Patti’s Firecracker Chili

We had 3lbs. of stew beef and a few ideas. Stew, for instance, but that included veggies Ken doesn’t like. I suggested chili and was scoffed at because Ken is the chili master…a well deserved title. But, today I actually impressed him with my first from scratch chili. Woo Hoo! Lots of smoky heat and tender meat. Excellent.

Patti and I have set one night a week just for us. It’s our date night. We usually put something special on our Royall Wood Pellet Grill but sometimes we cook inside. We always eat outside on our patio where it is very comfortable with a rainforest theme. Wood burning stove, little lights, candles, lanterns and surround sound. We enjoy a little wine, or strawberry margaritas using frozen strawberries for ice, good food, music and sometimes a dance or two…

Note: This was Patti’s first Chili ever. I had my doubts and had a hard time keeping my mouth shut and going about my own business. I was hugely surprised. This chili was full of large chunks of tender meat with a deep rich chili flavor that built into the perfect smoky heat as you ate it. Not for Yankees and Sissies, it was on the Zippy side. My Baby can make chili for me anytime!

She used some of Lumberjacks new “Mexican Heat” wood pellets. Mexican Heat is a wood pellet that has Red pepper chili powder mixed right in it. The red pepper chili powder is a pungent, hot chili powder with a strong bite and the flavor intensifies as it is cooked. I love the Southwestern flair it adds to all of your grilling.

Patti’s Firecracker Chili
A Pellet Grill Recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 5 hours
Grill: Royall Tailgater Wood Pellet Grill/Smoker
Pellets: Lumberjacks new “Mexican Heat”

Ingredients: Patti’s Firecracker Chili

• 3lbs. lean stew beef
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil or bacon drippings
• 1 sweet onion, cut into large wedges
• 1 7oz. can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 1 14oz. can stewed tomatoes Mexican style, do not drain
• 1 6oz. can tomato paste
• 2 Tablespoons chili powder
• 2 Tablespoons Chipotle powder
• 1 12oz. can Coke
• 1 cup ketchup

Patti’s Firecracker Chili
A Pellet Grill Recipe

In Our Lodge Cast Iron Dutch Oven Brown Beef

Directions: Patti’s Firecracker Chili

Using our Lodge cast iron Dutch oven brown beef cubes in oil or drippings along with onions and garlic until just lightly browned. Add remaining ingredients in order and mix well. Off to the Tailgater.

Note: For events or camping/picnics you can brown and bag your beef ahead of time. Then when you are ready just dump everything in your Dutch oven. The Royall Wood Pellet Tailgater uses very little electricity at start up and will run off an inverter from your car with no problem…

Ready For The Smoke

Patti’s Firecracker Chili
A Pellet Grill Recipe

Cooking Directions: Royall Wood Pellet Grill/Smoker

Open the lid and set the switch to “Smoke”. After about five minutes you can shut the lid. Give it about 10 minutes to heat up. Patti has lined the drip pan with foil for me, it makes for easier clean up.

Place Dutch oven uncovered directly onto the grill and just let it hang out in the smoke and get happy. This is referred to as “Smoking” or “Hot Smoking”, the temperature is around 225-250 degrees. Smoke for five hours stirring every so often. Make sure you check the hopper every so often to make sure you have plenty of pellets.

On the Royall Tailgater

Patti’s Firecracker Chili
A Pellet Grill Recipe

Note: I get a lot of questions about the kind of pellets you can use with a recipe. Keep in mind that a recipe is just an outline. Some you need follow closely like when you are making bread, but most you can do anything you can dream, our favorite way to cook. Feel free to mix and match the pellets until you find a combination you really like. Also you are only smoking at temps less than 250 degrees, anything higher is cooking and there will not be much if any smoke so it does not matter what kind of pellet you are using.

Lookin Good

About Our Recipes

We do our recipes on our patio where we have a lineup of grills, including Louisiana, Green Mountain, Memphis, Royall, Traeger pellet grills, Char Griller side box smoker, Saber, Charmglow, Char-Broil, The Big Easy, Pacific Living Pizza Oven, Lodge Sportsman’s, Brinkman and Weber. I call it our “Wall of Grill”. Our grilling styles are healthy and low fat and will fit pelletheads, gas, natural wood and even charcoal purists. Almost any of our recipes can be done on any kind of good BBQ.

The important thing to keep in mind is TIME & TEMPERATURE. You can even do some of them in the oven or crock pot, but, then you lose all the flavors you get from cooking outdoors. But sometimes it does rain.

Let’s Eat!!

Remember that a recipe is simply an outline; it is not written in stone. Don’t be afraid to make changes to suit your taste. Take it and run with it….

Live your Passion,
Ken & Patti

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Our Thanks To:

Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce
www.countrybobs.com

Maverick Industries, Inc.
1-800-526-0954
help@maverickhousewares.com
http://www.maverickhousewares.com/  

F.Dick Professional Knives and Tools.
888-921-9378
thfinch@125west.com
http://www.125west.com/c-135-fdick.aspx

PelletCan
A storage container & dispenser for wood pellets
sales@pelletcan.com
http://www.pelletcan.com 

Lodge Cast Iron
www.lodgemfg.com

Lumberjack Wood Pellets
Jerry Brown
715-866-8535
www.lumberjackpelletsonline.com

Grill Grates
http://www.grillgrate.com/