Quick. Cheap. It has beans. It has tomatoes. Some people will be at the upper edge of their spice limit and others add LOTS of hot sauce. Even small children will eat it. And there will be hardly any left when everyone's done. It freezes pretty well- milder when thawed and reheated. Remember to pour into shallow pans (2" or less) to cool quickly.

Yields 6 gallons, just under 100 cups. Feeds about 80 people.
1 1/2 recipe fills 2 18-quart Nesco Roasting Ovens. Add an oven full of rice and feed the multitudes!
Prep Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 2 Hours 30 Minutes
Ready In: 4 Hours

Basic recipe:
6 pounds dried pinto beans
3 tablespoons salt
20 pounds lean ground beef
1 pound chopped onions
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 quarts canned peeled and diced tomatoes in juice
2 quarts tomato paste
1 1/3 cups chili powder I recommend Gebhardt's
3 tablespoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
water, beef broth, beer*, and/or coffee if extra liquid is needed- depends on cooking method
Additions and variations:

• Use kidney, navy or black beans, add 60-80 ounces frozen corn niblets wth the tomatoes.
• Increase onions to 4 pounds and garlic to 2 heads. Add 40 ounces chopped bell pepper.
• Prepare fresh chili peppers to taste and saute with the onions, etc.
• Substitute 13 pounds fresh pork sausage for 1/2 the ground beef. Drain some of the fat before adding to the beans- the sausage has way more fat.
• Substitute 13 pounds diced top sirloin for half the ground beef. Brown with the burger.
• Add additional spices: 1/4 cup dried oregano, 2-4 tablespoons crushed or ground red/cayenne pepper PLUS 1/4 cup paprika, 2 tablespoons ground coriander
• You can make a vegetarian chili by substituting soyburger.

Preparation:
• Bean prep: Wash and sort pinto beans. Bring 3 gallons of water to boil in a 6 gallon pot. Pour in beans, return to a boil and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 1 hour. Stir in salt and simmer until tender, 90 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, brown beef with onions and garlic over medium high heat or brown in oven at 350 degrees until pink is gone, up to 1 hour. Combine, chili powder, cumin, pepper Add to meat mixture, tomatoes, tomato paste and cooked beans in 6 gallon pot; stir; cover.
• Simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add liquid to ontain desired consistency- amount varies by cooking method and beans. May also be cooked covered in the oven or in Nesco roasting ovens, which are basically 18 quart crock pots, for about 3-4 hours at 300-325. In the oven, uncover for the last half hour.

8 pounds pinto beans, soaked overnight
4 gallons cooking water
2/3 cup dehydrated onion flakes
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2/3 cup chili powder
2 tablespoons white pepper

Soak the beans overnight or by the fast methods explained in the Bean faqs. Use plenty of water, they will about triple in size. Drain the beans. Put beans and all seasonings in pot with the 4 gallons of water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a steady simmer and cover. Cook two hours, check for tenderness, if needed allow another hour.
When the beans start to get tender, mash some of them against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon. This will thicken the broth. Salt the beans to taste after they are done.
To improve the above recipe, add either a pound of chopped bacon or ham or a good-size ham hock to the pot after the first 2 hours.

Buttermilk Biscuits

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together. Cut shortening into mixture until it resembles fine crumbs. Stir in milk just until dough leaves sides of bowl. Dough will be soft and thick. Turn dough on to lightly floured surface. Knead lightly 10 times. Roll to 1/2 in. thick and cut with 2 1/2 in. cutter. Place on un-greased cookie sheet and bake 10 to 12 minutes. *Slightly more or less milk may be needed.

7 cups cornmeal, preferably whole grain
5 cups all purpose flour
4 Tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon salt
8 eggs
6 cups buttermilk
2 cups vegetable oil

Grease 3 1x13 pans
In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Set aside. Mix together remaining ingredients and add to dry ingredients, mixing until just moistened. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

COOKING

COOLING

THAWING

REHEATING AND SERVING

DO NOT ADD FRESH CHILI TO OLD CHILI IN THE SAME POT, NEVER NEVER!

HANDWASHING

Ingredients:
1 cup onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup zucchini or yellow squash, coarsely chopped
1 cup celery, chopped, including tender leaves
1 cup carrots, chopped fairly small
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
2 16 oz. cans whole tomatoes in juice, chopped
1/2 of a 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 16 oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
OR 3 1/2 cups cooked beans
OR 1 1/3 cups dried beans or lentils, cooked

Cook onion, garlic and spiuces in oil until onion is tender, Add chopped vegetables, cook and stir about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, and cover. Simmer until all the veggies are tender (10-30 minutes depending on amounts). Add beans and heat through.