 pound coarsely ground beef chuck
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried sage leaves
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 shallot, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded, and chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded, and chopped
1/2 jalapeno pepper, halved, seeded, and chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper, or to taste
Salt, to taste
1 cup Beef Stock or Broth (burgundy wine or beer also works well)
One 16-ounce can crushed tomatoes
One 16-ounce can of diced tomatoes (canned tomatoes with green chilis works well)
One 16-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
One 16-ounce bag corn chips (for garnish and snacking)
Directions: In a medium hot soup pot, brown the chuck with the thyme, sage and garlic. When browned, remove and drain beef – do not rinse – and set aside.
In the same pot, heat the oil and add the chopped onion, garlic, shallot, red bell pepper and jalapeno. Sauté until the vegetables begin to brown, about 7 to 10 minutes.
Add chili powder, cayenne pepper, chipotle pepper, salt and cook, stirring until spices begin to stick to the pan. Add stock or wine/beer and cook until liquid is reduced by half.
Add tomatoes and bring to a boil. Stir in beans and browned beef then simmer, partially covered, over medium low heat for at least one hour. Adjust spices to your desire. Serve with corn chips.
Crockpot White Chicken Chili
Not too spicy with tons of flavor. Let your slow-cooker do the work!
1-1/4 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 cups of low-sodium chicken stock
2 (15 ounce) cans of reduced-sodium white beans
2 (4-1/2 ounce) cans of diced green chiles
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 teaspoons of ground cumin
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1/4 cup of fresh chopped cilantro
Fresh lime wedges
Toppings: jalapeno slices, guacamole, sour cream, shredded cheese, tortilla chips, etc. (optional)
Directions: Place the chicken in the bottom of a 6-quart or larger slow-cooker. Top with chicken broth, white beans, green chiles, garlic, onion, cumin, oregano, salt and cayenne. Stir to combine.
Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, or cook on high for 2 to 4 hours, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken breasts to a plate. Once cool enough to handle, shred and set aside.
Using an immersion blender, puree a portion of the chili to thicken it, leaving some of the beans whole. (You can also transfer a few ladlefuls of the chili to a food processor and roughly blend, then stir the blended portion back into the chili.) Stir in the shredded chicken and cilantro.
Portion into bowls and top with a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Add any other desired toppings and enjoy!
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
Tip: Know thy slow-cooker! If yours cooks exceptionally quickly, be sure to watch the cooking time carefully and check it early, as chicken breasts more easily dry out in the crockpot.