Foodie Friday Chili For A Crowd

 
Chili For A Crowd
This recipe is adapted from tasteofhome. 

We have found for our crowd that this recipe doesn't last and is devoured the same night. 😋 Over the years of making this chili we have, I believe, perfected it with different additions to the recipe. Our updates and notes to the original recipe are after the **.

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds ground beef
• 1 pound hot Italian sausage **This is not in the original recipe, but we put it in to make it extra spicy. We love the Johnsonville brand!
• 2 cans (28 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 4 cans (16 ounces each) kidney beans or 4 cans (15 ounces each) pinto beans or black beans, rinsed and drained **We like to use 6 cans instead: one can of black beans, one can of pinto beans, one can of great northern white beans, one can of dark red kidney beans, one can of light red kidney beans, one can of small red beans.
• 1 pound smoked kielbasa, sliced and halved **Again we love the Johnsonville brand!
• 2 large onions, halved and thinly sliced
• 2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce
• 1 can (12 ounces) tomato paste **This is not in the original recipe, but we added it to produce that deep tomato flavor that is so good in this.
• 2/3 cup hickory-flavored barbecue sauce
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 5 fresh banana peppers, seeded and sliced **We use 6 jalapeño peppers instead to make it extra spicy.
  
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground mustard
• 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules **We like dark roast.
• 1 teaspoon each dried oregano, thyme and sage
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
  

Directions:
In an 8-qt. kettle or Dutch oven, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. (**then we cook the spicy Italian sausage, onions, garlic, and jalapeño peppers in with the beef after drained of fat.) Stir in the remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Yield: 20-24 servings (6 quarts).